Students (and Education minister) ignorant of our history

[GXL078]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20825635-2,00.html
Corrected by a Nova D.J., LOL.
To quote Borat: "To have woman as politician in my country would be like allowing a monkey to fly a plane"

[4.9 EF Futura]

A few surpises there....

I would expect any australian to be able to explain the significance of 1 january and 26 January.... and the importance of the union jack. And the importance of ANZAC day - to think that kids dont understand that.... is pretty poor.

Id def support mandatory history for all year levels.

[XCSEDAN]

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

Id def support mandatory history for all year levels.

mate are you serious?
do you have any idea how tuff school is in yr12?
we only have one compulsuary subject in yr11 & 12 and thats english.
while i do see your point of veiw, i just dont share it. at my school its compolsuary until yr9 or 10 can't remember now, and i can tell you that barely any of it is based on australia, and if it is, then it's all about the aboriginal people who we took there land off them ect ect (im not racist if it came off that way, im sorry).
personally i think that nothing should be compulsuary(school wise). we should be allowed to make our own choices.
just my 2 cents

[MITCHAY]

Yep making subjects mandatory won't make them learn if they don't want to.

Simple as that!

None of my subjects were mandatory in Yr 11 and 12 yet if you are wise you should do Maths and English regardless. I didn't like it but I still did it. What's the point in having a Yr 12 without either of those things though?

[4.9 EF Futura]

Originally Posted by XYSEDAN

mate are you serious?
do you have any idea how tuff school is in yr12?

Well it was a few years back (class of 98) but yeah, i did the 5 "publicly examined" subjects to get into university. And i still managed to pick up a basic understanding of how my country works and where it came from....

Dont get me wrong, i see your point.

But do we want the people who are moving into trades, moving into university, going on to start careers... not knowing what federation day is all about?

I guess im promoting some kind of balance. Those born and bred in our country, the products of our schooling system... should at least know as much about Australian history as those who have immigrated here and obtained citizenship. (the couple of people i know who have become australian citizens recently know a fair bit more about australian history than i do!!! lol)

Most people can get the "jist" of it within a few hours.... there's probably no need for a 20 week curriculum on the matter

[merlin]

Well I know what 26 of January is all about and ANZAC day. I must say I couldnt recall the date for Federation day and why it was so significant.

The flag surprised me - some students must be pretty stupid, I mean it is largley self explanatory, even if you didnt know you could surley work out that Australia was settled by England who's flag is a Union Jack thus the small union jack on our flag alongside the southern cross.

Sure I'd support more "Australian history" in schools (it only goes back a microsecond so wont take long to learn), as long as we don't become like American schools where all they learn about is America and think that Australia is in Europe somewhere near Germany.

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by merlin

by England who's flag is a Union Jack .

Think someone needs to go back to school :

[merlin]

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

Think someone needs to go back to school :

lol yes OK the Union jack is the flag of the UK and England is the red cross on the white background if you want to get technical :1syellow1

[Walkinshaw]

Originally Posted by merlin

even if you didnt know you could surley work out that Australia was settled by England who's flag is a Union Jack .

bzzzzzzz try again.

[MITCHAY]

Unless you're going to be a historian is there any need or any interest in knowing our history.

Don't get me wrong I love this country but I couldn't be arsed learning about shit that happend many moons ago.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Unless you're going to be a historian is there any need or any interest in knowing our history.

Don't get me wrong I love this country but I couldn't be arsed learning about shit that happend many moons ago.

Trouble is the shit that happened many moons ago led to the shit that happens today and in probability to much of the shit that will happen in the future, and people who don't look at the lessons from the shit that happened many moons ago wonder why we're in the same shit today and can't work out how to get out of the shit in the future.

I do history for a living and have to thank you MITCHAY, I couldn't have expressed it better myself!

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Trouble is the shit that happened many moons ago led to the shit that happens today and in probability to much of the shit that will happen in the future, and people who don't look at the lessons from the shit that happened many moons ago wonder why we're in the same shit today and can't work out how to get out of the shit in the future.

I do history for a living and have to thank you MITCHAY, I couldn't have expressed it better myself!

learning from past lessons isnt the way forward in todays age. For examples view US foreign policy. the future for the planet is ignorance, and making the same mistakes over and over again until you start making new mistakes, and then repeat them over and over again.

The basis of Aus History was taught to us in yr 5 and 6.

Then retaught in year 7 and 8.

The thing about it is that its a subject thats not taken seriously along the lines of P.E. I can remember hearing "why do we have to learn about history, its already passed."

Its not only students that haven't learnt history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChBKqcRpmDs

[XCSEDAN]

no, we dont want that, of course i feel that people should know about our history, i just think it gets waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to repetitive.
cumpolsuary to yr 8 or 9 yeh that's cool coz school is just for fun up till then, yr10 semi serious yr11 gettin bloody serious if your like me and did 3 yr12 subjects,
and yr12 (what im about to start with only 3 subjects, GO ME! lol) is deadly serious, no time for fartin round now (unfortunatly).

[Walkinshaw]

Compulsary as a yr 12 subject? I don't believe that is the right approach. Possably intergrated it as a manditory Y10 exam. Passes in English & maths at Yr10 is manditory, why not make passing a simple Australian history exam in yr10 compulsary.

Teaching these things in the younger grades is the best approach, leaving it to Yr10-12 would not be the best approach. I took 6 PES subjects in yr 12 (and 2 yr12 subjects in yr11) and whilst yr12 is by no means "hardcore" slipping in a 6/7th subject based on Aus history is getting a tad too much.

[Polyal]

WGAF really. If you want to be brainwashed into patriotism like the Yanks then be my guest.

Primary School is the time to do it, and maybe yr7, but after that there are more important things to be learning.

It is important to know how a country has evolved, but its not critical.

XYSEDAN, you going to uni? Yr12 really isn't that full on, well done on doing it but be prepared for some more "fun"

[XCSEDAN]

Originally Posted by Polyal

XYSEDAN, you going to uni? Yr12 really isn't that full on, well done on doing it but be prepared for some more "fun"

Nah mate, i have to much difculty learning, i cant absorb information unless im really interested in it, which actually really sucks. i thort everyone was like this till i went to the doc and he sent me 2 sumone else, then they told me i had a learning diffculty....
meh ahh well lifes life i spose.

[bArNsY]

History in schools today is about multiculturalism and racism, they teach you all about other countries and there issues though the wars but they seem to forget Australia's!
Who is Australia's first prime minister?
When was the decimal currency first introduced?
When were aboriginals and woman first allowed to vote?
Where does the PM live? (This one has many answers by some!
What are the national emblems of Australia?
When did Australia win the America's Cup?
etc

IMO all of these questions and similar one should be a no-brainer to those who come out of school by year 10 (now days)

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by bArNsY

History in schools today is about multiculturalism and racism, they teach you all about other countries and there issues though the wars but they seem to forget Australia's!
Who is Australia's first prime minister?
When was the decimal currency first introduced?
When were aboriginals and woman first allowed to vote?
Where does the PM live? (This one has many answers by some!
What are the national emblems of Australia?
When did Australia win the America's Cup?
etc

IMO all of these questions and similar one should be a no-brainer to those who come out of school by year 10 (now days)

See I dont agree, other than having a nerd fight what difference does it make if you know any of that. I reakon I could only answer half of it without google
:togo:

[MITCHAY]

Really the only things that should be taught are Maths and English. The rest are electives and based on interest.

No point forcing kids to swallow bunches of information they have no interest in other than those two subjects which are essential for day to day living.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by bArNsY

History in schools today is about multiculturalism and racism, they teach you all about other countries and there issues though the wars but they seem to forget Australia's!
Who is Australia's first prime minister?
When was the decimal currency first introduced?
When were aboriginals and woman first allowed to vote?
Where does the PM live? (This one has many answers by some!
What are the national emblems of Australia?
When did Australia win the America's Cup?
etc

IMO all of these questions and similar one should be a no-brainer to those who come out of school by year 10 (now days)

I dont see the need to know all these dates verbatim. But knowing that they are/were important events in our history is important.

Most kids these days know more about Americam history than Australian history. Our history is deemed boring. Where the Americans have cowboys and indians and cops and robbers...... :nutsycuck

[GXL078]

Originally Posted by bArNsY

History in schools today is about multiculturalism and racism, they teach you all about other countries and there issues though the wars but they seem to forget Australia's!
Who is Australia's first prime minister?
Barton
When was the decimal currency first introduced?
1966
When were aboriginals and woman first allowed to vote?
Who cares?
Where does the PM live? (This one has many answers by some!
Kirribilli house
What are the national emblems of Australia?
Emu and Kangaroo
When did Australia win the America's Cup?
1983
etc

IMO all of these questions and similar one should be a no-brainer to those who come out of school by year 10 (now days)

How did I go? American kids can't recognise a picture of George Washington but they all know Ronald McDonald.

[XRated]

Originally Posted by xcgxl

How did I go? American kids can't recognise a picture of George Washington but they all know Ronald McDonald.

Did you just search with Google? :P

I think women were allowed to vote in 1902? I could only guess Indigenous Australians were allowed to vote around the early '70s - I know the referendum was greatly in favour of this.

Anyway, I think our history is important and as a bare minimum school-kids should be taught and tested on the important aspects of our history. We have enough American values and traditions instilled in us, it's time we took greater pride in our heritage (we weren't all convicts).

"Who cares about our history?" I care about my history and what my forefathers did for this (and your) country. There is nothing wrong with patriotism.

Going by this forum and my friends' English, I think we need to take a greater stance on spelling and grammar more than anything.

In the end ANZAC stood and still stands for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship and endurance that will never admit defeat.

[Polyal]

It reminds me of Arts people at uni. Say you have had a few drinks, stuff around, and then some idiot starts crapping on about WW2. He goes on and on about some useless detail and seems to know alot. Then another person will start arguing and next thing you know you have the worlds most boring conversation.

And at the end of the day they are just repeating crap they think they remember form a text book...

And about what? Something that happen x years ago...woohoo!

[Fairlane]

Originally Posted by Polyal

It reminds me of Arts people at uni. Say you have had a few drinks, stuff around, and then some idiot starts crapping on about WW2. He goes on and on about some useless detail and seems to know alot. Then another person will start arguing and next thing you know you have the worlds most boring conversation.

And at the end of the day they are just repeating crap they think they remember form a text book...

And about what? Something that happen x years ago...woohoo!

Jeez thats a bit harsh Polyal, we Arts students amy not always be relevant, but its certainly not always useless crap.

On the other point the state of Australian History in Australian schools is nothing short of disgraceful. Its marginally acceptable at Primary School, but hopefully inadequate in High School level- Im not advocating forced teaching of history in yr11/12, but it is impossible in many schools to do Australian History in yr11/12. The debate is even more concerning when youve got the ignorant (ie Carmel Tebbet) and the mad (Keith Windshuttle/ John Howard), fighting over the direction of Australian history.

But damnit, everyone these days is concerned about Americanisation- Well I think the teaching of Australian History is super important- Young kids need to learn about some of the great (and not so great) events of Australian history- Our History IS NOT BORING, just poorly taught and poorly interpreted.


*This is a rushed post, so excuse the dodgy punctuation

[bArNsY]

Most of the kids theses days are overdosed on Riddlin and don't know what's goes on at school!

[Ford_Boy]

the whole system is a joke. all i remember learning at school from primary to year 10 was that the white settlement took the land from the aboriginies. how many years in a row do we need to be reminded about this. there is hundreds of countries out there with thousands of years full of history out there that is never covered. dont get me wrong i love oz but there is only so many times you can hear the same stuff over and over. making history compulsary in year 12 wont solve anything. what about all those people who leave in year 10? does that mean they wont be fully educated on australian history? and then you have year 12 students who already have pressure with other subjects to be forced to learn more history. at school for electives they said that there was only 2 types of history to learn and they said ancient and modern but they have no room for history in between. i want to learn about the vikings but its not even available as an elective. the only history we learn at school is australian history and if people cant remember it, its either because the teachers aren't doing their jobs or studenst aren't paying attention. we need more excitement instead of going through the routines over and over. if yours going to do a trade does it really matter why a building has a certain name?

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Ford_Boy

the whole system is a joke. all i remember learning at school from primary to year 10 was that the white settlement took the land from the aboriginies. how many years in a row do we need to be reminded about this. there is hundreds of countries out there with thousands of years full of history out there that is never covered. dont get me wrong i love oz but there is only so many times you can hear the same stuff over and over. making history compulsary in year 12 wont solve anything. what about all those people who leave in year 10? does that mean they wont be fully educated on australian history? and then you have year 12 students who already have pressure with other subjects to be forced to learn more history. at school for electives they said that there was only 2 types of history to learn and they said ancient and modern but they have no room for history in between. i want to learn about the vikings but its not even available as an elective. the only history we learn at school is australian history and if people cant remember it, its either because the teachers aren't doing their jobs or studenst aren't paying attention. we need more excitement instead of going through the routines over and over. if yours going to do a trade does it really matter why a building has a certain name?

Mate its great you want to post here, but please structure your posts

[Ford_Boy]

oh i re read it and i guess it could have been better structured but i guess you get the point lol thank you