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July 11, 2004 Education, like any process is supposed to peak curiosity and enlighten the person. It may change perspectives or even change attitudes. It’s a discovery in all things new or even a new interest in old things. One thing I have noticed as I have gotten older is the education system by itself is crumbling. Creating in effect a non-relevant and non- exciting journey. Its is wrote, manipulated to the point of even books of today is PC politically correct regardless of the omission of facts or the change of those facts. Today Kids do not know the real story behind the Cherry tree or who Amerigo Vespuci was. They don’t know whom Eric the Red was, or even that the Native Americans were the indigenous peoples. Instead these kids today are taught lies. Christopher Columbus discovered America, and that England sent over John Smith to exchange ideas with the Indians and set up trade, and that the Mexicans were the first settlers in the US, and oh so many wrong ideas. It is a shame that no one can stick to what we have known for centuries. And it has only been in the last 30 years that all of this information has changed, with no substance to back it up! It’s all to swing towards the politically banal. My daughter was home-schooled using the books I saved and not turned in when I was in school. And gleaned from others who still had theirs. So different to the books of today. What do the editors and teachers have to gain when there exists such a conflict of information? To be exact Nothing! When I told my daughter of the true story of the cherry tree and George Washington she sat there amazed. Not to many people know of it unless they read the old diaries and the old texts written by the BIG MAN himself. Being a geography and anthropology teacher for the 5-9 grades it’s hard to tell these kids facts from the fiction they have been learning. To there surprise and to many current local teachers they hadn’t a clue as to the Jamestown colony. Or that the Vikings were here long before the white man, or even the fact that the Mexicans did not own the entire United states. They though that the Native American were put on reservations because the Mexicans petitioned the government to get theme off their land. These kids today had no clue as to the epidemics that were brought forth from prison ships, and to my astonishment these students, college and otherwise had no idea that the United States or Americas was actually a distant penal colony and so was Australia. PC books have turned it around that John Smith of Pocahontas fame was sent here by England to set up a trade agreement and exchange cultures. Where is the mention of gold that the first contactees discovered and brought back so they could escape the prison sentence? Where was the discussion of small pox and diphtheria that the explorers brought with them and nearly wiped out the northern Indian tribes of Long Island and Nova Scotia ion a third contact exchange brought by Captain Smith out of William and Mary’s expedition? And here is another kicker that they are trying to get people to believe. Many thousands of years ago Africa purposely moved from it's area and bumped into Florida just to create Tennessee Appalachian Mountains. Now I ask you. Why would Africa move, and they wont answer when you ask about continental shelves or even the theory of Pangea… Nope Africa knew Tennessee was to be built and so Boom there it was! Where is the mention of the sudden disappearance of the Jamestown colony? When I went to school things were taught in a consistent way and all books, though they included factual new evidence to support the original facts were consistent with books from the 1800s and the 1700s. I was amazed at the lack of these kids learning to write a business letter. They don’t know how to and for that matter neither does the teacher. It seems as though many typical items that were taught are now no longer required in my school district. There was always a lack of the same courses and information that I learned in my school years. And that was frightening that there was no consistency. The south don’t compete on a national level because according to many articles they fell so far below national standards that they can only compete against themselves and other lower schools. For this matter I have also found that for my furthering of my own education, I have had to go to distance education. A phrase that bothers many people here in Tennessee. Why? A good question. Perhaps they are afraid that taking the bull by the horns. Perhaps outside ideas and concepts that are world wide in base frightens them that may be wrong. I must admit I was fortunate enough not to go to school here. For If I did the curriculum at the time was so far behind what I was learning I would have had to attend a first year college just to be in the same educational field as my sophomore classmates at my old school. And that was high school! The 9th grade curriculum here was the same as the fifth grade curriculum in my old school. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind going to school. I will enjoy teaching these kids. I do have some unique ideas for accomplishing the tasks at hand, But by no means will I be stuff or teach the wrong information no matter how PC. But I find that as for my own furthering of my own education, I disdain people who look down their nose at colleges and universities outside of the area. To be told boldface I “ I have to check to make sure the college is real” I feel in an insult. I was told flat out that if its not a local college they have to investigate and make sure they are legit. So basically they are insinuating that colleges like DePaul, Columbia, UCLA, Princeton etc are not legit colleges. I scoff. DePaul not legit? Princeton not legit? UCLA. Not legit! For heaven sake people the world does not operate on your own small comic ideal that you are it! I guess many school and public systems are doing this for insulation against the world factor. But it changes so many things. The face of these kids when they encounter contradictory ideas that others know and have known in other states now becomes a stepping stone. Who and what do they believe? And for that matter what do they believe? I for one am going to attempt to get back to basics when I start my teaching next fall. I am also fortunate enough to be a writer and create the books with the common worldly knowledge that will hopefully case them to explore further and challenge what they have learned. I am sure no doubt that I will get called on the carpet, But as the ancient Greek teachers and philosophers said… hold on! Your toga is caught! My students will not be caught with their butts hanging out! Happy learning everyone. Incase you are interested in furthering your own education you might want to check out the following sites: www.worldwidelearn.com www.snl.edu www.wgu.edu www.educationdirect.com http://www.getcollegecredit.com/ http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/exams.html http://subed.usu.edu/ ------------ About the author: Julia Sherman-Talley is a medical writer with an international handbook for diabetes self managment, currently being translated into two ther languages. Factoring Diabetes is the most visual self help book available on the market today. Available at booklocker.com. She is an NDEP/CDC/WHO diabetes partner for education resources. She is also publisher of Cloth Doll Designs Magazine and is currently attempting to go back to school to get a teachers degree... Email: jimmysdevoted2@bellsouth.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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