Damn few. Most of them can't tell the difference between the Revolution and World War II, and think Columbus (assuming they've heard his name) discovered the New World in 1942.
the first time I worked in a high school, it was 1986 and I shared my office "suite" with the school nurse and a health resources counselor who, it turned out, grew up about half a mile from where I grew up. during the change of classes, we'd randomly ask passing students if they knew what major historical event took place between 1861 and 1865 and who the "bad guys" were in WWII. most of them didn't know the first one and the most frequent answer to the second question was "I dunno...maybe RUSSIA?"
that was when I began to gather evidence that there was nothing accidental about this "knowledge gap."
and whether or not a bunch of bigwigs got together and planned to eliminate any basic knowledge of how the government is supposed to work in so many words is irrelevant. just look at where we're at.
Hell, most kids today donтАЩt even know about the Vietnam WarтАжand all the other dirty little wars the U.S. has fought since its inception. WW2 and Korea? Mostly forgotten todayтАж
I watch an interview once with college students who couldnтАЩt remember which century the Revolution was, and whether it came before or after the Civil war.
Susan & Dennis, sometimes I break an object as I did this morning, a ceramic dogтАЩs drinking bowl. I once again thought, Is it garbage or recycling? Well with he who shall not be named thereтАЩs no doubt: Garbage. WouldnтАЩt we all be so lucky to have been in Gettysburg to hear Lincoln deliver that stunning speech. Today ought to be celebrated as a national holiday.
Actually, there was a very early, very primitive recording device present for the speech. It has been found and is now in the national archives. They were going to do a digital recording to anyone could hear it.
It is not that the history of our nation is not taught in our public schools. It is more the lack of interest from many young students today. They very accurately depict the adage of you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. As a now retired teacher, many students do not even make a show of interest to learn (insert whichever subject you please) especially to keep as knowledge beyond the next test. Nor do many, (not all) parents create the expectation for nor the standards/goals of learning for their children.
I taught years ago, and that was a problem then too, but not of the size it is now. I taught at an upper middle class high school in the Bay Area, near Stanford, so most parents well educated. But I heard from colleagues in other schools around the area about problems. ItтАЩs been a while since I was involved in public educationтАФmy youngest is 45тАФbut I certainly didnтАЩt have to тАЬteach to the testтАЭ nor did my kids have to тАЬlearn to the test.тАЭ
But whoeverтАЩs fault it is, education has sunk intoтАФwell, a generation (or more) of trumpitesтАФand the drain on funds for тАЬschool vouchersтАЭ isnтАЩt going to help. Nor are restrictions on what teachers can even SAY in a classroom about mundane things like (for history) тАЬwhat happened.тАЭ
wonder how many kids today can recite this from memory? Or know in which war the Battle of Gettysburg was fought?
Damn few. Most of them can't tell the difference between the Revolution and World War II, and think Columbus (assuming they've heard his name) discovered the New World in 1942.
the first time I worked in a high school, it was 1986 and I shared my office "suite" with the school nurse and a health resources counselor who, it turned out, grew up about half a mile from where I grew up. during the change of classes, we'd randomly ask passing students if they knew what major historical event took place between 1861 and 1865 and who the "bad guys" were in WWII. most of them didn't know the first one and the most frequent answer to the second question was "I dunno...maybe RUSSIA?"
that was when I began to gather evidence that there was nothing accidental about this "knowledge gap."
and whether or not a bunch of bigwigs got together and planned to eliminate any basic knowledge of how the government is supposed to work in so many words is irrelevant. just look at where we're at.
Hell, most kids today donтАЩt even know about the Vietnam WarтАжand all the other dirty little wars the U.S. has fought since its inception. WW2 and Korea? Mostly forgotten todayтАж
I watch an interview once with college students who couldnтАЩt remember which century the Revolution was, and whether it came before or after the Civil war.
Well, he who shall not be named figures that WashingtonтАЩs troops captured airfields from the BritishтАж
Susan & Dennis, sometimes I break an object as I did this morning, a ceramic dogтАЩs drinking bowl. I once again thought, Is it garbage or recycling? Well with he who shall not be named thereтАЩs no doubt: Garbage. WouldnтАЩt we all be so lucky to have been in Gettysburg to hear Lincoln deliver that stunning speech. Today ought to be celebrated as a national holiday.
Actually, there was a very early, very primitive recording device present for the speech. It has been found and is now in the national archives. They were going to do a digital recording to anyone could hear it.
and???
It is not that the history of our nation is not taught in our public schools. It is more the lack of interest from many young students today. They very accurately depict the adage of you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. As a now retired teacher, many students do not even make a show of interest to learn (insert whichever subject you please) especially to keep as knowledge beyond the next test. Nor do many, (not all) parents create the expectation for nor the standards/goals of learning for their children.
My parents had that goal since they had been denied it. It was never ok to get in trouble at school. All 8 listened, some slower than others.
I taught years ago, and that was a problem then too, but not of the size it is now. I taught at an upper middle class high school in the Bay Area, near Stanford, so most parents well educated. But I heard from colleagues in other schools around the area about problems. ItтАЩs been a while since I was involved in public educationтАФmy youngest is 45тАФbut I certainly didnтАЩt have to тАЬteach to the testтАЭ nor did my kids have to тАЬlearn to the test.тАЭ
But whoeverтАЩs fault it is, education has sunk intoтАФwell, a generation (or more) of trumpitesтАФand the drain on funds for тАЬschool vouchersтАЭ isnтАЩt going to help. Nor are restrictions on what teachers can even SAY in a classroom about mundane things like (for history) тАЬwhat happened.тАЭ
"Teaching to the test" isn't teaching, as a late friend and good teacher told me ten yeas ago.