We do too, as a part of the health classes. You get to pick a spouse in the class and divide the time up between you. Some people get really into it (with the kind of dolls that cry and have to be "calmed" by turning a key at the back), but a lot of people just stuff the doll in their locker and take it out for health class.

I suppose that many schools in many countries carry child care classes as part of their curriculum. In the large number of posts in this thread there are many examples of areas that could be justified as important parts of a curriculum.

My original list included 22 areas that discussion programmes / news items / various agencies had asserted were items that schools should include on their curriculum. There have been others since. My original point (made somewhat facetiously) was that most of these areas belong in the home - that they were PARENTAL NOT SCHOOL responsibilities. If you add to them suggestions that schools should have after-school homework / clubs until evening (presumably when parent(s)finish work)I was arguing that this is a fundamental abdication of the most important / influential role in society.

I also wondered if all of these things were to be done by schools- where are schools to find find time for English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, Art, Literature, Drama, Music, Physical Ed, Religious Ed (where applicable), Careers Guidance, Business Studies, Computing, Library and Information Studies, Modern Languages, Home Economics, Politics, Social Studies, Technology and Design, Various trade based training programmes and about ten other areas that I would consider entirely legitimate academic / vocational subjects for schools?

In summary, I suppose I was asking (myself as much as anyone else!)the question as to what are schools for and what are parents for/ Which areas are largely / solely the remit of schools? Which are largely / solely the responsibility of parents? Which areas overlap with real and genuine benefit to the pupils? (NOT THE PARENTS - SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT EXIST TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF PARENTS BUT THE AGREED / PERCEIVED NEEDS OF PUPILS.

I don't have statistics or sources to hand presently but I remember having read, some time back, research suggesting that, operating at full efficiency and in favourable circumstances, schools could be expected to make a difference in the life-chances / life-skills of pupils to approximately 20% of relevant qualities, skills, experiences needed for relative success. My worry is that too much else would be / is being heaped on to to schools and I worry (for society's sake) about what is not being done for the other 80% of the skills etc needed!)

I am not a great worrier usually about the 'nanny state' but I certainly believe that it is the interests of schools, teachers, parents, society, employers, government and, most importantly, our young people that the roles of schools and parents should be more clearly thought out. Schools and teachers may be 'in loco parentis' during the time kids are at school but society needs to decide what it is reasonable and desirable for them to teach during that time!

How about going back to the classical trivium-- grammar, rhetoric, and logic-- supplemented with the quadrivium-- music, astronomy, arithmetic and geometry?
Everything else should be taught at home.
From my personal experience, my parents and grandparents taught me right from wrong, and the public schools taught me how to read, write, and "cipher"(as Jethro Clampitt used to say in the "Beverly Hillbillies" TV show).

And now I lurk on trivia websites, so maybe that's not a great approach either. (Smiles wryly to himself)

Seriously though, going back to a classical approach to education would do a lot to solve some of the social and educational ills that plague the United States, if not all "Western" nations. I used to teach at a private school with this curriculum and it produced some truly amazing scholars.

For those concerned about students' social skills, it is easy to envision ethics, citizenship and "common sense" being transmitted through the rhetoric and logic segments of the curriculum. Even students without a solid support structure at home could learn about piety and respect with the help of qualified instructors teaching the trivium and quadrivium.

As far as the amount of subjects taught, keep it simple.
Remember Occom's Razor.

Trim it down,

Marley