The American education system has many faults, but its biggest failure in my opinion is its inability to teach children how to be good people, good citizens, and good humans. It makes a slight attempt in elementary school by teaching values like respect, kindness, trustworthiness and so on. But these values only show up as words to young children, and are then forgotten as they go to middle school. Schools aren't teaching children and young teens how to be whole people.

1. How to lead a healthy life

You may be thinking gym and 'health' class covered it all, but no one taught us about nutrition and what foods to put into our bodies, how to look at the kinds of food we ate. No one taught us how to build a workout routine, and how to apply it in our lives practically. Instead, we are picking up meditation, nutrition, and fitness as we enter our twenties, if we so choose. There was so little emphasis on health, looking back on my education, and so much more emphasis on doing what so society expected of you -- rather than what your body and well-being demanded of you.

2. Mental Health

This goes hand in hand with leading a healthy lifestyle, but it carries its own weight as it is the biggest failure of the American education system. Children of the Millenial and Gen Z generations have already been given childhoods warped around technology and impersonal experiences, that they are finding themselves ridden with symptoms of depression and stress. The American Psychological Association says that members of Gen Z are more likely to report mental health concerns, citing mass shootings as an example stress. In order to be good, contributing citizens of society, society must first teach children exactly how to take care of themselves. Often times, teachers and even guidance counselors are ill-equipped to handle genuine mental health concerns of students, which results in students dealing with their symptoms in the wrong way.

3. Good financial habits

Finally, a more practical skill to have, is knowledge and application of good financial habits. Though I did take a basic finance course in high-school, I had no practical understanding of finance and its application. One online course did not prepare me for the workforce, savings, and even handling pocket money. It is important to take into account some children do not have parents who will or can teach them about finance -- their disadvantage only grows.

These lessons help students become adults, and ease the transition. There is nothing quite so frightening as not knowing how to calm one's own mind, not knowing how to keep track of one's money, and not being in touch with one's own body. Each child is a person in the making, and our schools should be helping them become their own person -- not the person we want them to be.