History

MC

New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
3,989
Best answers
0
Location
United States, Florida
I was thinking... all the time I was in school, I never really learned anything about other countries history, other than the countries that were involved with America. It's understandable that if you live in the United States or any other country, you're more than likely to learn about that countries history, even though a lot of schools have alternative courses for learning another countries history.

The thing is, wouldn't it be better to learn other countries history as well as your own countrys? The only reason why I wonder this is when I remembered a quote:

George Santayana said:
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
The thing that got me is that he said history, he said nothing about American history, Japanese history, German history, he said history as in a whole rather than something specific.

I know many people think the Human race has already doomed itself, but regardless of that, what do you all think about this? Do you think that learning about other countries history would be beneficial even though it might not have an impact on the things you need for life?
 
Senior Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Feb 6, 2002
Messages
1,675
Best answers
0
You think America is so full of itself because it learns about other countries accomplishments? It's all propaganda and brain washing. Learn about yourself, love yourself, don't care about whatever else is about there.

But it is true. And believe you me, you're the only country that doesn't learn about other countries. I could tell you the history of about any other country in the world, even yours.

Welcome to America.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
Messages
1,626
Best answers
0
I could tell you the history of about any other country in the world
Kama, the Netherlands. Go.

MC, maybe its just your school system. Different regions have different curriculums. I learned about Russia, Japan, the States, France, Brazil, Canadian history and WWI/II. Im probably better for it, so I dont see why they wouldnt include such stuff. Dont you have a social studies class, or a history class?
 

MC

New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
3,989
Best answers
0
Location
United States, Florida
frsrblch said:
Kama, the Netherlands. Go.

MC, maybe its just your school system. Different regions have different curriculums. I learned about Russia, Japan, the States, France, Brazil, Canadian history and WWI/II. Im probably better for it, so I dont see why they wouldnt include such stuff. Dont you have a social studies class, or a history class?
We do have social studies class, the only thing is that there focused more on American history/government/economics.
 

sub

Active Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Jun 18, 2003
Messages
5,961
Best answers
0
Location
New York
Well, I live in America and throughout my time in school, I have learned about Rome, Greece, China, England, France, Germany, various ancient civilizations in the Mesopotamia region / africa, Italy, Canada, Rusia, Japan and obviously the United States (I'm forgetting a few). Granted, we didn't go over all of these countries in great detail, but we went over them non the less.
 
Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
Each state has a different Cirriculum, I learned about world history in different classes.
 

MC

New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
3,989
Best answers
0
Location
United States, Florida
I guess I should have done more research instead of automatically assuming a lot of schools in the US don't teach anything about another countries history. I apologize for the inconvenience, like I stated before, I haven't been to any other school outside of my county.

I'm grateful that you all cleared this up for me.
 
New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
654
Best answers
0
Ok, the History teacher is going to step in here


Learning about the history of the world is a very long and tasking thing to do. In you schooling as a student, your history and social studies teachers can only cover a certain amount of things in their time with you. There are historians who focus their whole lives on single days or single lives, there is so much knowledge in history, that to try and take it all on for every single student is simply stupid. Most education systems in the United States want their social studies teachers to focus on American history and government because they think that since it is the country you live in, you should know it well. Most students have problems comprehending the majority of the things involved in history and government, so they don't get exposed to more than American things just to allow them to grasp the concepts of the American systems. College and personal time is what is required for furthering your knowledge of history and government outside of your own country.

And that is that, as a History teacher I would love to cover every single country and how they have affected society today...but I would also love a golden toilet seat
 
New Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2002
Messages
436
Best answers
0
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

History is written by the winners.

We had the basic run down on the US and many other places in the world at my school. The History Channel is a great place to pick up some extra tidbits of knowledge of other peoples history and culture.

I for one prefer to learn of other nations history because it gives me a broader view of the world.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
Messages
1,626
Best answers
0
Most students have problems comprehending the majority of the things involved in history and government, so they don't get exposed to more than American things just to allow them to grasp the concepts of the American systems.
How do you know that your students arent failing to grasp the American concepts because they have nothing to compare it to? You cant have people graduating from a first world nation with no understanding of the rest of the world beyond the stereotypes of television - thats not an education.
 
New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
520
Best answers
0
Brim said:
Ok, the History teacher is going to step in here


Learning about the history of the world is a very long and tasking thing to do. In you schooling as a student, your history and social studies teachers can only cover a certain amount of things in their time with you. There are historians who focus their whole lives on single days or single lives, there is so much knowledge in history, that to try and take it all on for every single student is simply stupid. Most education systems in the United States want their social studies teachers to focus on American history and government because they think that since it is the country you live in, you should know it well. Most students have problems comprehending the majority of the things involved in history and government, so they don't get exposed to more than American things just to allow them to grasp the concepts of the American systems. College and personal time is what is required for furthering your knowledge of history and government outside of your own country.

And that is that, as a History teacher I would love to cover every single country and how they have affected society today...but I would also love a golden toilet seat

The man just stated how it is. Most kids in school now have hard enough time covering social studies and american government, and some schools do have World history you know. Although it may not cover the history of germany or japan in the greatest detail. You have to consider the fact that History is boring for the majority of the kids in school as it is. Why set a higher standard on something that they feel will effect them even LESS than their own history, by adding in other countries? Personally I couldnt care less about the history of Germany or Russia, or anything else. Im worried about my country and my country only. That is of my personal opinion, and im sure if you took a survey on the majority of students thoughts on wether or not Schools should start teaching every country's history in the U.S, that the majority of them would say they didnt want to learn it. You can bash the U.S teaching methods all you want, by saying we're self centered, and its propaganda. The fact of the matter is when it comes down to it, we are here for us. We want our country to strive and be better, once we get that done. Then we can focus on the rest of the world. I mean im very interested in the Oriental culture, and on my free time if I have the chance i will read up on japanese history, but the parts I do read up on are very selective. I would HATE to have a class on it, where I felt pressured to learn it. History is hard enough to get through without liking it, why add in more things that would just bore more people?

Btw Brim
Are you really a history teacher? :eek:
 
New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
654
Best answers
0
frsrblch said:
How do you know that your students arent failing to grasp the American concepts because they have nothing to compare it to? You cant have people graduating from a first world nation with no understanding of the rest of the world beyond the stereotypes of television - thats not an education.
Wrong, that is an education, and education based on the fundamentals of literature grammar mathematics and science. If you notice, your SATs only test math and language skills, that's because those are the basics of an education. Worldly knowledge isn't something your school should give you, it can't, you have to experience the world to have that knowledge. High school should not be and is not the end of a person's education. High school education is meant to keep a person running at a functional level inside their own society, that doesn't require knowledge of the outside world.

Too often students take the opinion of your above post and rely on their school systems to educate them. Well, in reality you need to take the initiative yourself and work to further your own education, no one is going to lead you by the hand your whole life.

Aside from that individual history teachers are really the defining factors. Student's with good teachers will learn a whole lot more, and most of the curriculum is picked out by the teacher as well, they aren't going to cover the whole book in a year's time, so they pick and choose at their chapters.


Chang said:
I mean im very interested in the Oriental culture, and on my free time if I have the chance i will read up on japanese history, but the parts I do read up on are very selective. I would HATE to have a class on it, where I felt pressured to learn it. History is hard enough to get through without liking it, why add in more things that would just bore more people?
You'd be surprised, last semester I took a modern Japanese history class and loved it to death, had a good prof tho.

And yush, I teach, tho I'm a student teacher now, I will be fully gradimatated in May and teaching next year at a school, and no I don't touch the girlies...only look
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Messages
4,022
Best answers
0
I firmly believe that having knowledge about other cultures, languages, and countries, does in fact make you a better person. It allows you to be more open-minded, to see things from different perspectives. From experience, I have found this to be true, and if I were to compare my own worldly knowledge to that of some of my American friends, it is sad though true if I were to say that I know more about what goes on in the world than they do.

I don't know if it's true, but America is often seen as being far too self-centered, which, if true, would explain, along with America's ineffective educational system, why many Americans of my age cannot even tell the difference between Denmark and the Netherlands.

I am often asked if we actually get snow here in Holland, or if there's any windmills nearby. =/
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
Messages
1,626
Best answers
0
You cant expect people to pursue knowledge on a subject which they may not even know they enjoy. My high school seemed perfectly capable of instilling me with some understanding of the world around me, and so do most people's schools. At the bare minimum, students should be taught something along the way. You have 12 years to work with, I would expect you could cover some social studies in there. It doesnt need to be an in depth analysis of the economy of Portugal, just something to (as Shiyojin put it) allow you to be more open-minded. Children are very open to activity based learning on other cultures, and the model UN we had in grade 10 was just a blast.

I just cannot understand how this isnt neccessary (or possible) for a public education.
 
New Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
368
Best answers
0
man....the history is for the dead guy.... rather I'd like to read the manga.....(but I'm interesting the DBZ timeline lol)
 

MC

New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
3,989
Best answers
0
Location
United States, Florida
uncover bunker said:
man....the history is for the dead guy.... rather I'd like to read the manga.....(but I'm interesting the DBZ timeline lol)
???

Shiyojin Rommyu said:
I don't know if it's true, but America is often seen as being far too self-centered, which, if true, would explain, along with America's ineffective educational system, why many Americans of my age cannot even tell the difference between Denmark and the Netherlands.
I get everyones point just that I have nothing to say since I do not know much about other educational systems outside of where I live, and what I already know. Funny thing is that I don't even know much of my own educational system outside of taking SLD (Specific Learning Disability) classes.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom