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VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 12:56
Originally posted by Peter Rideout Peter Rideout wrote:

That's sad, but not unusual.
 
I encountered plenty of woeful, almost unbelievable ignorance of the world, and history, when I taught in high schools: "The United States is a European country. So is Jamaica...." "Hitler died of AIDS, right sir? No? Are you talking about Hitler the First, or Hitler the Second?" "What side was Canada on in WW2, sir?" "Was Canada in World War One?" "Did you fight in World War One, sir? He was serious -- opinions as to when WW1 occurred ranged from 200 years ago, to practically yesterday. (That was in the middle of a history course called "Canada in World War One") Can't name three European countries (That was an entire -- geography -- class of "bright" grade nine kids.)


But sir, learning is boring! WinkLOL

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you just said, Peter.  I may not have got the best education, but I am glad I had a good grounding, from both school and my family.

I'm actually rather keen on learning myself, I just wish I had been more privvy to this when I was younger.

Infact, like your good self, I fear intelligence is slowly disappearing from the world.  Maybe it's just me?  But children and teenagers these days have no social skills whatsoever.  I mean, they can talk about girls/boys, cars, sport, beer and suchlike, but they cannot talk about actual meaningful conversations, because they either feel that kind of discussion should be left to the classroom, or they find it boring.  The attention span of youngsters nowadays is much smaller than I believe it used to be, it's such a shame.

Also, like you, I feel Television and even (oh no!) the Internet, is depriving the modern generation from learning even the basics of life!

I look back at the Victorian era and see many of the then public school boys used to read for their degrees, as well as being taught as well.  They weren't so spoon fed as they are today and they had a will to learn.

Times have changed and I am not sure they have changed for the better.  Infact, I'll stick my neck out and say they've changed for the worse.


Edited by Geck0 - September 02 2006 at 14:02
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Points: 15585 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 12:38
Some classics there right enough Peter.
 
On a similar theme, do you think television is making it harder to differentiate reality from virtual reality. I'm thinking for example of an excellent dinosaur drama on TV at the moment. It's done is a similar was to Jurassic Park, but as a documentary. Mammoths are seen mixing with elephants. The elephants are real of course, and the mammoths are computer generated, but you can't tell that by watching it. The commentary makes it sound like the whole thing is genuine too.
 
It's great to watch, but is it confusing the next generation?
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Points: 297 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 12:29

^^^ Smart words peter! I agree with you.



Edited by Dreamer - September 02 2006 at 12:30
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 12:08
That's sad, but not unusual.
 
I encountered plenty of woeful, almost unbelievable ignorance of the world, and history, when I taught in high schools: "The United States is a European country. So is Jamaica...." "Hitler died of AIDS, right sir? No? Are you talking about Hitler the First, or Hitler the Second?" "What side was Canada on in WW2, sir?" "Was Canada in World War One?" "Did you fight in World War One, sir? He was serious -- opinions as to when WW1 occurred ranged from 200 years ago, to practically yesterday. (That was in the middle of a history course called "Canada in World War One") Can't name three European countries (That was an entire -- geography -- class of "bright" grade nine kids.)
 
It was kind of funny, and made for some "amusing" anecdotes, but it was mainly depressing, and made me fear for the future.
 
I still regularly encounter this at the post-secondary level. 25 years old, and never heard of Stalin. Never heard of Napoleon....  The lessons of the past, and knowledge of the wider world are all too often completely absent.
 
Parents, please play an active role in your children's broader education: surround them with books (fiction and non-fiction) and magazines on a wide variety of subject matter, have awareness and input into what they watch on TV, travel as a family, and talk to your kids -- try to explain the news, and the world, for their sake, and the sake of the future.
 
Turn off the damned TV, chatroom & I-pod sometimes! Foster greater AWARENESS.
 
Value education, and model that valuing of education! (It doesn't just happen in school!) Education is for life, and a life-long process. I believe that ready access to technology in the developed world is a decidedly double-edged sword -- we have produced a generation that expects endless entertainment, and instant gratification via shallow materialism and fashion.
 
Many here will choose not to read this post, when they see that it is more than a sentence or two long....Unhappy
 
(They lack the ability, the patience, and the desire -- thinking and reaching understanding is an effort, and takes time. Effort is "boring.")


Edited by Peter Rideout - September 02 2006 at 12:25
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Points: 4252 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 11:42

Apparently a history survey was done among English schoolchildren recently and they knew more about the existence of Hitler than Churchill - kids!!Confused
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Points: 46301 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 11:18
yay history and culture!
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Points: 20030 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2006 at 11:17
In a test for a new quiz programme, Teddy Sheringham's girlfriend was asked who Winston Churchill was. She replied "Wasn't he the first black president of the USA? Well, there's a statue of him near me and it's black". LOL

Hilarious, but I also find it a bit scary that there are adults in this country who don't know about one of our greatest leaders.
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