You may hear different names for my classes....Exploring FACS, Life Management Skills, Teen Living and Taking Charge. They are all just names for a course for a particular grade level, but F.A.C.S. is the official title or curriculum name; the umbrella that reigns over all the names of our courses. You don't call your math class "numbers" do you? Each level of math is different, like algebra, geometry, calculus, etc. That is what we do (in the HS level) break it down to different areas or types....child development, foods and nutrition, fashion/interior design, etc....
So once upon a time we called it "Home Economics" and...we don't call it "Home Ec" anymore either (we haven't for many years!). You don't call them 'music records' anymore but CD's, right? So, let's move with the times and call it what the state of Virginia recognizes it as, along with the rest of the country: "Family and Consumer Science or FACS". We are trying to update that old Betty Crocker image(who? oh never mind...LOL)who people associate with the name "Home Ec". , and keep up with the 21st century. Ok? But now you are saying...um yeah...BUT WHAT IS IT?
Family and Consumer Science is the Science (study) of your family and how it operates and functions and the use of goods and services (that's a consumer) to survive. It covers all the areas of Babysitting/Child Care, Parenting/Marriage, Fashion Design and Garment Construction, Interior Design/Decorating, Money Management, Food Preparation/Nutrition. I challenge you to research each of these areas and I bet you could name at least 5 different careers that stem from those areas. Amazing aren't we?
Cornell University's Webpage on FACS and its evolution: http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/homeEc/default.html
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