This is very interesting to me.  My daughter loves learning about "world
cultures," and, since transferring to public schools, has been wondering
when she would be able to study it again.  

As part of my job, I recently started talking with teachers about what they
teach.  In New York State, at least on paper, there is definitely a lot of
emphasis on fairly standard U.S. history.  (I don't have any complaints
about this, but my daughter is disappointed.)  What are other parents' or
young archivists' experiences out there in modern day K-12 education?  

This question is mainly just my own curiosity, but your answers also would
be helpful for a project we are working on to improve communication between
archivists and K-12 teachers.  I know there's lots written out there about
what is supposed to be happening in the schools, but there is no way schools
can cover all that is recommended.  What is ACTUALLY getting covered?

I don't expect a scientific response from you all - just end-of-the-day
musings, I guess.

Susan D'Entremont

-----Original Message-----

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

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