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There needs to be a show called Housewives of Guam for many people to learn these things.
When a huge percentage of Americans have never left the country, except maybe for a honeymoon to a resort in Mexico or Jamaica, they’re sadly not likely to know much about the rest of the planet.
I see your point somewhat. However, if you're a person not living in a cocoon and not addicted to reality shows (like The Housewives of Guam) and what the latest text is, there's no reason to not have a good general understanding of the world. The only country outside of the U.S. that I've been to is Canada and I don't feel any obsession to travel to many other countries. I do have a very strong knowledge of other countries in the world because I read and have curiosity.
I believe that people like myself that grew up without the pull of social media are for the most part, pretty knowledgeable of where many countries are. Sadly, it's not so with the younger folks anymore.
Because people over 40 were taught history and geography. These classes were not then displaced with classes on white privilege, LBTPDQ, and how to put a condom on a cucumber. I am over 60 and when I was young, we learned a pretty strict RRR curriculum that included US history, World history, the founding, US geography, and world geography.
Today, it is common core and worse. Today's schools are abysmal. I don't blame the teachers. Schools should never have lost local control. The US Dept. of Education should be eliminated. Yet another collassal disaster by the peanut president Jimmah Carter.
Because people over 40 were taught history and geography. These classes were not then displaced with classes on white privilege, LBTPDQ, and how to put a condom on a cucumber. I am over 60 and when I was young, we learned a pretty strict RRR curriculum that included US history, World history, the founding, US geography, and world geography.
Today, it is common core and worse. Today's schools are abysmal. I don't blame the teachers. Schools should never have lost local control. The US Dept. of Education should be eliminated. Yet another collassal disaster by the peanut president Jimmah Carter.
I remember in grade school that we were given a map of the US states and had to label all the states along with their capitals. No open book tests either.
Same with world geography...blank maps that we had to fill in as tests.
I see your point somewhat. However, if you're a person not living in a cocoon and not addicted to reality shows (like The Housewives of Guam) and what the latest text is, there's no reason to not have a good general understanding of the world. The only country outside of the U.S. that I've been to is Canada and I don't feel any obsession to travel to many other countries. I do have a very strong knowledge of other countries in the world because I read and have curiosity.
I believe that people like myself that grew up without the pull of social media are for the most part, pretty knowledgeable of where many countries are. Sadly, it's not so with the younger folks anymore.
Partly I think it's also because to get information we had to actively seek it. We had a 1960's edition of Encyclopedia Brittanica in my household, plus other books, and that was my "internet" growing up. Flipping through the pages I looked at other topics when going through volumes.
Now, my kids just Google or Youtube it. 5 seconds and done.
You said you wanted to eliminate vo-tech from public school. That's a bad idea and it would not help kids find anything on a map.
There's only so many slots/credit space available i.e. add a geography requirement (for more than ten states) as well as additional (basic, if necessary) classes re: tech, economics, whatever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by markjames68
There needs to be a show called Housewives of Guam for many people to learn these things.
When a huge percentage of Americans have never left the country, except maybe for a honeymoon to a resort in Mexico or Jamaica, they’re sadly not likely to know much about the rest of the planet.
Heh, or simply establish geography as a requirement. One need not sail the Pacific in order to point it out on a map.
Last edited by CorporateCowboy; 12-09-2020 at 03:57 PM..
Reason: typo
And what does that have to do with geography ? Isn't that what K-12 is all about ?
It has to do with many not caring about geography.. they’re content and comfortable with what is directly around them. We had to take language classes, but I’d venture to say that the majority were just looking to pass the course, rather than become fluent in speaking a foreign language. There’s a difference in wanting to learn rather than just going through the motions to pass a class. How many geography majors have you met?
I was a math major.. I excelled in math because it came easy to me and it was something that I truly wanted to learn... I didn’t just want a grade.
With that being said... in this day and age I don’t need to know where this or that country is on a map. Technology has brought us into the GPS age. I can find anything I want by simply looking it up on the internet. When I was contemplating getting my instrument rating as a private pilot I was told that it takes a good knowledge of math. No worries, math is right up my ally. The truth is that now computers do the math and calculations for you.
Last edited by Sydney123; 12-09-2020 at 06:53 PM..
It has to do with many not caring about geography.. they’re content and comfortable with what is directly around them. We had to take language classes, but I’d venture to say that the majority were just looking to pass the course, rather than become fluent in speaking a foreign language. There’s a difference in wanting to learn rather than just going through the motions to pass a class. How many geography majors have you met?
I was a math major.. I excelled in math because it came easy to me and it was something that I truly wanted to learn... I didn’t just want a grade.
With that being said... in this day and age I don’t need to know where this or that country is on a map. Technology has brought us into the GPS age. I can find anything I want by simply looking it up on the internet. When I was contemplating getting my instrument rating as a private pilot I was told that it takes a good knowledge of math. No worries, math is right up my ally. The truth is that now computers do the math and calculations for you.
But men with too little and too narrow knowledge are not wise.
There has to be some basics.
It has to do with many not caring about geography.. they’re content and comfortable with what is directly around them.
Content and comfortable i.e. 'lazy', lol? Many high-school students don't care about reading, math, government (and so on) either. Are you suggesting it's a valid reason to cut (any of) the aforementioned from our educational requirements, so students remain 'comfortable'?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sydney123
Technology has brought us into the GPS age. I can find anything I want by simply looking it up on the internet.
Geography/Social Studies is simply relative to a (basic) understanding of the world as part of an educational foundation, particularly relevant to the age of globalization (certainly more so than engine repair - which, btw, may be 'looked up on the internet' as well).
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