Throughout our 12 years of mandatory school, our days have four constants: language arts, math, science, and social studies. They are called our core classes because they are what all our other classes build upon. But just because these “core” classes are seen as more important than all others doesn’t mean they are – electives, while normally chosen for fun, are the classes that will set you up for your future.
Take STEM, for example. While math and science are good principles to learn, they’re of no use unless we learn how to apply them in the real world. That’s where electives come into play. Take computer science, which uses logic and math to create the programs that now run our world. Or the engineering and woods classes, which use math, geometry, and sometimes even physics to create machines that we use in our everyday life. These classes teach us how math and science can be applied in real world jobs.
DECA is another elective that can help with real-world jobs. While none of our core classes teach about business, DECA teaches students about administration, marketing, finance, and more, preparing students for roles in business management.
Another elective that prepares students for leadership roles is ASB. This class not only helps students with public speaking, but it allows students to essentially run a school and gives them experience in things like managing budgets and planning events.
Then there are the classes that are quite simply practice for a real job. Journalism, Yearbook, and Video Production are all classes that lead directly into jobs in newspapers, photography, and cinematography. Band, choir, and orchestra can lead to jobs as professional musicians, drama leads straight to the stage, and ROTC prepares students for the military.
Just because you aren’t required to take a certain class doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care about it. Electives are classes that need to be taken seriously, because there’s a lot we can get out of them. While core classes can provide you with basic skills for life, electives can teach you how to use these skills to succeed.