On 3/9/06, Sokolow, Daniel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> Allow me to disagree.  I don't think teaching social, socialist, or marxist
> history is the key to awakening historical interest.  While these are valid
> areas of history, it is often the method of teaching that's at fault rather
> than the specific subject matter.  You can teach people all you want about
> Eugene Debs, but if you can't make it interesting, no one will a) remember,
> or b) care enough to learn more on their own.


 Sorry to be coming so late to the party, but work and along with
other priorities came first.

The whole discussion has been very interesting and i would like to
share some information that I came across.l
In 2002 the National Assessment of Educational Progress released a
survey that showed that nearly 60% of high-school seniors lack a BASIC
knowledge of U.S. history.
A 1999 survey of seniors at 55 colleges and universities indicated
that only 23 % correctly identified James Madison as the principal
framer of the Constitution.

This information comes from a 2002 column by Don Feder
http://shrinkster.com/cwi

Feder points out that one reason for this "epidemic of ignorance" is
that "schools are so busy telling everyone else's story, there's no
time for our own (America's). In 2001 the NEA passed resolutions
supporting multicultural and global education, but failed to pass
anything that said students should learn about America.

A panelist at a forum of the National Council for Social Studies told
a teacher who had said her students wanted to learn more about
America's past post-Sept 11th "We need to de-exceptionalize the United
States. We're just another country and another group of people."

Feder also wrote that educrats would prefer to teach niche history
since many reject teaching American history as being jingoistic and
ethnocentric.. they don't believe that there is a common American
story.

Another good article to read would be "Anti-Social Studies" by Kay Hymowitz
http://shrinkster.com/cwj

I have nothing against niche history, but i do believe that in
elementary and high schools our students need to learn the big
picture. when more space and time is provided to minor players in
history rather than the big roles something is out of whack. kids need
to get the big picture or what some call the view from 30,000 feet.
Once they learn that they can dive into the weeds, but if all we teach
is the weeds then they will never truly learn what history is all
about.

Peterk



--
Peter Kurilecz CRM CA
Richmond, Va

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