The ideal U.S. High School Curriculum?

[Squall]

What do you think should be the ideal U.S. High School curriculum? I've been toying with this idea for a while. What do you think? :) Feel free to make any suggestions, input, edits, etc. you wish. That's why I'm posting it here, after all, for your input and help! :)

Notes: Of course, extra classes in addition to the required ones below could be offered as well, in any subject. A (*) next to the selection means that the class is optional, but you have to take so many (*) classes in addition to the required classes to get your High School Diploma.

Remember, this is an ideal situation.

Math
-----
9th - Algebra I
10th - Geometry & Trigonometry
11th - Algebra II
12th - Calculus

Science
-------
9th - Biology
10th - Chemistry
11th - Physics I (Mechanics)
12th - Physics II (Electromagnetics)

Social Studies
-------------
9th - US History
10th - World Geography
11th - World History
12th - US Government

Language
---------
9th - English I
10th - English II
11th - English III
12th - English IV
* - Spanish I
* - Spanish II
* - French I
* - French II

Business
--------
Economics I (Macro)
Economics II (Micro)
* - Accounting I
* - Accounting II

Technology
-----------
PC Architecture
The Internet
* - Programming I (Basic, Visual Basic)
* - Programming II (C++, HTML, Assembly)

Industry
--------
* - Cosmetology
* - Welding
* - EMT I (Medical)
* - EMT II (Fire)
* - Criminal Law (Police)
* - Agriculture (where applicable)

Life
---
* - Home Economics
* - Driver's Education
* - Boater's Education (where applicable)
* - Pilot's Education (where applicable)

Art
---
* - Art I
* - Art II
* - Speech
* - Theater
* - Dance

Music
-----
* - Band I
* - Band II
* - Band III
* - Band IV

Physical Education
------------------
* - Athletics I
* - Athletics II
* - Athletics III
* - Athletics IV
* - Nutrition
* - Fitness
* - Sex Education (where State laws allow it)

Did I leave anything important out? If so, please let me know! BTW, I'm writing this up for a report in a college class, if you're wondering. Thanks for the help! :)

[Psilon]

For highschool:
How far do most Americans go into calculus?
Do you guys do linear algebra (vectors, matrices) in highschool?
Do you guys do finite (probability, statistics)?

[Psycho Fox]

Well you missing basic electronics under technology.

Basic circits like soldering leds and resisters onto a prebuild board.
Understanding the basics of gates,ect.

Also unders social studies basic philosophy might be a good class to add

[Steve Jester]

Well, I'll take my gander at this.

I like the way The New York Curriculum is set, except for a few minor snags.

Math (State Exam in all Coruses)
9th - Algebra
10th - Geometry
11th - Trig
12th - Pre - Calc

Science (State Exam in all courses)
9th - Earth Science
10th - Advanced Earth Science or Biology
11th - Chemistry or Advanced Biology
12th - Physics or Advance Chemistry

Social Studies
9th - Global Studies I
10th - Global Studies II (State Exam for Global I and II)
11th - US History OR Advanced Global Studies (State Exam)
12th - Government OR Advanced US History (State Exam in Government Only)

English
9th - World Lit
10th - British Lit
11th - US Lit (State Exam from 9th grade up to this point)
12th - an elective of the following:
Creative Writing
Anilitical Writing
Advanced Level of any of the other English Coruses

Forigen Language
Laguages you can take:
Spanish
French
German
Itailan
Japanese
Latin

Courses:
9th - Level I (State Exam)
10th - Level II
11th - Level III (State Exam for Levels II and III)
12th - Level IV

PE (Required in NY, and many other states)
9-12 General Co-ed PE
OR
Athletic Exemption (If your in a sport you are exempt from PE)

and then the electives that Squall gave will sufice.

[redDragon]

Under Music you're missing orchestra and choir.

[RogueMartian]

If you ask me, I think students need more freedom not more mandatory classes. If a student wants to go to art school, why would they need calculus? Besides, if the elementary schools got off their butts and started teaching math instead of spending useless hours making sure the children have high self esteem, kids could probably be through with calculus by the time they were sophomores. Then they could take the classes they need. Like computer/programming classes. Enough so at least everyone can deal with their computers. Economics classes so they know how credit cards or banking works. How about electronics classes so I don't have to hear anyone tell me how they don't know how to hook their VCRs up to their tv. While history is important, modern world politics is moreso. Many people couldn't find iraq or afghanistan on a map if their life depended on it. And even less know how our own, or forieign governments work. Few kids know who their senators or local representatives are.

That's a bit more important than calculus and physics I think. Remember, not all kids are college bound, some just want to be mechanics or just work whatever crap jobs they can get.

[Sandro]

As long as lit classes aren't mandatory (like they are in my high school), I'm happy. No offense to our British friends, but if someone can tell me what I'm going to need Brit Lit for in a career in computers, I won't raise anymore hell about taking it. Although, I did enjoy reading Animal Farm, Clockwork Orange and 1984 especially.

A lot of this post is going to be drawing from personal experience and course structure of my HS, just to give a heads-up.


How far do most Americans go into calculus?

I think at least one year of college-level Calculus. But you can get into the HS equivalent of second-year college Calculus here. Both of these are AP courses.


Do you guys do linear algebra (vectors, matrices) in highschool?

I don't know how it is everywhere else but vectors are more or less covered in Physics. Matrices are covered in Algebra II (10th/11th grade).


Do you guys do finite (probability, statistics)?

I have a whole freakin' class independent of Calc for Stats. It's an AP class as well. I've heard stories of people in my high-school taking Stats, Calc and Physics II (another AP class). That's just overkill if you ask me.

Squall, I think the thing you're missing most is an honors track, for math at least. What you have listed is what I think the honors track should probably be. For a non-honors track perhaps something like:

9th grade -- Pre-Algebra
10th grade -- Algebra I
11th grade -- Geometry
12th grade -- Algebra II

That way people who aren't especially good in math can take their time and get all they pretty much need as far as HS math is concerned. Then again, my HS has 3 possible tracks for math, science and English.

Your science courses appear okay but for some non-required alternatives how about geology (I and II if necessary) and something I really want: astronomy.

Don't see much of a problem with your social studies lineup.

Through Latin, French, German and either Russian, Italian or Japanese (I can see classes like that filling up fast :)). Have four years for each and that'll be all there.

Can't think of anything to add for business right now.

Got quite a bit for technology. First off, perhaps a general electronics class would be good. Next, make BASIC Programming necessary in order to take any other programming language which could potentially include Visual Basic, C, C++, Phyton, Perl, HTML or Java. The idea would be to get the basics (no pun intended) of programming so that what is learned in those classes can be used to build on the material for the rest. If people don't want to go the programming route, maybe some basic PC repair classes would be nice. I don't know what you mean by "PC Architecture". Finally, through some optional Linux classes in and that's perfect, IMO.

Industry seems okay.

Art might be more popular if you throw in some photography courses.

As for music, throw in general music, orchestra and chorus or else...:D

Finally, athletics could possibly use a weight training class.

Okay, I'm done speaking now.

[Psilon]

From another board:

Victor Danilchenko:
"In a democracy, we (theoretically) determine our own future. Our votes determine policy. To vote well, we all must understand the world in the 'big picture' sort of way -- and for that, we need good broad education. Whether we are to decide what to do about global warming, how to promote scientific progress, whether to implement censorship, or how to enact foreign policy, we need to understand both the subject and, more importantly, the context within which the subject would relate to the rest of our experience.

In short, an education that teaches you at least the basics of mathematics, physics, philosophy, history, political theory, psychology, biology, etc. is critical to education of a citizen. However, we shouldn't sneer at those lacking such education -- instead, we should do all in our power to ensure that everyone possesses it; because without prevalence of such education, we are likely to destroy ourselves, culturally and socially if not literally."

continued in another post:

"Education of such breadth is attainable through organized educational effort. it's not being attained now, IMO, because the education at all stages is geared towards pumping out productive workers rather than educated citizens. All education in USA, even postgraduate education to a large degree, is geared towards at some future point ensuring that you will be functional and productive economically -- and very little of it is geared towards producing individuals which are functional and productive socially and politically. I really do think that it's just a matter of focus of the education system, rather than an inherent limitation of formal education.

The truly sad thing is that K12 education teaches students so little about their future social function as citizens, that most highschool graduates don't even realize that they are missing on a true education necessary for a free democratic society.

But those attributes (curiosity and a desire to know) could be fanned and fed by proper education at early stages. Teach middle schol students history -- not history of facts, but history of ideas and forcfes and changes. Teach them basic physics -- not just the formulae, but also the place physics had in forming modern society. Teach them philosophy -- not simply the reading of dry books and outdated tirades, but the influence philosophical thought had on the formation of historical trends and changes. Show kids how all human knowledge interacts in affecting the progress of history, and how it had affected the appearance of their world -- tie everything together into a coherent whole, the past, the present, and the future.

Yes, it can be taught, I think. Teaching a worldview rather than disparate collections of facts would be hard, and it would require dramatic refocusing of our education system, but that is what it would take to produce a society of citizens rather than a society of worker-bees. "

[Squall]

Thanks so much everyone! You're really helping me out a lot! :D Keep those great ideas and thoughts coming!

Consider Orchestra, Choir, Microelectronics, and Creative & Analytical Writing added! :)

I meant for this curriculum to be the basics that all high schools in the U.S. need to teach their students; high schools could add anything they wished to their curriculum, once they had these basics taken care of. So, this curriculum is the required classes, not all the classes a high school in the U.S. could offer.