[Nox]

Why cant we find a happy medium of the truth in history education?

Interesting question, and unfortunately the answer is: NEVER.

All of us know that the history book is written by the winner ... is now, always has been, always will be. Imagine Saddam's history of the current Gulf War. We already know he claimed he won the first one ... despite the fact that he surrendered (via his generals - which is why he claims he won).

This example points out the fact that there will always be a difference of viewpoints. Now let's jumble the equation by adding in a few apologists, a few nay-sayers, a few skeptics, and a few outright non-believers who do not want to be confused by the facts. And all of this is how you get the answer to the equation as NEVER.

Nox

[Havren]

:eek:
Would some of the Brits 'round here care to comment on the acusation of the dumbing-down and sanitizing of history education?

"Nice Vikings

British children are being taught a sanitized version of European history, in which Napoleon is depicted as primarily a reformer and Vikings are portrayed as peace-loving traders, contends Dr. Yasemin Soysal of the European Sociological Association. "Children are not being given the full picture of their history," she said. For instance, in early editions of the textbook From Cavemen to Vikings, the Vikings are referred to "fierce raiders [who] began to attack our coasts." But in the 1994 edition, they are described as "Danes [who] besides being farmers, were much better at trading than Saxons. The Danes and Saxons settled down together and Saxon England became one rich and peaceful kingdom."

Source: The London Observer"

The Vikings were a peaceloving group of people.. don't believe everything you read. I would say they were much more peaceful than some of the islamic nations in the world today. Yes, they invaded england, france, russia etc.. but you should know that there was only a small percent that left their homeland for raids in the southern lands. The raids didn't only have a negative influence on the groups that were attacked; in England f.ex the two nations melted together, and they both learned each other useful stuff.

[The American Lion]

Damn Political correctness! Their ruing my Scandavian heratige!

*Goes out an raids a villiage!*

[Din]

hummmm how stupid what is the point of teaching them a dumbed down version of history when you have programs (Time Team & Time commanders spring to mind) showing the bodies of people who have been hacked across the face by axes and then say they were peacful.
Eventually i intend to become a history teacher and if such rubbish is left in the text books i will use different text books than the rubbish ones that include "hippy like" versions of history i suppose that the west is trying to teach us not to like war or violence of any kind whilst parts of the muslim world are telling there children to blow up the evil westeners mmmm confusing.

*Laughs as he thinks of stonecutter simpsons episode where areas of history are re-written*

[Buck Williams]

THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT VIKINGS AT MY SCHOOL!!

Vikings were the first explorers to the Americas. Before Columbus.

One day, the Vikings came to Newfoundland (province of Canada) and the settled around the coast. They built huts and buildings made out of wood and other material. But they were unprepared. They didn't bring enough fresh vegetables and fruits to eat. And since this was the winter, there was hardly any vegetation.

Most of the Vikings got scurvey but the Aboriginals came and gave them some special tea drink. This drink was nice and warm and full of vitamins. It made the Vikings all better. ^.^

But then the Vikings decided to leave again and off they went on new adventures.

The End.

Awww...what a nice story.

Hey you have a point there.... I get columbus day off. Why don't we get Leif Erikson's day (tomarrow) off?

[Arthur2sheds_Jackson]

I can't see how places like Holy Island could ever portray the Vikings as peace loving farmers

[Milorg]

I can't see how places like Holy Island could ever portray the Vikings as peace loving farmers

Because they in most cases were. There were a small percentage that were barbarians, but the majority were quite similar to the rest of the europeans

[MB.]

I got mostly the school of thought there of Raiding English monastaries and the like.

However, being Canadian, they also threw on the Vineland story. I'm certain that left those less akin to learning wondering how many Enlgish monastaries in Newfoundland were raided by Vikings in 1066 during the battle of Hastings, as Charlemagne was defeating the Arabs at Pointres before the Canadains won the first world war by defeating the Japanese at the battle of Vimy Ridge- which took place in 1337 just before the beginning of the hundred years of solitude, which was a story then written by Gabriel Garcia Marquiez, a famous French revoloutionary fighting for the Americans during the civil war when the south and north fought over going to war with Canada in 1812; shortly thereafter they fought the battle at the plains of Abraham where the American Canadian commander Sir John French was shot and killed while charing up San Juan hill the defeat the Germans who had introduced Gas weapons the week before in trying to defeat the British deadnaught system of sea warefare, luckily, however, the u-boat, a massive floating island was destroyed during operation Ivy to test the first Russian nuclear bomb.

MY GOD I HATE THE IGNORANT!

[Nox]

MY GOD I HATE THE IGNORANT!

Bill,

Get a green card and come teach history in the US public schools. You'd do at least (if not better) as well as the morons we have here now.

Nox

[Adrien]

We often here bad comments on the American educational system, but where is the problem really coming from? A lack of means given by the government, the fact that your youngsters don't care anymore about it and think they'll make it without education, ... ?

[SpiderMonkey]

For all you americans knocking European education:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2520303.stm

Scroll right down for the table.

[MB.]

Get a green card and come teach history in the US public schools.

Luckily, I sdon't need a green card. I'm an American Citizen.

[Freedom]

To SpiderMonkey

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2520303.stm

Germany 17.0
19= Denmark 17.0
21 Spain 18.6
22 Italy 20.2
23 Greece 23.2
24 Portugal 23.6

According to your own source America has a better standard of Education than six European countries. So if Americans said they have a better standard of Education than Germany,Denmark,Italy,Greece and Portugal they'd be right...

[CasX]

That table is not a comprehensive statistic on the quality of education. It shows the percentage of 14 and 15 year olds scoring below a minimum level in literacy, maths and science, nothing else. You can't totally judge an education system on that.

[Freedom]

Of course...but i can only respond to the mans argument on the evidence he has shown. Also i read a Times Magazine article on Education, which stated that Germany had the worst education system-in terms of the percentage who follow onto Third Level education. Also i'm vaguely aware that the American education system is not very good...

[Nox]

Luckily, I sdon't need a green card. I'm an American Citizen.

Then get off your lead behind and get down here in the classroom. Dees folks be needin yo.

Nox

[Comrade Ogilvy]

Also i'm vaguely aware that the American education system is not very good...

You are exactly right, and cultural influences do not help matters any. This is why more and more people have chosen to home school their kids (those that can actually afford to have an adult at home teaching their kids instead of working) the unfortunate part is that modern living in America usually requires two person incomes.

I have always been amazed at how the teachers and school systems seem to be on the very end of the spectrum of funding, if we can give billions of dollars to other countries around the world, we certainly could invest some of that into bettering our school systems and giving teachers a better incentive. This is the future generation we are talking about, I believe it would be wise to help as much as possible to give them the best chance that can be had.

[Freedom]

if we can give billions of dollars to other countries around the world, we certainly could invest some of that into bettering our school systems and giving teachers a better incentive

Actually America gives a lot of money to education. It must be the curiculams, system or some other reason

[CasX]

America does seem to throw a lot of money at it. Poor performance is probably more related to culture in my opinion.

Look at the cultures of Japan, Korea and many other asian nations. Education and hard work are very important to many people.

It's not the same in most western nations.

That's my impression anyway.

[Freedom]

I suppose American pop culture is a brain cell killer, if thats what you guys mean of course...Could someone outline me very basically the American education system, because it could also be to do with the actual education system as much as any cultural aspects...