High School WWII Reading?? (1 Viewer)

[Peter Reuss]

As I've mentioned on another thread, my 12 year old son has purchased his first molds (a couple WWII Americans), and we're having a great time learning to cast them.

Yesterday he mentioned that he was reading 'an overview of D-Day, because I want to know what these soldiers did.' Hmmm...toy soldiers getting a kid into history, there's a novel concept

He's pretty much polished that book off, so he grabbed another WWII book from the school library shelves - Anthony Beevor's Berlin The Downfall 1945.

First of all, I'm impressed that the school would even have that in their library.

I was pleased that he had that much interest in something I enjoy so much. He's going to have to guard that book carefully (it may turn up missing and end up in my study from time to time).

His quote for the day, "I was talking to a kid about the D-Day book, and the kid had no idea what D-Day was. How can you not know D-Day?!"

That's my boy!

 

[Mitch]

Peter...

There have been many studies showing how little children know about historical issues both in the UK Europe and the US and, that comment is not surprising at all when looking at some of the answers and comments in some of these reports.

I have seen some children who do not know when the war started or ended did not know who was fighting who and, some who thought Hitler was a post war leader!!!!

Poor teaching, poor curriculum or a myriad of other reasons which, seem to get blamed shows only one thing sadly, a loss of interest in history
Mitch

 

[jazzeum]

If you think that's said, get this: my son's roommate girlfriend (who is still in high school) didn't know what the ACW was all about or who Lincoln was, let alone what the Vietnamese War was all about.

 

[Mitch]

Ask them when the first Playstation was released and they would probably know it off by heart.

You just could not make this stuff up
Mitch

 

[lancer]

We have gone off on the state of historical knowledge in our youth before. I applaud Peter's sons thirst for history. I find the teenage girls ignorance outrageous and inexcusable. Strong history curriculum's need to be part of a well rounded basic education. Our educational systems are failing to provide this base knowledge. Not know Lincoln or the ACW? I don't know how that is even possible. Some knowledge of these people and events should have been picked up in even the most basic education. What a pity. -- Al