Guest Barb B Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) got me thinking if I choose the right U.S. history curriculum for ds 11th grade. I hate 2nd guessing myself 4 weeks into the year! I choose The American Pageant. I did read it this summer and did think it had a liberal bias, however I also wanted a text that colleges would recognize as a good AP text (I know, not a very good reason!). I also think that at this age ds and I can talk about the bias we may find. On the other hand . . . I just discovered Bill Bennett's America, the last hope - maybe this is better. I don't want to debate the liberal vs conservative views here - so I guess I was hoping fellow conservatives would offer me there views on this. Sorry for babbling! Sometimes I think I take this picking out textbooks far too seriously. Barb Edited September 6, 2009 by Barb B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtroad Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I don't know this history book by Bennett... but if you are seeking a "balance" for the Am Pageant, I really like I Pledge Series (3 books) by GARY DEMAR of Vision Forum (Atlanta area group). You can google them for the his website etc. I learned so many things that I had never known from my PS history education. I already use it for my elementary kids - just reading portions outloud. Might give a different perspective to work with the liberal one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtroad Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) Barb, DH recommended a book that he said is supposed to be one of the best resources for American History - conservative view. History of the American People by Paul Johnson;) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=paul+Johnson He also said to look at this one Basic American Gov't by Clarence Carson (gov't but full of American History) http://www.amazon.com/Basic-American-Government-CLARENCE-CARSON/dp/B000OL5VK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252274904&sr=1-2 Edited September 6, 2009 by Dirtroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Well, I ordered America The last Hope by Bennett (vol 1). Ds wants to continue the American Pageant as the main text and then read Bennett's book along side it. We are conservative here so I don't think theres harm in using American Pageant. In fact reading both may be a good thing in trying to find liberal bias in The Pageant! So we will see! We can change to Bennett's book to being the main text at any time and just change to his tests and shelve to American Pageant. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Funny, it's nice knowing that our local HS used a good textbook. (Johnson's) Good to know something positive:-) Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam L in Mid Tenn Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 We used Bennett's books and everyone enjoyed learning about some things that aren't in the usual textbook. I got the audio version too and dh listened to and from work and led some of the discussion. I think with my boys coming up, I'll have them read a different text (perhaps American Pagent) and let them listen to the Bennett CDs. THAT would be a great combination! (PS... I was going to use American Pagent with my girls, then they decided that they would rather read something more "novel" like, instead of a textbook. So I bought Bennett instead of Pagent.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Pam, Maybe its boys - but my ds likes a textbook rather then a novel like book. But I could see my dd (now 6th) maybe responding to a novel approach. I decided to use American Pageant as the main text and have ds read Bennett's book too. I think I will like Bennett's book as a source to counteract any bias in American Pageant. I actually like American Pageant, especially now that he will read Bennett along side it. It could be worse - I did read it and personally enjoyed Pageant, although I didn't agree with everything (but that is the nature of history - every text is biased somehow! So will Bennett's book , we will have perhaps my particular conservative bias). I was toying around with the idea of assigning at some point a 5 para essay that compares and contrasts the two books on some topic. That way I teach that discerning critical reading that is so important! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Can we get a list going on this thread of the books that Fox said were good and bad? I think as time goes by, we can refer back to the list when we are wondering if we picked a good text or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Can we get a list going on this thread of the books that Fox said were good and bad? I think as time goes by, we can refer back to the list when we are wondering if we picked a good text or not. All textbooks are written from a point of view; people tend to call it "bias" when the point of view disagrees with their own, and "truth" when they agree with it. But the real truth is that every author is "biased" -- every author chooses to emphasize certain things and leave other things out; every author interprets events from their own point of view. I hope to present my children with varied points of view, and to discuss how the assumptions and beliefs of authors -- and journalists -- color the way they present information. I want my children to be critical thinkers, rather than accept something as truth just because some guy on a cable news show said so. Yikes. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) All textbooks are written from a point of view; people tend to call it "bias" when the point of view disagrees with their own, and "truth" when they agree with it. But the real truth is that every author is "biased" -- every author chooses to emphasize certain things and leave other things out; every author interprets events from their own point of view. I hope to present my children with varied points of view, and to discuss how the assumptions and beliefs of authors -- and journalists -- color the way they present information. I want my children to be critical thinkers, rather than accept something as truth just because some guy on a cable news show said so. Yikes. Jackie I agree (although for elementary I pick a text that agrees with my "bias"). For high school, however, we need to train kids to read a text realizing the author will interpret history according to his beliefs. They need to try to identify these and compare them with their own (and their families) viewpoint and beliefs. So I guess in high school it may be a good thing to pick out a text and then pick out other reading material with varying viewpoints. Which is why I chose Bill Bennetts book to read along with The American Pageant. Susan, I don't remember them providing a particular list of texts - just that each textbook publisher has a committee whose purpose it is to make sure no "group" of people gets offended by the text. In doing this they really end up editing history, and the facts. For instance - most publishers (especially younger grades) won't show a women cooking because it will offend feminist; or just use the word "terrorists" to describe the 9-11 attacks (in some texts - nothing else about their backrounds was said). The American Pageant actually isn't so bad as some examples used - therefore I will use it and discuss any content I might disagree with. I really think the important point is to read text books our kids read and be aware of these issues. They also pointed out the some history american textbooks come out anti american. Here again one needs to present the facts - not leave out important facts, not present just negative facts - but certainly not sugar coat the facts as well! Barb Edited September 7, 2009 by Barb B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Thanks Barb and Jackie. I guess I was too vague with my request :) Maybe book examples with what bias is there so we know what to expect would be a better request. And, no, I wouldn't take one news shows views and go with them without further research. I am Christian, but tire of Christian texts that take things too far in the other direction. I would prefer a text that is factual, middle of the road that we can take the direction we want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW in IL Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Search for "Do You Know What Textbooks Your Children Are Really Reading." It's on there in 5 parts. Unfortunately Fox didn't have it up on their web site yesterday. I think the one thing that bothered me most are the errors in the textbooks. The biases I can understand. And having second graders read about gay penguins? That's just wrong, in my opinion. Anyway, here's a link to a brief article on the Fox News report: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,545900,00.html And if you want to watch the special, YouTube is your friend. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 If you're looking for a Christian World-view report http://www.textbookreviews.org/index.html?content=about.htm might be good. When I was little, my family actually knew them. I remember books all along the walls, at the top, books over every surface, books in the spare bathtub. I hear that they finally got some other space:-) They were very nice and got started when their son brought a textbook home, that wasn't what they thought it should be. Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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