How school was for me as a student (it worked) and what kids aren't getting now
I went to a pretty good public school, graduated in 1981. I was in a special weekly program (ELP) for high potential kids from 4th grade until tenth, when I talked my way out of it (it was cramping my ability to smoke weed and be lazy). Then I was a high school English teacher for 30+ years, retiring in 2023. These are some of the things I experienced and what I think about them:
-we went on field trips, at least two a year and a few more with ELP. I saw plays in Los Angeles, nature preserves, concerts. My last few years working, field trips were almost non-existent. Those field trips made me feel valued and trusted and we appreciated the effort by our teachers and parents to manage us while we were out.
-we had PE every day. A lot of it was inefficient and we got sweaty - but we learned how to play games and what we were good at. I learned that I hated football and that I was very good at wrestling, which changed my life (seriously). My last few years teaching, PE was cut down to a minimum of effort and was cut for any needed processing of student paperwork, etc.
-dances. We had dances after football games and occasionally after school. They were awkward as hell and the music was lame, but they allowed you to work on your social skills. Everyone went and it was relatively innocent.