During the class presentation about the Pilgrims, Mr. Bolos told us a bout how we haven't been told the truth about many of things during the early years of school. Because of this, he said, college classes have to spend time removing false preconceptions. Of course this would waste the school's resources and the students' time.
This got me thinking, why do we teach kids the wrong things? Shouldn't we tell them the truth from the start? Wouldn't it be better if we taught them what actually happened? I get that kids in first grade might not understand what happened, but at least they could be told the truth earlier than college. Mr. Bolos said that many people are taught the simplified stories in elementary school, and end up believing them for most of their lives. Do we want our citizens uneducated about our history?
What do you think? Do you think that the current system works, or should kids be exposed to a more harsh reality? Do you see any problems with either of those? Is there something else that could be done? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Sean, this is actually really interesting. What I think personally, is that some topics are too difficult to grasp; especially at the young ages of elementary students. The pilgrims are a really interesting topic. First of all, teaching the origins of America only really makes sense to teach it the way it is being taught. I don't feel it's a matter of teaching the kids the wrong thing, just something that they can wrap their heads around. In the meantime, they actually can begin embracing some of the messages being taught to them. Although Thanksgiving is blown up to proportion, kids can learn that all people of all different shapes and sizes came together to share what they had with one another. With this message, the elementary students can begin to learn to share because that's what they learned our settlers did. Sure, the pilgrims are a little over exaggerated, but they offer an easy curriculum for feeble minded elementary students.
ReplyDeleteSean, this is a really interesting point you bring up. I know when I was younger, I did not learn about the Puritans, Salem or the witch trials in general. I did learn extensively about the Pilgrims, though, and as Andrew said, the story of the Pilgrims seems to me a lot easier for young children to grasp and understand. Also, at the elementary school level, a lot of children are still afraid of the idea of witches in general. However, I don't think they would be comforted by knowing that dozens of women were wrongly accused of being them and killed as a result. This being said though, I think they should educate kids about Salem at an earlier age than they do now, probably somewhere in the middle school area. To me, college is too late. In order to change the future, today's kids need to know the history of their country in order to thrive in it.
ReplyDeleteA generative topic, for sure, Sean. But a bit of a retread of the class discussion. What I would like to see is your suggestion of a curriculum that would work over the entire educational life of an American citizen.
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