American Education

[Rameses the Great]

It seemed to be a normal pageant of Miss. Teen USA, not much to talk about then enter

[Moonlapse]

You have to have a special talent to make that kind of deadpan nonsense.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

As much fun that everyone has with her embarassing answer, I'm not the one to laugh because I realize that she is human like any of us and as lowly beings, we are extremely prone to nervousness. Undoubtedly, who here can go on stage before millions and give a good God to honest answer while being stared at by thousands and blinding lights.

[docoflove1974]

As much fun that everyone has with her embarassing answer, I'm not the one to laugh because I realize that she is human like any of us and as lowly beings, we are extremely prone to nervousness. Undoubtedly, who here can go on stage before millions and give a good God to honest answer while being stared at by thousands and blinding lights.

 

I would agree with this comment, in that she was under quite a bit of pressure...no matter how much you practice and relax before going before people, sometimes you just flub up. For some stupid reason yesterday, I kept saying that France conquered and controlled France and then Italy in 1066, yet I would catch myself and say England! I couldn't believe that I did it not once, not twice, but three times! I was exhausted, true, but still...I know better!

 

But there really is an issue with geography in this country--I can say this. This summer, when I asked my Spanish class to write a guided essay (one which I provide a series of questions, and in answering the questions they create an essay) about a fictitious trip they took to South America, I had an appalling set of answers; at least 75% put a wrong answer. Some said they went to Mexico...I didn't like the answer, but at least they kept it within Latin America. Some said New Jersey...Some said Hawaii...Some said Spain. AND THERE'S A BLEEDING MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA IN THE CLASSROOM FOR THEM TO LOOK AT!!!!! I know at least 2 people did look at the map, because they said they went to "La Republica Argentine"...it's the typo that's on the map (it should be "La Republica Argentina"). But, seriously...I dug into them big time. At least some people just said that they went to South America, not specifying where...I told them that they should be better than that, but at least they didn't go off topic. I was seriously offended...and even my brother, who is not a geography/history buff, could still name a few South American countries off the top of his head. Unreal!

 

If you get access to the Jay Leno show, he does (or did) a regular series called "Jaywalking," where he went out to the streets of Los Angeles and polled people on basic questions. It was unreal how many people couldn't name the flipping capital of California (Sacramento) nor of the country. They kept saying that LA was the capital of the state, and New York was the capital of the country!

Edited September 1, 2007 by docoflove1974

[Moonlapse]

There's a problem in every subject, not just geography. But at least these people are socially conditioned, right?

[Rameses the Great]

There's a problem in every subject, not just geography. But at least these people are socially conditioned, right?

 

Of course. They say she is an honors student who is expected to take accelerated courses in college. It's not like they throw her into the fire and give her a random question to respond to, they rehearse and prepare. If you go into an interview for a job you applied for, don't you know what to say before you say it? If the employer asks you a real life situation do you respond or just break? Apparently she broke. It goes from locating America on the map to 'the Iraq' and South Africa in order to educate our children and help out the Asians.

 

To bad she was part of the 1/5 of America that doesen't know where it's located on the map. Some kids at school here think Indians and Arabs are the same thing.

[M. Porcius Cato]

If you get access to the Jay Leno show, he does (or did) a regular series called "Jaywalking," where he went out to the streets of Los Angeles and polled people on basic questions. It was unreal how many people couldn't name the flipping capital of California

I suspect people play stupid on "Jaywalking" so they can get on TV.

[Ludovicus]

My country, the USA, is spending 12 billion dollars a month to occupy Iraq. Can you guess how many of my countrymen know where the darn place is located? I'd say a lot fewer than 1 in 5.

[docoflove1974]

If you get access to the Jay Leno show, he does (or did) a regular series called "Jaywalking," where he went out to the streets of Los Angeles and polled people on basic questions. It was unreal how many people couldn't name the flipping capital of California

I suspect people play stupid on "Jaywalking" so they can get on TV.

 

I'd like to say that...but after almost 10 years of teaching college kids, I don't know that it's really 'playing stupid' to get your 15 seconds of fame. Too many of my students can barely find their own state on the map, let alone much else.

[Kosmo]

In any place in the world if you ask enough people you're going to get some stupid answers. Then just edit the correct majority so everybody looks stupid and the viewer can fell great about his wisdom.

 

Some times, under pressure, I discover that I forget all I've got to say despite careful preparation and I have to relax and pull myself toghether. And I'm not teen or shy.

 

For my wife a map looks like an abstract painting while I love maps since I was a child.

 

Sure US it's a big country and hard to miss, but still I believe that this error does not say anything about the wits of this girl or US education.

[Ursus]

American high schools are more about sports, marching bands and popularity contests than education per se. Ask any European or Asian exchange students. They think it is a lark.

 

The thing of it is: who cares what Miss America does or does not know? These girls will get through life flashing their pretty smiles (and flashing other parts of their body), and they know it.

 

I think the whole Miss American pangeant is ludicrous. If I want to watch flesh, the adult section of the magazine rack or video store is far more honest and less annoying. And if I want intelligence, I'll look elsewhere besides popular culture and mass media.

[Viggen]

It seemed to be a normal pageant of Miss. Teen USA, not much to talk about then enter

 

... hehe, pretty face but wow, she tried very hard to sound smart

 

btw. already Sandra Bullok knew; you have to say "World Peace" or you doomed

 

cheers

viggen

[WotWotius]

As much fun that everyone has with her embarassing answer, I'm not the one to laugh because I realize that she is human like any of us and as lowly beings, we are extremely prone to nervousness. Undoubtedly, who here can go on stage before millions and give a good God to honest answer while being stared at by thousands and blinding lights.

 

I would agree with this comment, in that she was under quite a bit of pressure...no matter how much you practice and relax before going before people, sometimes you just flub up. For some stupid reason yesterday, I kept saying that France conquered and controlled France and then Italy in 1066, yet I would catch myself and say England! I couldn't believe that I did it not once, not twice, but three times! I was exhausted, true, but still...I know better!

 

But there really is an issue with geography in this country--I can say this. This summer, when I asked my Spanish class to write a guided essay (one which I provide a series of questions, and in answering the questions they create an essay) about a fictitious trip they took to South America, I had an appalling set of answers; at least 75% put a wrong answer. Some said they went to Mexico...I didn't like the answer, but at least they kept it within Latin America. Some said New Jersey...Some said Hawaii...Some said Spain. AND THERE'S A BLEEDING MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA IN THE CLASSROOM FOR THEM TO LOOK AT!!!!! I know at least 2 people did look at the map, because they said they went to "La Republica Argentine"...it's the typo that's on the map (it should be "La Republica Argentina"). But, seriously...I dug into them big time. At least some people just said that they went to South America, not specifying where...I told them that they should be better than that, but at least they didn't go off topic. I was seriously offended...and even my brother, who is not a geography/history buff, could still name a few South American countries off the top of his head. Unreal!

 

If you get access to the Jay Leno show, he does (or did) a regular series called "Jaywalking," where he went out to the streets of Los Angeles and polled people on basic questions. It was unreal how many people couldn't name the flipping capital of California (Sacramento) nor of the country. They kept saying that LA was the capital of the state, and New York was the capital of the country!

 

I even met some people in South Dakota who asked me if England was near China!!!!!!!! One even asked me if London housed the Eiffel Tower!!!!!

 

:disgust: :disgust:

Edited September 3, 2007 by WotWotius

[Urbs Aedificator]

I would like to say the 'barbarization' of America and it's culture, but this might be misconstrued as too inflamitory or narrow minded on my part...

I work at a local college for foreign exchange students here in Canada, and the difference between what I see there and what I see in my son's high school is shocking.

I know this is a broad and sweeping statement, and certainly has exceptons, but I feel that the excessive opulence in our society has led to a great deal of complacency, and just plain laziness. Manifesting itself from applying oneself to your school studies to being more concerned about the 'bling' in your life.

Doc, I understand your reaction to your students responses, but as a counterpoint, the majority of our exchange students are from Asia(mostly China), and their knowledge of Western history is abysmal(although I feel this is a function of their govt's bias in education against western influence). I have taken it upon myself to unofficially in my spare time teach them about western history starting from the Ancient Greeks(including a good dose of philosophy), up through the Roman Replublic, then Empire, to and including the Middle Ages. It's quite interesting to see their reaction and at times genuine enthuseasm for this 'new' subject.

Then again I'm a true believer of reintroducing Rhetoric, Philosophy, and Classical studies as mandatory into school curriculum...

Alex

[docoflove1974]

Doc, I understand your reaction to your students responses, but as a counterpoint, the majority of our exchange students are from Asia(mostly China), and their knowledge of Western history is abysmal(although I feel this is a function of their govt's bias in education against western influence). I have taken it upon myself to unofficially in my spare time teach them about western history starting from the Ancient Greeks(including a good dose of philosophy), up through the Roman Replublic, then Empire, to and including the Middle Ages. It's quite interesting to see their reaction and at times genuine enthuseasm for this 'new' subject.

Then again I'm a true believer of reintroducing Rhetoric, Philosophy, and Classical studies as mandatory into school curriculum...

Alex

 

Well, I applaud your efforts...and if I had the time, and the full-time tenure-track employment, I probably would do the same.

 

But I have to say that this group of students over the summer had a large number of 'foreign-raised' students, mostly from Asia (of 40 students, 11 from Asia, one from Central Europe). The Asian students honestly did fine...they either wrote that they went to "South America" or looked at a map at some point. It was the American-raised students who pretty much failed that topic. And when I talked to some of them privately, they don't recall the last time they looked at a map...they just never thought of it as being 'necessary' in life.

 

Perhaps I find this deplorable because in my family, with my dad's big interest in history and geography, we were raised to learn and (somewhat) enjoy the wonders of those subjects. And while my brothers do not dive head-long into history and geography nearly as much as I do, they can still discuss the 'basics' of Europe and Asia, at the very least. Furthermore, if they're so moved...they look at a map!!! When I lived in Texas, there were several people who knew that California was on the coast...just which coast, they couldn't figure out which coast. Seriously...with as much TV being set in California...ugh, I give up.