After that, I guess I can't fail that miserably at educating my children...

[mommymilkies]

My dh is a college instructor (chemistry). Out of three levels of his classes, only one person knew when WWI was, and one person knew WWII. Both were Iraq war vets. There was only one other person that came within 5 years. More than a dozen wrote down 1860-1875.

 

One student was frantically begging him to tell her whether WWII was the one with Germans or Japanese. The next closest student to guess was from Korea.

 

Dh has been complaining about the quality of the schools around here for awhile, but this really made him upset. So I've decided that my fears of competing with the local ps are unfounded (not all schools, this one is particularly bad).

[Miss Cornelia Snook]

WOW! How discouraging for our future!

[littlebug42]

Not surprising to me. In all my years of ps American History, we never made it that far in our textbooks. I learned a lot about the Industrial Revolution but next to nothing about the 20th century. I have since learned that on my own but not everyone has that desire.

[angela in ohio]

We never covered modern history in school, either. I plan to spend a good long time on the 19th and 20th centuries with my dc, because I have a lot to learn. :D

[mommymilkies]

The saddest part was that most of his students are/were Honors students and top of their class. I can see being off a little, but most weren't even in the same century!

[Margo out of lurking]

I'm sure I'm not the only mom quizzing her children this morning as they walk into the room:

 

"Hey! Who did we fight in WWI?"

"Do you know who we fought in WWII?"

"Do you know anything about the time frame of either of these wars?"

 

I can exhale.

[Impish]

I'm sure I'm not the only mom quizzing her children this morning as they walk into the room:

 

"Hey! Who did we fight in WWI?"

"Do you know who we fought in WWII?"

"Do you know anything about the time frame of either of these wars?"

 

I can exhale.

:iagree::lol:

[dm379]

We never covered either of those in school either. I don't think we ever made it much past the Revolutionary War.

[Pretty in Pink]

We also never got to modern history/20th century when I was in school. In fact, I don't remember making it past the civil war.

[Gooblink]

Sheesh. I think we skimmed it when I was in school...ahem, 30+ years ago...but I never really appreciated modern history.

 

We'll be in modern next year...and again 4 years later. I'll make darn sure my kids are better prepared for college.

 

I don't know why, but these stories still surprise me.

[fairfarmhand]

my kids got it (only from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes and McHale's Navy!)

[unsinkable]

I don't know. I learned about 20th century history in high school (Catholic school).

 

DS, 10th grade, is currently learning about WW I (Catholic school) and should probably get thru Vietnam era by June at this pace.

 

(Oh, and to defend my board cred. I homeschooled DS thru 8th grade and I am still homeschooling my other kids.)

[mommymilkies]

my kids got it (only from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes and McHale's Navy!)

 

:lol: I figured most would at least know from the many popular movies on the subjects!

[Dad 4 Boys]

I bet most of them could tell you about the cast of Jersey Shore and who got booted off Idol last night though.

[freethinkermama]

Not surprising to me. In all my years of ps American History, we never made it that far in our textbooks. I learned a lot about the Industrial Revolution but next to nothing about the 20th century. I have since learned that on my own but not everyone has that desire.

 

Me neither.

The only way I learned about anything of modern history was in high school where I petitioned my way out of the American history class and asked to take it correspondence from a community college. I got through the Regan era, when the rest of my classmates only got through the American Civil War. That was it.

[misidawnrn]

I am in college right now and in a college level research writing class. You would fall over dead if you could see the atrocious writing, spelling, grammar, etc. My first grader knows how to capitalize the letter "I"!!!! We have to respond back to so many posts and unfortunately "huh???" isn't a good response because that is what I want to post most days. My sentences aren't always perfect on an internet board but even their papers (that we pick one a week and review) are HORRIBLE!

I would not want to be a college professor...I would flunk them all!

[Perry]

Out of three levels of his classes, only one person knew when WWI was, and one person knew WWII.

I wouldn't have known that in college either. I knew nothing about history until I started homeschooling my kids. My horrible history education is one of the many reasons I started homeschooling my kids. I learned far more in the 4 years of SOTW than I ever did in school. :banghead:

[justamouse]

Ohh that makes me cringe.

 

All I think of when I see posts like this is Jaywalking, with Jay Leno. When the person doesn't know who Abe Lincoln was.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I was appalled that dd's 6th grade class didn't know who fought in the American Civil War but this is worse. One would think college students might have gone and found that out themselves. Sadly my ds aced the AP US history test. He said he learned more from documentaries on the history channel than in his class.

[Mom in High Heels]

Ohh that makes me cringe.

 

All I think of when I see posts like this is Jaywalking, with Jay Leno. When the person doesn't know who Abe Lincoln was.

 

 

LOL! I was thinking the same thing. Jaywalking makes me crazy.

 

Indy is 8 and knows when WWI and WWII were. Of course he only gets military commercials on TV, so he gets loads of information on military history. We have AFN (American Forces Network) here and they can't air regular commercials, but have to fill the time with something, so they have "commercials" about military history, American history, presidents, American inventors, etc. They also talk about PTSD and the UCMJ a lot. He knows what Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries are, why it's important to get medical help for it, and can quote the various articles of the military code of conduct (in the event of being captured by the enemy). Article 6 is his favorite: I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

[MorganClassicalPrep]

I am in college right now and in a college level research writing class. You would fall over dead if you could see the atrocious writing, spelling, grammar, etc. My first grader knows how to capitalize the letter "I"!!!! We have to respond back to so many posts and unfortunately "huh???" isn't a good response because that is what I want to post most days. My sentences aren't always perfect on an internet board but even their papers (that we pick one a week and review) are HORRIBLE!

I would not want to be a college professor...I would flunk them all!

 

:iagree: I have seen some atrocious work in my classes.

And I am another one whose history education was lacking. But I love history, so I learned on my own. Even still, it wasn't until a college history class that I realized just how exciting it was to study history and made it my major.

(And I'm planning on being a college professor. :tongue_smilie: Not looking forward to that! I imagine in another 10 years the situation will be even worse..)

[Dana]

I teach at the cc.

My worst is that I had over 1/2 of my students in low-level courses not knowing how many states there were in the US.

I got curious, so I gave it as a bonus question on one test in all my classes for a couple of semesters (one point) There are ____ states in the United States of America.

 

As the levels increased, more students would get it correct (so under 10% generally got it wrong in calculus) but it really was about half of the class that didn't know in the developmental classes.

 

Really discouraging.

More so when one student tried to argue with me about the answer. :glare:

[mommymilkies]

I teach at the cc.

My worst is that I had over 1/2 of my students in low-level courses not knowing how many states there were in the US.

I got curious, so I gave it as a bonus question on one test in all my classes for a couple of semesters (one point) There are ____ states in the United States of America.

 

As the levels increased, more students would get it correct (so under 10% generally got it wrong in calculus) but it really was about half of the class that didn't know in the developmental classes.

 

Really discouraging.

More so when one student tried to argue with me about the answer. :glare:

 

:blink: I'm surprised, but not surprised all at the same time.

[elinnea]

Not surprising. Unfortunately. I once had someone argue with me that Berlin sat right in the middle of the border of East Germany and West Germany. He would not believe me that Berlin was a divided city within East Germany. He wouldn't even believe me when I told him I had actually been there!!

[Scuff]

Not surprising to me. In all my years of ps American History, we never made it that far in our textbooks. I learned a lot about the Industrial Revolution but next to nothing about the 20th century. I have since learned that on my own but not everyone has that desire.

 

:iagree:

 

In fact, my wise high schoo history teacher started in 1900. He said that the last 50 years are what impact us the most and we end up knowing the least about them. We spent all year on those 90ish years, but we learned a lot since we hadn't ever had most of it.

[elegantlion]

It was high school before I learned the Vietnam war took place in my lifetime. I remember being shock and kind of embarrassed by that fact.

 

We had a great history teacher. I can't remember the title of the class, but we watched every movie every made on WWII. We were well versed in WWII from both the European and Pacific fronts .

[Skyline]

Not surprising. Unfortunately. I once had someone argue with me that Berlin sat right in the middle of the border of East Germany and West Germany. He would not believe me that Berlin was a divided city within East Germany. He wouldn't even believe me when I told him I had actually been there!!

 

Years ago when I was living in California I had someone insist that the capital of Alberta was Calgary. Now I'm not sure how we even got on that topic but I was born and raised most of my life in Alberta so I think I know.

 

She swore it was bigger and thus the capital. It may be bigger now but at the time I don't think it was not to mention the absurdity of that argument. I replied L.A. was larger than Sacramento but that doesn't make it the state capital.

 

She insisted it had to be the capital because the train went through Calgary. Again I argued that the train went through my old home town of 2000 people and that didn't make it the capital of anything.

 

Eventually I pulled out an atlas and pointed out that Edmonton was the capital of Alberta. She insisted the atlas was wrong, turned up her nose at me and left content that in her world Calgary was the capital of Alberta.

[Wabi Sabi]

How on earth did this come up in a college chemistry course?

 

Anyhow, I'm not too shocked. I consider myself a fairly well-informed person and I couldn't give you precise dates. I'd be able to tell you that WWI was in the 1910s and that WWII was in the early 1940s but exact years? Nope.

[mommymilkies]

How on earth did this come up in a college chemistry course?

 

Anyhow, I'm not too shocked. I consider myself a fairly well-informed person and I couldn't give you precise dates. I'd be able to tell you that WWI was in the 1910s and that WWII was in the early 1940s but exact years? Nope.

 

He tries to give bonus questions with material he thinks should be easy. He gives partial credit if they were close. But most were off by decades or centuries. That's the sad part.

[jelbe5]

I, too quizzed my kids today!

 

my kids got it (only from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes and McHale's Navy!)

 

:iagree:

 

LOL! Whatever works! My oldest dd loves these old shows!

[Joanne]

Last night, in my Christian Spirituality class (in *graduate school*), the Professor "had" to give a summary review of how to write a thesis statement, break out elements and support each element in body paragraphs, tying everything to the thesis.

 

Really?

[Kirch]

Years ago when I was living in California I had someone insist that the capital of Alberta was Calgary. Now I'm not sure how we even got on that topic but I was born and raised most of my life in Alberta so I think I know.

 

She swore it was bigger and thus the capital. It may be bigger now but at the time I don't think it was not to mention the absurdity of that argument. I replied L.A. was larger than Sacramento but that doesn't make it the state capital.

 

She insisted it had to be the capital because the train went through Calgary. Again I argued that the train went through my old home town of 2000 people and that didn't make it the capital of anything.

 

Eventually I pulled out an atlas and pointed out that Edmonton was the capital of Alberta. She insisted the atlas was wrong, turned up her nose at me and left content that in her world Calgary was the capital of Alberta.

 

Wow, that is some DETERMINED ignorance! :001_huh:

[Mommyfaithe]

We never covered modern history in school, either. I plan to spend a good long time on the 19th and 20th centuries with my dc, because I have a lot to learn. :D

 

This is why my 4 year history sequence ALWAYS takes 5-6 years...sigh! I always end up spending an entire year on the 1800's and then another or so on the 20th - NOW. A lot has happened in that timespan, and I want my kids to understand the effect on our world and why things are panning out the way they do.

 

Faithe

[RahRah]

Last night, in my Christian Spirituality class (in *graduate school*), the Professor "had" to give a summary review of how to write a thesis statement, break out elements and support each element in body paragraphs, tying everything to the thesis.

 

Really?

 

My FIL (retired now) was a professor at a top-notch university and has said over the years (50+ year teaching) he taught, he watched a steady decline in knowledge amongst his students....not only of basics and facts, but in how to organize thoughts, think critically, find information and write papers of all types....in both undergrad and graduate students.

[mom2scouts]

I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing how horrible our history education is in this country. I'm doing Sonlight Core 1 with my second grader this year and learning many things I don't ever remember studying in school. We seemed to start each year with the American Revolution, we talked about the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution and there was a little about WWII. I took a modern American history class in college just so I could learn something about the Vietnam War. My son and I are really enjoying history, but I remember everyone in school thinking it was really boring. Now I realize that they never helped us see how much history affects us today. It was just a list of things that happened at certain places and times.:sad:

[misidawnrn]

I watched something about Texas and early America the other day, I think it was a Ken Burn's video from Netflix. I didn't know, and don't remember learning about, Texas actually declared itself it's own country right before the civil war and Sam Houston was it's leader! The U.S. didn't want Texas as a state because they thought it would tip the favor to the south and slave owners.

[Mommy22alyns]

We also never got to modern history/20th century when I was in school. In fact, I don't remember making it past the civil war.

 

 

Same here. I don't know how many times I went over US history to Reconstruction, but never past.

[mom31257]

It doesn't surprise me. My dh is a public school world history teacher. He has 10th graders.

 

Last week most of his students didn't know what the word "resent" means.

 

A few weeks before that the word they didn't know was to be "against" something.

 

Last year, most of the geography students (9th grade) couldn't find our state on a map and couldn't name the 7 continents and oceans.

 

He had a timeline up of Martin Luther's life. Most didn't know to subtract the year an event happened from the year he was born to figure out how old he was when the event happened.

 

Need I go on???

 

He says kids come to high school with no prior knowledge or vocabulary to speak of. It's so sad!

[Slartibartfast]

I find that surprising because even if they hadn't learned it thoroughly in school wouldn't they have learned that from their (great?) grandparents? I had a LOT of relatives who were in WWII. I don't think I could have been raised in my family and not known much about it.

[regentrude]

Not surprising. Unfortunately. I once had someone argue with me that Berlin sat right in the middle of the border of East Germany and West Germany. He would not believe me that Berlin was a divided city within East Germany. He wouldn't even believe me when I told him I had actually been there!!

 

Even the students who are particularly INTERESTED in history have no clue. A few weeks ago, I attended the local National History Day competition, and there was a student who had a poster about the Berlin wall. He had put a lot of effort into making it look nice and had clearly spent time researching the topic - but he kept saying the wall was built in 1948 - nope, it was in 1961.

How can you RESEARCH a historical event and not know when it was???

[unsinkable]

It doesn't surprise me. My dh is a public school world history teacher. He has 10th graders.

 

Last week most of his students didn't know what the word "resent" means.

 

A few weeks before that the word they didn't know was to be "against" something.

 

Last year, most of the geography students (9th grade) couldn't find our state on a map and couldn't name the 7 continents and oceans.

 

He had a timeline up of Martin Luther's life. Most didn't know to subtract the year an event happened from the year he was born to figure out how old he was when the event happened.

 

Need I go on???

 

He says kids come to high school with no prior knowledge or vocabulary to speak of. It's so sad!

 

But they didn't just appear in the high school out of the blue!

 

They were mostly likely students in your DH's school system.

 

So what is going on???!!!

[justamouse]

Last night, in my Christian Spirituality class (in *graduate school*), the Professor "had" to give a summary review of how to write a thesis statement, break out elements and support each element in body paragraphs, tying everything to the thesis.

 

Really?

 

So, how did they GET to graduate school without writing a thesis statement?

 

*facepalm*

[Mrs Mungo]

Even the students who are particularly INTERESTED in history have no clue. A few weeks ago, I attended the local National History Day competition, and there was a student who had a poster about the Berlin wall. He had put a lot of effort into making it look nice and had clearly spent time researching the topic - but he kept saying the wall was built in 1948 - nope, it was in 1961.

How can you RESEARCH a historical event and not know when it was???

 

Maybe he confused it with the Berlin Blockade?

[Perry]

So, how did they GET to graduate school without writing a thesis statement?

 

*facepalm*

 

I learned about thesis statements sometime during graduate school, only because I was homeschooling. :blushing:

 

Maybe I learned it at some point earlier, but if so, I have no memory of it.

[Joanne]

So, how did they GET to graduate school without writing a thesis statement?

 

*facepalm*

 

I know. When I applied, I had to take an English proficiency exam. It was so basic my 12 year old could have gotten 100%. The Counseling program requires a minimum GRE score (the Theological side does not).

 

How some of these students got their undergraduates = mystery to me.

[Joanne]

I learned about thesis statements sometime during graduate school, only because I was homeschooling. :blushing:

 

Maybe I learned it at some point earlier, but if so, I have no memory of it.

 

May I very politely ask how you managed to write decent, organized papers without the planning, outlining and presentation that are tied to thesis statements? I'm not being snarky. I promise you. Not every paper I write has a traditional "thesis statement" but they all have the organizational process/planning.

[LMD]

eek OP, that's pretty bad.

 

That's one thing I'm truly loving about homeschooling - that I get to learn all the things I (apparently) missed. Heck, I'm learning grade 2 grammar for the first time :blushing: - and I finished highschool in the top 15% of my state and majored in Literature at uni... :confused:

[Perry]

May I very politely ask how you managed to write decent, organized papers without the planning, outlining and presentation that are tied to thesis statements? I'm not being snarky. I promise you. Not every paper I write has a traditional "thesis statement" but they all have the organizational process/planning.

I have often wondered that myself. ;)

 

We did do some outlining, but I don't remember any other writing instruction. I am logical and organized by nature, and think I just managed to figure it out on my own.

[Melissa in Australia]

I'm sure I'm not the only mom quizzing her children this morning as they walk into the room:

 

"Hey! Who did we fight in WWI?"

"Do you know who we fought in WWII?"

"Do you know anything about the time frame of either of these wars?"

 

I can exhale.

Just quizzed my kids, they knew, we have covered it extensively in history, But they tell me they know it form playing computer games, (not from me teaching them) :svengo::lol:

[Brooketopia]

My high school was just the opposite--we spent tons of time in modern, next to nothing in any other period. I learned all about the conflicts in the Middle East, the two World Wars and spent a lot of time on all the stuff that went along with the Great Depression. I only got some of the European Agricultural Revolution because I signed up for AP European Studies, but dropped it after a semester because it bored me to tears.

 

Never heard a thing about Egypt, Greece, Rome, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Civil War. I'm pretty sure we learned something about the American Revolutionary period, but I'm not recalling it right now. I graduated in 2000.

 

I must say though...I had a really great teacher on the World Wars. She had spent the summer before touring Europe and had all these slides and souvenirs to show us. It was really interesting.

 

I learn a ton of stuff with my first grader as we go through history...and I have a bachelors degree in History! You just can't hit all...but I am disturbed that high school doesn't at least try to get a once-through in there. Sheesh.