For the past month I’ve been studying for the big test I have to take next week(for extra teacher certification). Basically it’s reviewing everything you learned in grade school and how to teach it. Kind of like “Are you smarter than a 6th grader? Great! We’ll give you a classroom.”
So each of the major subjects are addressed in this textbook I’m renting. And it took me about 5 days to get through the Social Studies section, because it gives you a basic rundown of the history of the world, government, economics, and geography. Yeah.
But what struck me most as I was reading this chapter were the errors I was finding. This book, which is an official study reference written by two people (professors?) from the University of Houston had the following things to say. These are isolated incidences, so they will be typed verbatim but out of context. Since you already know the context is a chapter on Social Studies, it doesn’t matter. My thoughts will be written in underneath. (If it’s bold it’s a vocabulary word in the book.)
“In World War II, the Allies (France, the former USSR, Great Britain, and many others) fought against the Axis (Germany, Italy, Austria, and Japan)…”
As far as I can remember, Austria wasn’t officially a part of “The Axis”. Yes, it was invaded (“annexed”) by Germany and had a high concentration of Nazis stationed there, but if this is what you’re basing your point on you need to include Poland and France and a bunch of others so they don’t feel left out. And if I were Austrian, I’d be ticked off at this accusation, especially if I knew for a fact that my forefathers were singing “Edelweiss” with the Von Trapp family, and totally had nothing to do with being buddy buddy with Nazis. (I know that a lot of Austrians were pro-Nazi, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t resistance, or that they didn’t have to kill a bunch of Austrian leaders to get in. And if that’s not an invasion then I don’t know what is.)
“Passover is a Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. The Jews left so quickly after their release from pharaoh that they did not even wait for their bread to rise. In remembrance, Jewish people avoid eating grain products and leavened bread products during this time.”
“Damnit Samuel I said LEAVE the bread! We don’t have time! Just grab the goats and run! Quick, before they change their minds!”
“By the sixth grade, students should be able to locate the following countries on a map of the world: Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria, Iraq, Iran, India, Pakistan, the Peoples’ Republic of China, The Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia.”
Did anyone else catch that the only 2 African countries listed were South Africa (NOT hard to find at all) and Nigeria? Why Nigeria? Egypt isn’t even mentioned. No countries from South America are included. Russia is the top of Asia, Canada and Mexico are the top and bottom of North America respectively, Australia is both a continent and a country. Afghanistan isn’t on the list but Nigeria is included. Again, why? (Why shouldn’t all the countries be included? Too hard for kids or just sticking to the standards?)
Renewable resources are those that can be replaced in the foreseeable future. For example, forests can be replanted after trees are cut, and a water supply in a certain area is replenished by rain.
I had no idea that water is a renewable resource. I guess I should have figured it out on my own, seeing as how every time I flush the toilet it fills back up with clean water.
Am I being picky? Perhaps. I just think it’s interesting that with math and science, writing and reading, you stick with facts. There are rules, there are guidelines, there is research. Social Studies is completely dependent on who is doing the talking. Whether it’s history, the environment, culture, or what’s important to know, it all depends on your point of view. Your perspective of the world shapes not just your beliefs but also how you evaluate other people, situations, even facts.
Maybe you think that none of the above mistakes are important. But if your country was invaded, would you want it listed with those who did the invading? I’m pretty sure the meaning of Passover is important to practicing Jews, all the countries in the world are important in determining the direction of our world, and people who’s lakes have dried up over the past few months care about water conservation. Not taking the time to fully understand something builds up over time. It starts when we’re children and a grown up tells us something or we read it in a book. Maybe we don't bother to know anything about another group because we were taught to disregard their strange ways, because they aren't relevant to our way of life, or they were
"evil". That belief becomes part of us until we become something…quite possibly something ugly. Something that represses and dismisses. Something that stifles and resists. Something that willfully misunderstands and hates.
I'm not trying to target a specific group. I'm just using these as an example of seeds that were planted long ago. It doesn’t matter what religion, race, class, or party you belong to. This type of behavior is present in all of them and all of us if we let it. We may not think we're anything like the people who do those things but we could be under the right circumstances. Shouldn't we try to understand all sides? Don’t we, especially educators and textbook publishers, have a responsibility to teach kids to question, research, understand, and evaluate? Shouldn’t we be making decisions based on what is best for not only ourselves, but also those on the other side, even the ones we don’t understand? Even the ones we may hate? And not just for right now but for the long haul?
Everyone has an answer, but does anyone have the heart?
I honestly don’t think this will ever be solved. The only thoughts and actions I can control are my own. And they will not be governed by hate or fear, but by compassion and understanding. That is what I will strive to teach and to live out. Because maybe the next generation will have parents and teachers who teach that everyone, everywhere is important. Maybe families of different faiths will have each other over for dinner and become friends. Maybe we'll stop wasting everything we've been given and start giving this world our best effort. Maybe it will start at the grassroots level and spread until the whole world stops and breathes a sigh of relief.
In the meantime, I hope I pass my test.
