What are our schools up to?

Trevor

It seems that in many schools the kids are not taught things like this anymore. I think that the school my kids go to does teach something of the history and geography of Australia as my 12 year old daughter has come home on occasions saying that the teacher talked about such and such a place and Shai would pipe up with "I've been there", then another place with the same response and another and another, until the teacher would mention another place and add on "I suppose you have been there also". Even with some of the earlier explorers if they are mentioned, Shai will generally know something about it, not because she is overly smart, but because we have tried to teach and educate them on every trip we have done, as we do generally research the history and facts about a place prior to going there.

Obviously they must also have an interest in learning about these things or it just wouldn't stick.

I feel that it is important for us as parents to teach our kids facts and history about Australia, particularly as the teachers keep telling us off for pulling the kids out of school to travel.

We are heading out late July for about 6 weeks, outside of school holidays and the teachers keep on telling us it is not a good idea to have the kids out of school for that long, to which we usually reply that they will get a better education and better life skills by spending 6 weeks out in the bush as opposed to sitting in a classroom for that period of time.

Not to denigrate teachers in any way, but lets face it school can really become totally boring for them sometimes.

JMHO

"Anyway after about 1.5 mins of trying to explain...the boys disappeared not really interested"

Try teaching science and maths - unless it is blowing things up, they lose interest after a couple of minutes, and certainly aren't interested in the "how or why". Bring out chemicals that have to be measured and added in certain order, and turn your back only to find they have dumped it all in one beaker and then complain it is all too boring. They would much rather take out their phones or MP3 players (don't get me started on that!).

Col

Trevor, Australian Explorers is no longer taught as a component of Social Studies. If you want your kids to know, then make a point of teaching it to them yourself.
Modern kids in growing up in a world far removed from that in which I grew up in. The curriculum is so crowded that they'd need to be at school 365 days a year just to get through that lot. And you can imagine how much they actually learn...only the "fun" stuff. They know more about Paris H and Bollywood than Australian History...which until recently wasn't really taught very well if at all. Kids were amazed when I taught them that compared to the American "Outlaws", our early women settlers were far more lethal in terms of fire-power. (maybe they still are:)
I I still think that people will learn what they want/have to learn sooner or later, and my job was to give them the tools to empower them to do just that...and to set their interest on fire.
In our overcrowded under funded classrooms with all of it's disruptive elements, it's difficult to be able to capture children's imagination...especially if it's a brief mention of some long dead guys who went out into the outback.
The problem isn't really new...my wife knows more about English History than Australian History...and she's a First Fleet descendant !
I am just the opposite...but I had a 6th Grade teacher who wasn't a very good teacher. He spent too much time talking about his trips into the bush, and making us watch his slides.
I'm sure he would have trembled at the very thought of "outcomes based education" or "performance assessment" or any of the other must have's in the schools these days.

Hi Trevor

If you asked them about Daniel Boone or Jessie James ect, they
would tell you, a little bit about the subject, because of TV, and
comming from the USA, I remember at school, we used to be taught
Social Studies, and part of this subject was about Aussie Explorers,
such as Burke & Wills also European Explorers, like Marco Polo, ect.
even English History, we would trace maps of Australia, and all the
States, even the story of Jacky Jacky at the Cape who tried to help
the explorer Kennedy, I think times have changed, dont know for the
better or worse, at least we know about them, because we used to
read books in stead of relying on the T V for fictional stories.

Cheers
Daza

Well I am glad I took Philip to Innaminka, and showed him the Dig tree and Burk and Wills grave, then Kings tree.

He can tell you the whole story as we spent days travelling through in January.

He is 5 1/2 and he loved it!


Dig Tree


Burke's Grave


Wills' Grave


King's Tree

Cheers Steve

The kids are taught about Australia's history (explorer's too) but with so much info out there (the crowded curriculum), it is little wonder that few can recall all (or even some) of it. I know when I study some of our unique flora, then don't look at a text book for a couple of years, the stuff I learnt is soon forgotten. The best learning takes place when you have a need or a want for it. I love to research and learn more about our explorer's (some are little known) and our past, but this has come about by bushwalking and travelling across our great country.
I'm a teacher, and wish my parents well when they take their children out to explore (what better way than real life studies) our land and communities. School excursions and camps do just this but only tackle one aspect and normally for a day.

Trev,

They simply do not have the time.

It is a very demanding life.

Get to work at 8.30 and leave at 4.00

12, TWELVE weeks annual leave per year, get it, 3 times what the rest of us get.

3 months long servicel leave after just 10 years service when the rest of have to do 15.

It's the best paid part time job in the world.

Jim.

The state of our education system can easily be seen just by a trip down to the supermarket.

1/...Collect 5 items,
2/...Go to the checkout,
3/...Add up the total price in your head,
4/...Tell the checkout operater the amount while they try to get the barcode reader to work,
5/...Smile at the stunned look on their face.

If your feeling really antsy - tell them the change amount too.

I think it would help a lot if all children were taught AT HOME to respect other people and their property ! Nothing worse the kids who show no respect at all. I worked for three years in a school assisting in the metal and woodwork shops, gave it away because of the vandalism and abuse. School authorities did not help either, kids were allowed to misbehave with impunity.

I came from a time when most left school after Junior (or after 15 years of age), and went to a job. You gained work experience and developed responsibility quickly, otherwise you were shown the door. If you wanted to improve yourself later, there was, and is, ample opportunity to do this.

With unemployment running at the same level as it was in those days, I think it is more appropriate for those students who find school unsuitable (I was one of them), to move on. The trouble is that the government is forcing them to stay at school longer. This system is destroying the state school system, as well as TAFE because of people who don't want to be there.

We now have a skills shortage, so why is the government forcing students to stay at school, with the inevitable disruption to both classrooms and to individual students who want to do well, and there are many who want to do well.

I agree, life experiences, whether it be an extended vacation touring our great land in school time, or having a part time job, is invaluable, and should be encouraged.

Col

Firstly this is Sandy, Steve's other half

When I was in 4th grade I had a teacher Mr Nutt, and he used to play these social science tapes, they weren't the best quality but they were like a narrated book on tape thing. We used to groan when he'd bring out the tape recorder and we new we had an afternoon of listening to the story of the Eureka Stockade, or the landing of Captain Cook etc. Now I'm glad I had a teacher with a love of Australian history (however correct) and that when we travel and my kids ask questions I can answer them,

I also remember throughout school doing projects on the same topics, once a diorama of a gold mine, many sheets of cardboard covered in information about early Australia, but now I spend evenings helping my children do projects about other countries.

Having never been outside of Australia, I'd be interested to know when this has happened in other countries, or are we the only ones.

Sandy

ps I have just realised that I am lacking in books on our shelves about the history of Australia, anyone else have some they would recommend!!

I agree that the demise of Australian history and geography in the curriculum is sad. I believe it it also is duty for Australians to know about Australia.

I often wonder whether most adults that go the DIG tree really appreciate the event. I believe Wills was the navigator.

They left a single tree (among other trees) in the middle of Australia then went 2000kms north and came back and found the same tree without a map.

This is a navigational feat most would be proud of with a vehicle and GPS without being half dead from starvation. I still cannot think about the DIG tree without profound respect for the navigation feat involved.

Fortunately I am old enough that I was taught geography and history. ( A small test - where does the Bulloo river flow to?)

Alan

Perhaps it is not now politically correct to teach Australian history.
It may offend our indigenous population

Trevor,
I am a teacher. As many have said, 'enjoy the kids, often confused by the system.' In primary schools we still teach Australian history under different names like, 'time, continuity and change' and amongst this is content like 'Early Australian Exploration'. Early 'Dutch' maritime history on the Western Australian coastline is my passion and not surprisingly often becomes that of the students I teach. I hope that most teachers who are left in system are passionate and have interests they are willing to share. Afterall, it's great to be an Australian.

The teacher who drops the blackline master worksheet in front of a kid and says, do this! - needs to move on. It's the teacher that makes the difference. The kids haven't changed, the world has. Teachers have to face this change, like everyone else who works for a living today. Teachers, unfortunately, have to compete for a child's attention in a world where they have entertainment technology, with all the 'bells and whistles' so freely available.

Long story short, 'My best teaching resource has and will always be an interested 'family' who work together to teach and support their children as they grow.'

Trevor,the interest you show in your family will pay dividends in the end. Have another go at reviving 'Burke and Wills' in their informational 'book', the internet.
Cheers,
Al.

Reading through this post reinforces my view that teaching and learning begins at home and is supplemented elsewhere (and that is said with due respect to our learning institutions).