Report: Students don't know much about US history

[Perry]

AP article

 

U.S. students don't know much about American history, according to results of a national test released Tuesday. Just 13 percent of high school seniors who took the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress — called the Nation's Report Card — showed solid academic performance in American history. The two other grade levels tested didn't perform much better, which just 22 percent of fourth-grade students and 18 percent of eighth-graders scoring proficient or better.

As usual, the knee-jerk explanation is

Education experts say a heavy focus on reading and math under the federal No Child Left Behind law in the last decade has led to lagging performance in other subjects such as history and science.

Which makes no sense to me. Around here, at least, the kids have just as much "social studies" as they ever did. The problem is, they don't, and haven't ever, really learned history. Instead they make posters about the neighborhood and collect artifacts that describe "All About Me". :001_rolleyes:

[angela in ohio]

Which makes no sense to me. Around here, at least, the kids have just as much "social studies" as they ever did. The problem is, they don't, and haven't ever, really learned history. Instead they make posters about the neighborhood and collect artifacts that describe "All About Me". :001_rolleyes:

 

Exactly. I laughed when I saw the big to-do lesson on the Constitution last year. It was to write your own Bill of Rights. NOTHING about studying the actual BoR (or even reading it.) And then they wonder... :001_huh:

[mom31257]

At the risk of being hung out to dry, can I share what my dh, a high school history teacher, is experiencing? He's only been in public school for 5 years and was in private Christian education for 16 years before. It is not because of No Child Left Behind.

 

He says the kids come to him knowing little about history. He said they all know who Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. are, but don't have a clue about people like Thomas Edison or Martin Luther. Harriet Tubman saved about 300 slaves. I'm glad she did, but Thomas Edison changed history for us all and in a much more profound way.

 

I've given a certain standardized test for several years now. I've seen a question about what happened at Seneca Falls in 1848 on just about every test, including at least 3 different grade levels. Why is it necessary to ask that on so many different tests?

 

Political correctness is running public education. History about white men is not taught much at all, so that leaves out quite a bit.

[twoforjoy]

What I've found is that schools tend to focus on the really big things, the Revolution and the Civil War in particular. Everything else gets rushed through. I also know that, when I was in high school, you never made it through the whole textbook. You'd get about 2/3 of the way through the pre-Civil War book, and then about 2/3 of the way through the post-Civil War book. So, you ended up just entirely skipping significant portions of American history, and giving huge portions nothing but very superficial coverage.

 

A few caveats, though: I wonder if the test itself is designed to test what the students would ideally know? I know that standardized tests are designed in different ways. Some are designed to cover what they presume the average teacher will be able to cover in the year; others test what would be covered in an ideal curriculum.

 

Also, I don't think we can say anything about a decline in history knowledge based on this. From reading the article, scores haven't dropped. They've been consistently low since the testing began.

Edited June 14, 2011 by twoforjoy

[HomeschoolingMy4]

This is why we're spending 2 years on American History. This past year we've done Founding to Civil War & we'll do Civil War to present day. As I'm reading their history books, I'm realizing that *I* don't really know that much about American history.. that's sad. This is one area that I deviate from the WTM's plans greatly. I feel like my kids should know about WHY our country is the way it is now.

 

I couldn't agree with the other comments more.. the stress on SOCIAL studies is keeping them from learning about our country.

[Photo Ninja]

One can only hope that the results of this newest test will inspire schools and state Education Departments to start teaching U.S. history instead of social studies and limited, politically correct figures and events. There is a lack of history instruction in the public schools.

 

My high school dd was surprised when she took history courses at the community college, Western Civ, two U.S. History courses as well as a state history course. She was amazed at the lack of history background the college students had. She liked her instructors, but said she learned very little that was new information to her. However, she said that the other students acted as though the history content was new to them and while she found the tests to be very easy, most the students were struggling to pass the courses. She finally decided that it was because they had not learned the history content before. We have always had a very strong history focus, and all my dc have benefitted from that when they entered college. My ds at a private university has had similar experiences with history courses. It is sad that most students have such a poor understanding of history.

[TravelingChris]

We heard about this on the radio when my daughter was driving us home from the vet. She couldn't believe that she is in the top 2% of US seniors in history because she couldn't believe all those graduates don't know about Brown vs Board of Education. AS she well said, she couldn't get through my government class (I taught at a coop) without hearing about it several times. Silly me, I thought that with all the political correctness in schools, kids would at least be taught about civil rights. I think, unfortunately, they aren't taught much at all.

[twoforjoy]

Silly me, I thought that with all the political correctness in schools, kids would at least be taught about civil rights. I think, unfortunately, they aren't taught much at all.

 

This. Or, at least, aren't being taught it in a way that leads to any real retention or understanding.

[In The Great White North]

Brown v. Board of Ed Not a problem..

 

Seneca Falls 1843?? That I had to google.

[SailorMom]

Well - no one around here cares.

They have the silly social studies stuff from K-7th. My son was in US History this year in 8th. This is the first year of real history these kids get.

Remember that this was his first year back in PS....

The pretest at the beginning of the year: DS 90%, the rest of the class: highest score was 50%

Now - next year - no history. They've cut us back to 6 periods and dropped history from the middle school

My son, going in as a Freshman, was signed up for AP World History. Guess what? Now that there are only 6 periods - history will not be offerred to any incoming Freshman.

That means that, in our district, the first actual history course these kids will get is in 10th grade.

Ridiculous.

[goldberry]

There is a part in the novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson, where the main character (a freshman in high school) talks about her history class. She says every year they start with the same thing, and every year they are promised they will get up to the present, but they never do. She said they never get past the Industrial Revolution.

 

Of course it's a novel, but I thought that was fairly accurate. I remember going over the Civil War again and again and again. And the Pilgrims again and again and again...

[athena1277]

Brown v. Board of Ed Not a problem..

 

Seneca Falls 1843?? That I had to google.

 

:iagree: I googled it too. I did manage to learn a good bit about US history in school, but I never, ever was taught about world history, except as it applied to US history, like the Pilgrims and other coming from Europe. I am learning a TON from SOTW and so very glad my dd is learning real history and not social studies fluff.

[twoforjoy]

:iagree: I googled it too. I did manage to learn a good bit about US history in school, but I never, ever was taught about world history, except as it applied to US history, like the Pilgrims and other coming from Europe.

 

I had the same experience. I actually feel like I got a really good U.S. history education in high school, but we had to take two years of U.S. history to graduate, and then I took AP U.S. History, and I took a Government and Law class on top of that. So I ended up having four classes focused on U.S. history and government over my four years of high school.

 

The downside was that I left high school with very, very little knowledge of world history. I took a Global Studies (mainly geography with a bit of basic cultural stuff thrown in) in ninth grade, and that was the only world history class I took. I still feel like my knowledge of world history is severely lacking, and I'm learning a lot along with DS.

 

 

There is a part in the novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson, where the main character (a freshman in high school) talks about her history class. She says every year they start with the same thing, and every year they are promised they will get up to the present, but they never do. She said they never get past the Industrial Revolution.

 

I remember thinking how true that rang for me when I read that book. My AP U.S. History teacher had actually had all of us for U.S. History II, and we'd only gotten up to about the Industrial Revolution. We spent about 3/4 of the AP year going over 20th century U.S. history, which none of us had ever actually gotten to in school before, and then the rest of the year study very early colonial history, which we'd also never studied.

[MrsBasil]

I learned about Brown vs Board of Education in elementary school.

 

In the school district we live in now, children(at least through 6th grade) are removed from science and social studies if they need remedial help in reading or math. I wonder if that's common and that's a contributing issue? Not the cause of it by itself, of course.

 

We had one year of US history in high school and we didn't make it all the way through Reconstruction. US History part 2 was reserved for honors track students who were doing well in all subjects. I couldn't take advanced history courses because I was not able to take advanced math courses. Same with any world history courses. I got Geography, US History, and US Government and that was it.

[Perry]

I feel rather embarrassed that I hardly know (knew) anything about history. I feel homeschooling is giving me a do over.

Me too. I learned more from SOTW than I ever learned in school. I also learned a lot on my own when I started researching my family history, and realized I had no context for any of it. I started reading historical fiction and that helped enormously.

[coffeefreak]

Me too. I learned more from SOTW than I ever learned in school. I also learned a lot on my own when I started researching my family history, and realized I had no context for any of it. I started reading historical fiction and that helped enormously.

 

I think having historical fiction assigned in school and just doing more reading in general would have helped a lot. We just never did any of that. We had these generic textbooks with random bits of information that I had a hard time even connecting to anything. So none of it sank it. None of it meant much.

 

In college I took a lot of history classes (mostly world because I was convinced that US history was the most boring thing ever). I really enjoyed those classes.

 

Fast forward and I'm now loving US history. I'm thrilled that my son loves history. I feel like I'm doing something right with that. ;)

 

:iagree:

 

I actually came searching to see if anyone had started this thread (Thanks Perry!). I FINALLY understood all the various wars we participated in my Sophomore year of college. It had everything to do with the teacher. He made history come alive (to use a cliche). It was no longer a set of boring facts about dates, people and events. I think good History teachers are just as important as good Science teachers.

 

For kicks, I asked my 5th grader (who has been studying American History for the last two years) some of the questions 4h graders could not answer. She knew Abraham Lincoln, but could not remember the "pivotal role he played in our history." I gently reminded her he was the president during the civil war and she said, "Which World War was that again?":glare: We spent WEEKS on the Civil War! The funny thing is, we never made it to WWII this year, and she knew who Adolf Hitler was, the war he was connected to, and his annihilation of the Jews. :001_huh: Can anyone explain that one to me?!?!

 

Dorinda

[Jamee]

This is one of the reasons DS wants to remain homeschooled, the history. He was my science freak before homeschooling and over the past year has found a passion for history, particularly ancients. The little guy too is excited by history from what we've read in SOTW. (makes history fanatic mama happy.:D) Neither had gotten any history at all in school, and very little in the way of social studies too for that matter.

[mcconnellboys]

And here, they study American history almost every.single.year. They never really study history within the context of the world. So if they're studying American history this many years and STILL don't know it, imagine how abysmal their knowledge is of the world....

[dangermom]

There is a part in the novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson, where the main character (a freshman in high school) talks about her history class. She says every year they start with the same thing, and every year they are promised they will get up to the present, but they never do. She said they never get past the Industrial Revolution.

 

Of course it's a novel, but I thought that was fairly accurate. I remember going over the Civil War again and again and again. And the Pilgrims again and again and again...

I remember we never got past WWI. I had no idea what the Vietnam War was about until I was well into adulthood...

 

Maybe we should have a history class that goes BACKWARDS. "Here we are in a war in Iraq. Why is that?" You could do modern history and show that everything has a cause further back in the past.

[Mommy22alyns]

My public school history education was laughable. Want even funnier? I scored a 5 on the AP US History exam. :001_huh:

 

I studied US history through Reconstruction 3 times from 7th grade on. I got a year of world history - again, laughably bad. I remember zip. I never learned about The Great Depression (unless you want to count reading The Grapes of Wrath), WWI, WWII, The Korean War, Vietnam... I think we brushed over Civil Rights once. It's just pathetic.

[Rivka]

I remember we never got past WWI. I had no idea what the Vietnam War was about until I was well into adulthood...

 

My father had all the Doonesbury cartoon collections, and that was my modern history education. I was surprisingly well-informed. :lol:

[Denise in Florida]

It is a deceptive concept. There is a HUGE difference between aptitude/achievement testing and content testing.

 

My girls have a good grounding in reading, mathematics, research, and reasoning. We have covered history, science and literature.

 

BUT if you asked asked dd17 about "Little Women" she would not know anything, she preferred Jane Austin. If you asked dd20 about astronomy she would not be able to answer, she studied chemistry and biology.

 

If you asked either of them about the westward expansion they would only know a little but they are well informed about the causes of the American Revolution and about WWI.

 

If you tried to test 100 high school students and you asked them 20 specific history questions they may or may not know. That does not mean they are not educated or that they don't know history. It means they did not know those 20 questions.

 

This is one of the sensational stories that really don't mean anything.

 

I am college educated but I do not know anything about the War of the Roses (other than its name). I took lots of literature classes yet I have never read The Stranger, this does not reflect on the specific classes or teachers I had.

 

As a homeschool mom my interest in life long learning has been a revived and I have the confidence to tackle any subject I am interested in. This might some day include The Warn of the Roses and The Stranger. :lol:

[goldberry]

Maybe we should have a history class that goes BACKWARDS. "Here we are in a war in Iraq. Why is that?" You could do modern history and show that everything has a cause further back in the past.

 

I really like that idea! Then history would have some meaning, some connection to the present. I never would have thought to go the opposite direction.

[teamturner]

I feel rather embarrassed that I hardly know (knew) anything about history. I feel homeschooling is giving me a do over.

 

 

:iagree: Me too!! Sounds like we just might be doomed to repeat history since no one knows it. Certainly not future generations.

[KatA]

I majored in history in college with the intention of teaching high school history (maybe one day...). I did practicums and student teaching in ps and it is absolutely... deflating. The teachers are under so much pressure to teach the content, teach facts and have students memorize the facts enough to regurgitate it onto the test. There's no depth of knowledge, and that doesn't even take into account the lack of motivation most of the students already have for history.

[Kirch]

I remember we never got past WWI. I had no idea what the Vietnam War was about until I was well into adulthood...

 

Maybe we should have a history class that goes BACKWARDS. "Here we are in a war in Iraq. Why is that?" You could do modern history and show that everything has a cause further back in the past.

 

There was a post/thread not too long ago (maybe on the K-8 board?) that talked about doing exactly that. I don't think it's for us, but it was intriguing to read about. I'd link it for you, but I can't find it. Maybe someone else knows what I'm talking about!

[dangermom]

My father had all the Doonesbury cartoon collections, and that was my modern history education. I was surprisingly well-informed. :lol:

 

Mine did too! I don't know that I was terribly well-informed, though. Most of it probably went over my head. "Schlitz?"

[happypamama]

I feel rather embarrassed that I hardly know (knew) anything about history. I feel homeschooling is giving me a do over.

 

Don't feel embarrassed! I know sooooo many people for whom history in school was boring -- if they even had real history classes. I think I was fairly lucky; I was always kind of interested in the way people lived in the past, but I didn't really LOVE history until I took European history in tenth grade from a fantastic teacher. That made all the difference. But even with good history classes, there are still things I don't know, and homeschooling is so great for that! (And fwiw, I feel that way about science -- homeschooling is my chance for science to be interesting and memorable in a way that it never was for me in school.)

 

I'm not surprised that students today don't know much about US history. That Jay Leno clip that went around a few months ago where he quizzed adults who couldn't even get the century right for the American Revolution was appalling. My then 5 and 8yo's laughed so hard at those people, because the 8yo knew all the answers, and the 5yo knew most of them.

[Hunter's Moon]

Last year in U.S. I, my teacher had us take a Citizenship test that those applying for citizenship must pass.

 

I believe 5 out of about 25 of us passed. I did not. I failed by one.

 

A lot of the projects done last year were more creative. I don't remember much at all about that class other than meaningless worksheets that were done quickly to get done with. We did watch a documentary on Louis and Clark (which is on Netflix and really cool) and a movie on the Civil War, though I can't remember the name and it wasn't a documentary, but a movie.

 

This year I'm doing from Reconstruction to present but only had a public school text so not much was understood. I plan to continue to brush up on my U.S. History while I work through Government and Economics next year.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Well not only that. I feel like the history we were taught was extremely sugar coated. I have been reading some Zinn lately and I'm ...(don't know the word)...

 

I don't think that the realization that we don't know what we think we know about history goes only one way.

 

We drove through Arkansas around Christmas. We were intrigued to see that the Little Rock High School was both a historic site with a visitors' center and still a working high school. So we looked up some of the history of the integration of the school.

 

It was interesting to see that it wasn't just a case of ignorant Southerners bad, federal authorities step in. There was a lot more nuance than that. But nuance doesn't fit well into soundbites or portray well on posters. I think there is a lot of history like that. (And don't get me started on what people think they know about history because they saw a movie once.)

 

I'm so glad that homeschooling gives us the opportunity to master skills early on and to spend lots of time on both wide and deep content.