Ancient History???

Michael Crichton, the author behind such books as Jurassic Park and Disclosure  (I hope you all know these were BOOKS before they were MOVIES) once said on Timeline:
"...if you didn't know history, you didn't know anything.  You were a leaf that didn't know it was part of a tree."

This week in my upper level classes we were practicing numbers past 30.  When we got into the thousands I handed out a matching game.  I put significant events on one side of the paper and the years they happened on the other side.  I didn’t expect them to know ALL of them,  (like the year the first World Cup was played) but some of them.  These kids have made me feel old before, but I felt really old when I was done with the day, and scared at how little World and even less American history these kids knew.  I mean some of them didn’t even guess the right century!  Here are some examples:

-A lot of kids didn’t know what a bi-centennial is, let alone what year it was (1976)

-A popular response to the question “When was John Lennon shot” was “Who cares”. (1980)

-One girl thought Columbus came to the “New World” in 1215 (that was the year of the Magna Carta)

-Never heard of the Magna Carta

-One response to the question “The year George Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champ?” was “Ms. N., George Forman isn’t a boxer he sells grills on TV.” (1994)

-“The Year Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday,” produced the question “Whatever year the pilgrims had dinner with the Indians.” (1941)

-They thought Pablo Picasso was born in the 1700s.   (He died in 1971)

“The year Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald” brought up questions like “Who is Jack Ruby?” and “Who is Lee Harvey Oswald?”  And the best “Were they in a band together?” (1963)

-The year of the Battle of Little Big Horn:  “What’s little Big Horn?”  when responded with “You know Custar’s Last Stand?  Sitting Bull?  Crazy Horse? I got “Are you making this stuff up Ms. N.?” (1876)

-The year OJ Simpson was found not guilty of murder:  “The guy from the Naked Gun movies?” (1995)

-The year Michael Jordan leads The Bulls to their 6^th NBA Title”  was answered with “How are we supposed to know we were like two.” (1998).  I personally think this one is pretty sad, that was basketball at its greatest in my opinion.  I truly feel bad for this generation that they didn’t get to experience that.

-The year Babe Ruth premiered in the MLB:  This was the best follow up question of the day.  “Do you mean the year it first started being sold at CONCESSION STANDS in Major League Baseball?”  They know the candy bar is but not the Great Bambino himself.  (1914)

YIKES!

On the bright side most of them DID know the year Columbus came (invaded) the “New World” (except for the girl that thought it was 1215).  They knew the year of Pearl Harbor, Woodstock, the beginning of World War II, D-Day, and the JFK assignation.  So I guess there’s a bright side to this darkly troubling story….

Am I wrong in being a little shocked here?  Or as time passes do things become more and more insignificant?

Lights, Camera, No Idea.

This past week was a three day week leading up to a four day break for our "Spring Break".  We get out May 18th so we have a shortened vacation which is fine by me!  I decided to show my sophomores and juniors "La Bamba."  They had never heard of it.  It got me thinking.  My students haven't heard of a lot of movies that defined MY life as well as the lives of my friends.  I started making a list and some of these, well it's pretty sad they might never see them:

-Platoon
-Blue Velvet
-Good Morning Vietnam
-Edward Scissorhands
-The Princess Bride
-The Big Chill
-Fast Times at Ridgemont High
-Terms of Endearment
-Rain Man
-Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
-When Harry Met Sally
-A Fish Called Wanda
-Driving Miss Daisy
-Bull Durham
-Moonstruck
-Pulp Fiction
-Dances with Wolves
-Usual Suspects
-The Big Lebowski
-The English Patient
-Good Will Hunting
-Fight Club
-Philadelphia
-Scent of a Woman
-As Good As it Gets
-Clerks
-What's Eating Gilbert Grape
-Reality Bites
-American Beauty
-Steel Magnolias
-Clueless
-Cruel Intentions
-Beetle Juice
-Heathers
-Cocoon
-The Never Ending Story
-Encino Man
-Benny and Joon
-Trainspotting

I could go on and on.  Anyone have one to add to the list?

Double Standards in Education and the fear of being PC

I had an outstanding conversation with a friend last night on the phone who called to ask my "educational expertise" about something that happened in her daughter's 2nd grade classroom the other day.  I've really been reflecting on the subject and I thought I'd throw it out here for maybe something to ponder or to add your two cents, since I'm giving mine.

My friend, we'll call her "Jen" posted on facebook the other night about her daughter needing prayer for the following school day and a comment was made about "kids can be so mean."  Jen is a dear dear friend of mine.  I was a bride's maid in her wedding, we went to high school and college together and she is probably the best mother I've witnessed in a long time.  She has three awesome kids who I love to bits (Not usually a fan of the little ones). Love her husband.  They're an awesome family.  Jen and her husband have taught their children morals, values, kindness toward others, and the importance of God in their lives.  If I have a family someday I hope them to be even half as great as they are.  You get my picture.

Jen's daughter (her oldest) was assigned to do a biographical oral presentation of someone.  When I heard the assignment I instantly thought of JFK, or Helen Keller or someone significant in history. Aparently Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson and Lady GaGa were some of the most popular choices.  Go figure. Just as Jen and I had done as kids, her daughter had recently started to read the Laura Ingalls Wilder "Little House on the Prairie" books.  This clever little 2nd grader got all dressed up in prairie style clothes and did her presentation on Ingalls-Wilder in front of the class.

Let's digress for a moment.  This is a very diverse second grade classroom.  There are children who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim etc.  One of these students is friends with Jen's daughter.  He is Muslim and he has stated to her several times that he "doesn't believe in God." Jen's kids are very involved in church and love the Lord.  One of the requirements for the presentation was to tell what they learned from this person who they were speaking about.  This little girl was so nervous about offending her Muslim friend that when she addressed that requirement she looked at her friend first and said "I know you don't believe in God but..." and then she continued to talk about how she learned from Ingalls Wilder the importance of family and of God in their lives. 

As an educator as well as a person who celebrates diversity and feels that we should no hold prejudices against people for religious beliefs, color of their skin or who they love, I thought she handled this beautifully.  I have friends who are not Christians and if I reference something from my religion to friends who don't hold the same beliefs as I do, I would probably preface the conversation the same way.

Well, the young teacher in this classroom (maybe 2 years of experience so she's still learning.  Heck I'm on year number 12 and I am still learning) was pretty ticked off at my friend's daughter.  She sent a scathing e mail to Jen telling her how she needed to "talk to her daughter" about what she talks about in the classroom and to not single kids out and embarrass them in front of her peers.

There is so much of this situation that I don't agree with.  First of all, if Jen's daughter were to have done her presentation on the Dali Lama and referenced that some kids in the class aren't Buddhist and may not believe in his teaching I don't think there would have been a problem.  Same goes with Gandhi.  If a student would have reported about Matisyahu who is a musician that is an Hasidic Jew and references his faith in some songs (If you've never listened to him, he's great.  "King Without A Crown" and "One Day" are great songs) I doubt there would have been a problem.  My question is this:  Was the teacher upset about how she addressed her classmate (even though he had been very open about his beliefs and religion and all the kids knew about it) or was the teacher so worried about being "Politically Correct" and freaked out at the word "Jesus."?

These days we can't even mention the word "Christmas" in our public schools.  Some think this is an atrocity considering this country was founded by Christian men.  I have a dear friend who is Jewish and she started telling me about how sensitive she was to the whole "Christmas" thing in schools yet Hanukah was never mentioned and how receiving a Christmas card from our superintendent was kind of ignorant on the part of the district considering everyone is a Christian and celebrates Christmas (which she and her family do not).  When you hear this argument from the "other side of the table" it makes sense.  We're not all alike.  We come from different backgrounds, different religious beliefs and one belief isn't "better" than the other.  Whether you believe in God, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus etc.  the main tie in for all religions is FAITH.  My idea of God might not be Jen's idea of God and we're both Christian.  We can't talk about the religious significance of Christmas in our public schools BUT the friend of Jen's daughter, his mother came into school in December and taught the kids all about Kwanza and Ramadan etc.  I think that's awesome.  They only way we are going to get rid of hate is to fight the ignorance that makes people hate in the first place.  I grew up with Muslim friends.  I remember going over to one friend's house during Ramadan and eating some of the best food I ever had with his family once the sun set.  I learned so much from those experiences at his house.  My Jewish friend I mentioned earlier.  I pick her brain about Passover, Rosh Hashanah etc because I want to understand it.  In my opinion, if one religion is presented at a public school to children, all religions have a right to be represented.  My friend did not complain about the Muslim mother coming in to educate children on her family's culture and religious beliefs, but if Christianity is brought up it's a big no no and the ACLU gets involved.  I just don't get it.

I could go on and on.  But I'll save it for a later post.  What do you think?  Opinions?  I'd love to hear them so I can be more knowledgeable because, I believe, the truly educated never graduate~

Peace.

PS.  I’m attaching the video of  Matisyahu’s song “One Day”  I think it really relates to this conversation.  Hope you like it as much as I do!

It's Something In the Water

After seven LONG months of getting my internet from my blackberry, I FINALLY have internet at home so I can start blogging again.  Cause I know you've missed me.

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you've probably seen my posts about all the pregnant girls at the school where I teach.  I am gobsmacked.  I can't believe the number.  We have 1 freshman, 5 sophomores, 1 junior and a senior pregnant (Not to mention two teachers).  I'm guessing it is wrong for me to believe that all 8 girls missed that day of Health class??

Two of these girls I have in class.  I guess I just invest in these kids and I have an idea of a standard that they should maintain and when stuff like this happens, I feel bad for the girl, but most of all I'm just disappointed.

Five sophomores!  FIVE.  That means that they'll be mothers before they can legally drive!!!  To expect teenagers to abstain from sex is just unrealistic.  They're going to do it if they want to or not, the least we can do is give them knowledge and tools to protect themselves from disease and unwanted pregnancy.  I know this would NEVER happen, but in my perfect world we'd have condom dispensers in the bathrooms just like the tampon dispensers in the ladies room.  These kids are too embarrassed to go to the store and buy condoms.  They're going to believe any old wives tale or urban myth about how NOT to get pregnant before they dare embarrass themselves (We're talking about teenagers here).

We also need to teach our girls that they have the right to demand that their boyfriends use protection.  No glove, no love should be their mantra.  I mean these 5 sophomores are going to be 30 with a 15 year old child!  We need to provide our kids with all the options out there:  adoption, abortion, etc. (even though a lot of people don't believe in abortion they still have a right to know about it).

With 8 girls pregnant our society is doing SOMETHING wrong.  Heads need to be pulled out of the sand and we must except that things are going to happen.  You can't scare kids out of having sex.  It's just not going to happen.

In the meantime, I'm going to be drinking bottled water until this "trend" has passed.

Happy to be back!