I come home tonight and what do I find on the nightly news? The press is shocked that American school children can't identify Abraham Lincoln or a lot of other American History stuff. They are now reporting how poorly American 4th, 8th and 12th graders are performing.
I am shocked, stunned and befuddled. These would be the same guys who for the past twenty years have reported how poorly our children are doing in Math and Science. The very same critics who've complained we don't spend enough time on reading, and we need to focus all our efforts on Mathematics, and of course Science, above all else, lest we fall behind the Japanese, Chinese, Swedes, Russians, Finns, Croatians, Burmese, or Fijians.
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America's Civil War 1861-1865
South was in Gray
North was in Blue
North Won! |
So our highly educated professional academic administrators have done what the politicians, journalists and outraged parents have demanded. They've made math and science the central focus of our schools. But a school day is finite, we are cutting out music, art and anything else we can't afford and focusing on reading, math and science. But apparently we aren't reading about art, or music, or history because none of the children can tell you who the good guys and bad guys were in the American Revolution or when somebody landed on the moon, or even when the United States became the United States. I seriously doubt they know much about the civil war either unless it was on Sesame Street!
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America's German Rocket Scientists
Came to US after WW2
WW2 was 1941-1945 (for us)
"They helped us reach the Moon!" |
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it -- George Santayana
Just a thought but maybe when students are reading they should be reading about history or something besides social networking, the importance of feeling good about yourself, and how to solve math and science problems.
2 comments:
My wife and I will homeschool our children to avoid this scenario. Also, we want to avoid brainwashing and we went them to be able to think. It's worth the extra work.
I have fond memories of when our daughters, grade school age studying at home with me, were invited by a Republican women's forum to give speeches on Abraham Lincoln at a luncheon honoring his birthday. I didn't know anyone involved, but someone had heard about our girls and gave our names. Well, I did know someone there, the chef who owned our favorite French Restaurant was doing the food. What fun the girls had researching and writing their speeches and making sure they didn't repeat the same info or copy each other. It is a sweet memory.
the study of history is a life time pursuit.
Perhaps when you share specific stories that refer to larger events, some young reader will look up the context and another citizen more competent in applying the lessons of history will emerge.
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