[SandRat]

Here's the way H.S. should be, heck even Middle School

1. Math - Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, Trigonometry
   
2. Science biology, Chemistry, Physics
   
3. Literature the Classics - Poe, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Longfellow
   
4. History - World and INTENSIVE Real US not the PC revisionist Crap
   
5. Civics - US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights -- and all of the words not Cherry picked phrases.
   
6. Music appreciation - Bach, Beethoven, Tichofski, Handel, Mozart, The Big Band artists, Rock and Roll of the '50s and early '60s
   or
   Art Appreciation -- Gogan, The Dutch Masters, Picasso, M. Angelo,...
   
7. P.E. -- all track and field and gender specific self defense.

[Kimmers]

I like that curriculum!!!!!!!

[AZ_Cowboy]

SandRat for curriculum director bump!

[old republic]

History and government are two subjects that have been increasingly filled with propaganda. These classes are often used by the left to push their agenda. You hear all of the time about how the Founding Father's are bad. The teachers themselves often don't teach that government once upon a time was limited. They act as if the government federal government has and should always be all powerful. The left would have you believe that the Constitution creates your rights, when in reality your rights exist without the Constitution. The Constitution is actually you giving power to the governemnt and not the other way around. It would be good if students knew what was Constitutionally acceptable 200 years ago, and how it has changed.

[AZLiberty]

My wife's a counselor at an awesome charter school called Tempe Preparatory Academy. Here's their 12th grade curriculum (everyone takes it, no electives):

12th Grade Curriculum : Humane Letters: a capstone course in which students draw upon the work of the previous two seminars in examining developments in European literature and philosophy in the transition from Rome, through the Middle Ages and into the Modern era. Authors read include Vergil, Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Descartes, Hegel, Marx, and Dostoyevsky. Calculus: addresses differential and integral calculus with its applications. Chemistry: a comprehensive study of all major topics in general chemistry with an introduction to organic chemistry and an intensive study of the fundamentals of biological chemistry. Drama: an advanced study of theater in which students act, direct, and design for two major productions. Students also explore theater history and read the great works of Aeschylus, Plautus, Shakespeare, Moliere, and others.

Art: advanced drawing techniques leading to an introduction to studio painting.

Intermediate Greek or Modern Language IV

In addition to the formal classes, students at Tempe Preparatory Academy are required to complete:

Senior Thesis and Defense: credit awarded after completion of the Defense in the spring of the senior year.

[old republic]

Civics - US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights -- and all of the words not Cherry picked phrases.

Amen to that. When schools teach Constitution today they add things in the Constitution that aren't even there and people just accept it. The false principle of Separation of Church and State. People should be taught the Constitution, not what some liberal court has decided about it. That goes for law schools too. In the 19th century people were taught to be lawyers by reading treatises on the Constitution. Now they are taught case law. In other words they are taught that whatever the Court says about the Constitution must be true. (This is obviously not true because the court overturns its own decisions). Just because there is a precedent doesn't mean that it is correct. People should take their Constitution back and not just let the courts tell them what their constitution is.

[StayAt HomeMother]

Good start, but kids should learn how to WRITE as well as read, and a bit of public speaking won't hurt.

For your number 6 (music or art appreciation) can we make that a general choice of something in the fine and performing arts line to include dance and drama?

Did you purposely not list foreign languages?

In civics can we include general life skills, meaning things young Americans should know so as not to become burdens on society? Basic skills (to include basic safely) in areas such as computers, auto maintenance, household maintenance, cooking and nutrition, sewing, child care, personal financial management, and survival (how to survive 3-5 days without electricity if a natural disaster strikes). Yes, these topics can easily be taught at home as long someone knows the subjects in the first place. However, people die every year because they mix dangerous household cleaning chemicals or because they run a generator with insufficient oxygen, and they lose a lot of money because they don't know when to have their oil changed or how to compare finance charges.

[Dumb_Ox]

What? Nothing about religion?

"Every effort was made to encourage the children at the public schools to "think for themselves." When they should have been whipped and taught Greek paradigms, they were set arguing about birth control and nationalization. Their crude little opinions were treated with respect. Preachers in the school chapel week after week entrusted the future to their hands. It is hardly surprising that they were Bolshevik at 18 and bored at 20." -Evelyn Waugh

[Lessismore]

Not a bad curriculum -- but you need to add some more

In sciences, geology, astronomy, and a course in applied science (engineering, technology or just "how things work").

In social sciences, some psychology, theory and practice of management and the dynamics of group behavior, media and manipulation of behavior, introduction to microeconomics of the firm, and basics of financial systems (e.g. they should understand interest rates and what they do with time).

I'm reluctant to recommend calculus for high schoolers -- analytic geometry and some good instruction in probability and statistics would be more generally useful.

You need a language -- Chinese, Arabic, or Spanish should be preferred.

[newfarm4000n]

Literature the Classics - Poe, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Longfellow


Music appreciation - Bach, Beethoven, Tichofski, Handel, Mozart, The Big Band artists, Rock and Roll of the '50s and early '60s
or


dare I say irrelevant !

[Myrddin]

That is pretty much what I experienced for a junior/senior high school curriculum. Add marching/concert band(trumpet), choir, competitive speech and two years of German. You missed geography in your list. I was assigned to a proposal writing group that had to provide resources worldwide. We had a big world map on the wall. As areas were called out, I zipped to the map and placed a push pin on it. I was shocked at the number of people in the room that didn't have a clue.

[grayforkbeard]

Hmmm

I would skip on #6 and #7.

Send the kids home and let 'em play.

But I like the first 5 a lot.

[napscoordinator]

Thank God I don't have to go to your school. I would most certainly fail...LOL.