Teens Learn Life Skills In Class
Teacher Jeremy Whittle is teaching a new life skills class to junior high students at Pineville School this year.
The class has been over several life skills so far this year, including knot tying, fishing and personal finances. On a recent day, they were working on learning to change a tire.
Whittle supervised as students took turns jacking up the truck, loosening the lug nuts and going through the various steps of changing the tire.
Those who had completed the task shared their thoughts.
Seventh-grader Bella Epperson said, “It was hard, but I’m glad we had notes to go over while we were doing it.”
Eighth-grader Peyton Cooper said, “The tire was way lighter than anticipated because my dad made me lift tires. It was way easier than anticipated.”
Eighth-grader Emma Hobbs said, “It felt the same as changing a van tire. I’ve done this before. I
“I believe the students are excited to get out of the everyday norms of school and work with their hands and to learn skills that can help them later on in life. They have definitely risen above their own expectations and are really seeming to like it.” Jeremy Whittle Pineville Teacher
think everybody should use this life skill.”
Seventh-grader Logan Myrick said, “When you get up to do it, it looks hard, but it’s easier than it looks, and it’s also kind of fun.”
Eighth-grader Ryley Mullin said, “I thought it would be easy. It was harder than I thought it would be. With this skill, maybe I’ll get better at it when I’m older and actually have a car.”
Eighth-grader Danielle Patterson said, “I thought it was pretty cool that we got to learn something like this early on so I’ll know how to do it later.”
Whittle said in planning the life skills class, he and Principal Kevin Benish sat down and discussed a few skills they thought would be great for students to learn.
“Mr. Benish has also given me the freedom to find great life skills for our students,” he said. “I have found several skills that I am teaching from talking with parents and other adults about skills they wish they could have been taught.”
“I believe the students are excited to get out of the everyday norms of school and work with their hands and to learn skills that can help them later on in life,” he added. “They have definitely risen above their own expectations and are really seeming to like it.”
He said some skills he is still planning on teaching include orienteering, basic construction, following directions to complete a project and basic first aid.
Regarding the changing of the tire project, Whittle said, “While it is a challenge physically for many of the junior high students to lift and control a truck tire, I believe that the knowledge of the process is very important and that they are doing a great job.”