SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Modern Home Ec: Stitching Together Key Life Skills  

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, September/October 2022 Issue

By Martha Beach

Carrie Clarkson took family studies when she was in Grade 12 and, after becoming a teacher herself, volunteered to teach it to Grades 6, 7, and 8. “It was then I realized that I could actually teach family studies as a career,” says Clarkson, who now teaches Grades 10–12 with the Halton District School Board in Ontario. “It’s a passion. And that passion really started when I was in school taking these types of courses myself.”

The courses that Clarkson teaches are very different from what we might think of as traditional home economics courses. Gone are the days of learning to repair a torn shirt sleeve or traditionally set a table. Clarkson remembers her mother talking about taking home ec courses: “They taught her how to properly section an orange.”

What we might think of as “home ec” now falls under an umbrella term called “family studies” in Canada. It covers a wide variety of topics, like fashion and textiles, food and nutrition, food and culture, human development, hospitality services, housing design, and more. While most other classes involve a screen, today’s take on “home ec” intertwines life skills, social responsibility, environmental discussions, career prep, basic economics, tactile activities, hand tools, creativity, and group work. No oranges in sight.

These are skills and ideas everyone can utilize and build on to become a successful part of society. “These courses are all-encompassing. They deal with all areas of students’ lives,” Clarkson points out. Everyone eats, everyone lives somewhere, everyone has some sort of family and friends.

“We give [students] things to help them be successful,” says Clarkson. To borrow an over-used social media phrase: it’s all about adulting. “All the courses tie into so many careers you’d want to be in.”

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $15.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

Education News

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

PPC Members Inspire the Next Generation Through 2025 TICCIT Program

This year, the Paperboard Packaging Council reached over 7,500 students and planted more than 8,000 saplings across North America.

Join Our Newsletter

Get 10% off a subscription, monthly giveaways, and the latest updates—straight to your inbox!

Martha Beach
Martha Beach
Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

Advertisement

Read More

The First Six Weeks: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Middle School Year

The first six weeks of a new school year are essential. In middle school classrooms, those weeks are not just a warm-up. Rather, they are the foundation on which the entire school year is built.

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Breathe, Focus, and Learn: 3 Simple Exercises That Prepare Students for Academic Success

When practiced regularly, breathing techniques can become powerful self-regulation tools that serve students throughout their academic lives and beyond.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

Stories from the Stage: How Drama Education Shapes Global Citizens

Drama is far more than a performance-based art. It is a dynamic educational tool that improves students’ capacity to understand perspectives far removed from their own.
casino med trustly | new york new york hotel & casino | lich v league 2024 | thống kê giải đặc biệt theo tháng năm | yui hatano | si xiang slot | vào bóng nhanh không bị chặn | an1 | mod_fcgid can t apply process slot for | slot filling dialogflow | giải đặc biệt theo tháng | glow slot | thống kê giải đặc biệt theo tháng năm | nguyệt đạo dị giới manga | vua tro choi yugioh tap 86 | 888 slot | xe đi casino thomo | winclub | hack golden hoyeah slots | kho báu huyền thoại ios | ảnh nobita | dagathomo tructiep | casino campuchia 2017 | xổ số an giang ngày 9 tháng 6 | lucky casino free spins | ww88 casino | mod skin liên quân app | venetian macau casino | thời tiết phú quốc 10 ngày tới | corona resort & casino phú quốc | dien dan so xo mobi | cô vợ bắt buộc tập 26 | yeu apk | hialeah casino | siti casino online | casino mộc bài | slot là j | dream league soccer 2024 | casino hồ tràm grand | m88 vin link | casino oyunları bedava | wishmaker casino |