Running head: FCS: A Must!

Koch Lloyd 1

Family and Consumer Science Classes: A Must!

Kristyn Koch Lloyd

BYU- Idaho
FCS: A Must! 2

Abstract

Family and Consumer Science classes are available as electives in many secondary

education schools across the nation. These classes teach many necessary life skills such as

cooking, nutrition, sewing, finance, childcare, interior design, etc. However due to many

school’s budget cuts, and higher state academic standards these classes have been unable to get

the required supplies and thus are diminishing slowly and many programs have gone away

entirely. The skills that Family and Consumer Science Classes (or FCS) provide to students have

life lasting capabilities. Not only should they be funded in schools, but the classes should be

made as a graduation requirement for every student.

Family and Consumer Science Classes: A Must!

Introduction

In utter frustration the groom looked at the back pocket of his dress pants. When getting

out of the car on his big day he caught the button and accidently snagged it off. For him this was

the end of the world. He had ruined his new pair of dress pants for the most important day of his

life. Or so he thought. This is what happened on my wedding day. Yes, this clumsy groom I

mention, is my husband. To me a little pop of a button was no big deal because it is such a

simple task to sew on a button. But this is the difference between attending a school where

Family and Consumer Science (or FCS) classes are taught. He grew up in a small town in Idaho

where the schools do not receive funding for such programs. I however, grew up in a suburb of

Chicago and was able to receive access to many different programs such as FCS classes. To me

it is alarming that not all middle schools and high schools provide Family and Consumer Science

classes, these programs teach basic skills that prepare teens for their futures. My husband, along

with 70% of other young people cannot sew on a button (Attn, 2016).

Family and Consumer Science classes teach basic skills like cooking and nutrition,

mending and sewing, budgeting and finance, family relationships, childcare, interior design, etc.

While they may sound more like activities than core classes, they do provide the basic

knowledge to preform necessary skills. Fewer and fewer of these later generations are able to

write checks, change a diaper, stitch a rip, cook rice, etc. These are skills that will be used for the

rest of their lives; whether it be on their own, in a career or profession, or in their future homes.

Unfortunately these important ‘life prep’ classes are being cut from schools for budgeting

reasons, and to be able to meet state academic requirements.

High schools and middle schools are always hard parts of life for teenagers. There are so

many high expectations on them, they are pushed in every direction for school tests, homework,

sports, friendships, and other activities. They are very involved, yet lack the basic skills that they

need for their lives. These basic skills are necessary to learn early because they will be used

often. As these same kids prepare mentally to go to college they are very underprepared on other

aspects to move away from home. They don’t know how to cook, so they buy microwave meals.

They don’t know how to budget, so they quickly waste their money away. The list goes on. “It’s

slightly alarming how many students leave the nest without the most basic knowledge of day-to-

day life because they’ve always relied on parents to take care of things” (Hoyt, 2016). Family

and Consumer Science classes should not only receive the appropriate budget needed, but these

classes should also be a secondary education graduation requirement because of the lasting

impact they can have on the lives of the students.

Position

For generations, women had made soap in their homes with lye fats: now

homemakers with disposable income [can] purchase it in mass-produced bars. An

expanding array of food-stuffs, such as bread, canned goods, and packaged meats, came

into industrial production as well. Ready made clothing [is] available for purchase by

middle-class women in new retail environments such as department stores. (Goldstein,

2012, Pg. 23)

Family life today is much different than it was just 100 years ago. All of these things are

very different because these skills are simply not taught any more. In todays world most

consumers enjoy modern conveniences, they want to save time so they spend more money for a

lower quality item. Many people enjoy a fresh baked loaf of bread- but how many of them will
FCS: A Must! 5

actually take the time out of their day to make it? How many of this generation swipe a credit

card without any thought to how much they already owe? Some people will shop for hours

searching for a specific style of clothing- why don’t they spend that same amount of time sewing

the garment that will surely be a better fit?

Family and consumer science classes teach the skills that this generation needs to be able

to have strong and healthy families. Ellen Swallow Richards, one of the first women to teach

classes in ‘home economics’ determined cooking to be a science. In 1890 she focused her studies

on food and sanitation. Not a year later, she was contracted to help provide ‘nutritious school

lunches’ to the public schools in the Boston area (Goldstein, 2012, Pg. 20). This is significant

because people started to realize that they could not choose healthy meals for their children,

nutrition was a skill that was already dying at this point. Imagine today, everything that children

bring to school for lunches are pre-packages and processed; because it is easy for the parents.

Most likely the parents know that what they feed their children isn’t necessarily healthy but they

do it because they really don’t know better. Nutrition classes are a must! Imagine if all teenagers

had to take one nutrition class before they could graduate. At least some of that knowledge

would carry over and impact them for their future families. This is only one example. The same

applies to finance and others- if these teens are taught to budget at a young age the skills will

only improve with time. The national debt would eventually decrease because that generation

would already know how to budget, save, invest, etc. The possibilities are endless. Family and

consumer science classes provide a strong foundation for students to prepare to have their own

future families.

Part of the idea of these FCS classes is to create future leaders. Students that participate

in these classes will be able to learn the skills for future careers and professions. These skills
FCS: A Must! 6

include social skills such as teamwork and cooperation. In the foods classes that FCS provides,

often there are several kids that have to work together in one kitchen. Apart from sharing

resources and counterpace, they sometimes even have to work together to create a certain dish.

This could get frustrating as the workspace is small and materials are limited, but thus it is in the

real world. Things in careers and professions aren’t always as one would wish they would be. To

keep employers happy and to enjoy your job however, these social skills are important.

There aren’t always easy answers or clear instructions in professions. Many times

employees have to think inside out and backwards to answer a problem and get things done. For

FCS students this comes naturally, new things are thrown at them. As one learns to read and

understand things like sewing patterns, they learn to think in new ways. They know that a

mistake isn’t fatal, but a setback. The generation that takes FCS classes will learn how to solve

problems and not stress out about them. They are taught to remain calm with the preschool

children in child development classes. If the kids are sad or won’t behave they change the

activity and roll with the punches. These students learn to try again until they make it work

perfectly; a valuable skill to have in the job market.

Students of FCS are both thrifty and better prepared for life emergencies. The old adage;

‘use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without’, makes sense to the FCS students, they

understand that even the smallest sewing scraps can be used to make a quilt to keep someone

warm. When high school and middle school students participate in family and consumer classes

they are better prepared citizens for life emergencies. They won’t go hungry because they know

how to use the recourses they have to create a simple meal. They can save serious money by

mending old clothes rather than buying new ones.

When discussing the negative decline in FCS classes provided in secondary schools, the

book Remaking Home Economics, says this; “Other challenges include the rapidly changing

demographics of the United States, recruiting sufficient numbers of personnel with family and

consumer sciences expertise, responding to crises and emerging issues, globalization, and the

need for social capital in communities.” (Georgia, 2015, Pg.43) Here they realize just that.

Students that learn these basic skills through FCS classes are better prepared for the emergencies

of life. The purpose of the FCS classes is as follows:

The focus is on relationships among humans and their environments with the

mission to help individuals become more effective critical thinkers and problem solvers,

to improve the quality of life, to strengthen communities, and to achieve a healthy and

sustainable world (Georgia, 2015, Pg.43).

Or to create well-rounded leaders in the community. This is what the world needs today;

people that are not afraid to step up and be leaders, people that can take action to help others in

confidence.

Another reason, different from the other positive reasons why FCS should be a required

program at schools is that it provides a fun alternative learning experience and atmosphere for

these preteen and teenagers that need a break in their stressful day. These classes are fun! “A

comprehensive study conducted in 2008 indicated that… users of family and consumer sciences

programs with 90 percent of respondents rat[ed] the programs ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ (2009)”

(Georgia, 2015, Pg.43). These are the classes that students want to take! While math and history

classes may be required and prepare students to meet state standards, these classes prepare

students for their futures. This is knowledge that will stick with students for many years, and

affect the rest of their lives. Students look forward to sampling their creation from their cooking
FCS: A Must! 8

class, or an equal equivalent. Imagine a student weighed down from home life, drama with

friends, and a full homework load. This student is at an unstable time in their life where they

need some fun to keep them going. They need some motivation to get them out of bed in the

morning and see improvement in life.

When someone is able to create an article of clothing from scratch, a fresh pie, or tell a

tory that made little children laugh they feel complete. Students in FCS classes feel a sense of

accomplishment for having made or completed something by themselves. Not only have they

learned a new skill, but they have something to show for it. That is the satisfying feeling they

need in their lives. Something like being able to show and make a healthy menu would give

such self worth to these teenagers that need that confidence and reassurance in such a negative

world. In the book Power Of Middle School Maximizing, they discuss what types of curriculum

would ideally be implemented in every middle school. Along with the core subjects there are the

points mentioned,

1. The middle school curriculum should include an abundance of technology with

more hands-on activities, not just running software packages or taking required tests via

computer. A much wider variety of options should also be offered. Those sitting ‘on the

mountain top’ need to realize that not all students are going to college. 2. Real life

experiences whenever possible. 3. A great variety of activities to cover all kinds of

learning skills and learning styles. 4. They need exposure to different career path options

(Babbage, 2012, Pg. 132).

Are these not all fulfilled through FCS classes? Reality is that students don’t always have

parents that can teach them these skills, and they may not ever reach college, but they need to

know these important skills. So schools must be able to provide that opportunity to them.
FCS: A Must! 9

Opposing View

Because of recent budget cuts in different school districts around the country many of the

FCS programs have not received the needed class materials or they have been eliminated

completely. There may be some concern that these classes are expensive, but the community

could get involved and supply donations from local sewing shops, bakeries, nurseries, etc,

depending on the class. The school could hold fundraisers to earn money to get sewing machines

and new kitchens; it is a good cause for everyone to get involved in. These programs should be

state funded and set as a priority before other frivolous things. For example; The St. Charles East

High School recently purchased a mega screen to replace the football scoreboard (Fitzpatrick,

2011). The previous sign was working perfectly, why was so much money spent on this and not

used for other educational programs? It sure sounds like someone could have benefitted basic

knowledge from an FCS finance class.

Another concern has some school administration saying that they are unable to find and

hire teachers to teach these subjects or that are qualified to do so. But there are actually many

students that graduate in Family and Consumer Science education each year. It is a growing

subject to study in the western United States. Because FCS covers so many subjects as it’s core,

it will actually be easier to find qualified teachers many that could even teach multiple of the

subjects that are offered.

With so much academic focus on achievement levels for state testing some staff and

parents may say that FCS classes don’t follow the school curriculum and therefore should be cut.

They may also say that these programs can distract from other school subjects and be a waste

school time. Be mindful that not every hour of the day in school needs to be focused on meeting

state standards. Currently Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Illinois and Iowa; so 6
FCS: A Must! 10

of the 50 states require Physical Education classes in schools (Rochman, 2001). These classes are

not concerned with the state curriculum, but the general wellbeing and health of the students.

Similarly, FCS classes would provide a mental break in the day like these gym classes, though

not athletic in nature. FCS classes are also concerned with the general wellbeing of the student

and help improve character, self-esteem, and preparedness of the students enrolled. If parents ans

staff insists that there is no time in the school day for FCS, even as an elective, the classes should

be offered after school as an activity or some equivalent. When students have an elective class in

their day, they actually preform better in their other classes because they were able to take a

mental break to do something they enjoy. Similar to art classes, creativity and kinesthetic

movements create a relaxing environment for the students to rejuvenate and enjoy (Babbage

2012, Pg. 136).

While it would be hard to argue that FCS teaches useless skills, society is changing.

Modern ideas and innovations may not require skills like mending a rip, balancing excel

spreadsheets, or perfecting a piecrust recipe. However, as previously stated these skills that FCS

students learn will stay with them throughout the years. Some may think that sewing is pointless

because you can just throw out the old and buy something new. They might think that you don’t

have to learn how to cook because there are so many restaurants lately. However, old ideas are

‘tried and true’, tested and frugal. They have worked for many years and have become part of

our traditions as people. Many other countries around the world still have and use these basic

concepts. Just because many are moving away from them doesn’t make it innovative, but

incompetent in basic skills. Phone applications can’t always fix our problems, they provide

information but without practice of the skills often it will not help. Just because finding a recipe

online is easy, doesn’t guarantee the consumer can follow it to create a delicious result. These
FCS: A Must! 11

skills are not useless, nor a waste of time. They can save money, time, and resources. By learning

and practicing FCS skills these students are better prepared for emergencies and help others

through emergencies when resources are scarce and the basics are necessary once again. We can

never be too prepared.

Conclusion

While the convinces of this generation null people’s cooking, sewing, childcare, and

finance skills; Family and consumer science classes stand to make a difference. Our students and

children will be better prepared for the world that they face because of the skills they were taught

through FCS programs. These classes can even provide help to other core classes in middle and

high school. Cooking and nutrition classes can teach concepts of chemistry and science, that will

intrigue the students to continue learning and apply the information learned. Child development

classes can help the students with writing and reasoning when they create and organize lesson

plans and use persuasive skills to teach the little children. Personal finance classes definitely help

students with basic math and computer competency. While sewing classes teach measurements

and shapes to provide a foundation for geometry students.

This is why FCS classes should be available in all secondary schools and a requirement

for graduation. Not only will FCS classes help students to prepare for their future families,

careers, and emergencies; but the classes also help each student become a better person by

building positive character attributes. These are classes that students want to and enjoy taking.

Imagine the next generation of teenagers at graduation having completed their FCS requirement.

They will be ready to face the world and whatever challenges arise as strong capable leaders.
FCS: A Must! 12

References

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Ridge Summit, US: R&L Education. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

Basic Life Skills. (2016, June 27). Retrieved July 12, 2016, from

http://www.attn.com/issues/economy

Fitzpatrick, J. (2011, June 9). St. Charles East High School- New Football Scoreboard. Retrieved

July 12, 2016, from http://www.dailyherald.com/topics/st-charles-east-high-school/.

Goldstein, C. M. (2012). Creating Consumers : Home Economists in Twentieth-Century

America (1). Chapel Hill, US: The University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved from

http://www.ebrary.com

Hoyt, E. (2016, May 17). Basic Life Skills You Should Know. Retrieved July 13, 2016, from

http://www.fastweb.com.

Nickols, S. Y., & Kay, G. (Eds.). (2015). Remaking Home Economics: Resourcefulness and

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Nickols, S. Y., Ralston, P. A., Anderson, C., Browne, L., Schroeder, G., Thomas, S. and Wild, P.

(2009), The Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge and the Cultural

Kaleidoscope: Research Opportunities and Challenges. Family and Consumer Sciences

Research Journal, 37: 266–283. Retreived July 2016 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.

Remaking Home Economics: Resourcefulness and Innovation in Changing Times. (2015).

Georgia, US: University of Georgia Press. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

Resources - American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). (2015). Retrieved

July 12, 2016, from http://www.aafcs.org/Resources/Research.asp.

Rochman, B. (2011, December 7). Childhood Obesity: Most U.S. Schools Don’t Require P.E.

Class or Recess | TIME.com. Retrieved July 13, 2016, from http://healthland.time.com.