[lit-ideas] Re: WWII? WTF?
- From: eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:13:58 -0400
HI,
While I agree that few of us know that much of about lots of stuff, I will
point out that this was NOT a scientific poll of what high schoolers know about
World War II.
This is a poll of only 36 students. Following that poll is a cool piece about
what a high school history/social studies teacher has done in regards to
creating a scrapbook. I would be interested in what a more scientific poll had
to say about the state of knowledge of our students.
As was pointed out in discussion at?a training session that I'm coordinating
for all our front-line staff on the issues of serving culturally diverse
families (by one of the presenters), even the stats on the Missouri Assessment
Tests (and esp No Child Left Behind stats) do not separate out the different
ELL or disability aspects in the results--and the speculation (by one of the
state literacy folks who is helping train on these issues) is that it would be
far more interesting/helpful if those student results were pulled out and
measured separately. The question was whether or not the student achievement
levels might be different--esp in the urban areas. It was an interesting
question and one I will be asking some of the school testing types that I
know.? But, to wave a hand at a poll of 36 students and state that it is the
knowledge level of practically an entire generation of learners--ouch.? Though,
as my son's history teacher states to them (she spends a few minutes each
day giving them those sorts of questions as well as the Letterman sorts of
'man on the street' polls - which one can see as being different than what
ought to be published in a reputable newspaper ... sensationalism is not what I
consider responsible journalism. She says that she does not want to ever be
embarrassed at being their History teacher--<g>)? WWII is being taught in ninth
grade here--though they are on the Cold War now. (there was some explanation of
the jumping around that is being done--it's more on topics than on dates--guess
it is the new thing. Theoretically it is supposed to reinforce the learning
they are doing as they go back through some of it each time they do another
topic.)
The education of these young ones is?not all that bad, Andreas.?Some of the
most passionate people on the face of this planet are those teachers in those
schools of those high school students. That hardest thing is for them to learn
to sift through all the information that is 'out there'.
Still, if these young ones don't get their heads lopped off before their
time--you'll be okay and so will all of us.?
Best,
Marlena in Missouri
believing that the younger generation is not lost (the marketing stats show
that they are more in tune than most believe--and volunteer & are passionate
about fixing what their olders have ruined...)
-----Original Message-----
From: Andreas Ramos <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 6:19 pm
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: WWII? WTF?
This sort of item is interesting for me because we usually think an entire
generation will understand and remember a defining event (WWII, the Vietnam
War, Paris Hilton's DUI). The article points out that WWII defined the second
half of the 20th century. WWII was easily the most significant event of the
20th century. It ended only 60 years ago. Yet today's kids are unaware of it.?
?
I happen to have a very good memory for political and social events; I remember
many of the events of the 70s and 80s. Yet I've noticed that many people simply
don't remember the 70s or 80s at all. Mayaguez, the severe recession, the oil
shock, the Iranian Revolution; all of these are vague memories for some; many
don't even remember these.?
?
What about the present? The 90s is slipping away. The Christmas Tsunami has
faded; Katrina is fading, even the World Trade Center attack is evaporating. We
talk about the WTC attack, but forget the attack on the Pentagon. Who remembers
the anthrax attacks on Congress??
?
There's an article by Oliver Sacks on amnesia in the current New Yorker. He
describes a man who has nearly total amnesia; he can't remember a few minutes
ago and lives in the immediate present. When I read the article, I wondered if
our society has a sort of social amnesia; general society remembers only the
last few years (and only vaguely); the past slips away into a fog.?
?
yrs,?
andreas?
www.andreas.com ?
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