what do you wish your child "really" learned

[Anonymous]

I wish elementary and middle school kids learned the art of a good debate - in an age appropriate way of course.

I was on a high school debate team but was up against kids who had learned how to develop rationale arguments (lunch room menu items, etc.) in expensive private schools (and their parents) and I had a lot of catching up to do.

I try to get my child to present clear arguments when she disagrees with something and I actually listen. I get the sense that her teachers just want her to shut up and listen. She doesn't get to question at school.

I've taught her about making sure she only debates at the "right time and place," but there's never a time to debate at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish she learned real history. Not the Pilgrims/Indians nonsense.

Couldn't agree more

[Anonymous]

Science and math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish she learned real history. Not the Pilgrims/Indians nonsense.

like what? just deliberately vague .. I sense you really don't have any examples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish elementary and middle school kids learned the art of a good debate - in an age appropriate way of course.

I was on a high school debate team but was up against kids who had learned how to develop rationale arguments (lunch room menu items, etc.) in expensive private schools (and their parents) and I had a lot of catching up to do.

I try to get my child to present clear arguments when she disagrees with something and I actually listen. I get the sense that her teachers just want her to shut up and listen. She doesn't get to question at school.

I've taught her about making sure she only debates at the "right time and place," but there's never a time to debate at school.

worst thing you can do. try to listen with understanding, not picking the other fellow's argument apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish she learned real history. Not the Pilgrims/Indians nonsense.

Couldn't agree more

what grade is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:American classic standards in music class. Which takes place in ... America.

5th grade DS has no idea what the words are to, say, This Land is Your Land. But he has, no exaggeration!, learned Norwegian folk songs, Jamaican songs, South African Songs, Japanese songs about knitting and rain (WTF?), an atonal song written by a hearing impaired child ... what am I missing? OH! a Russian dance song and a Chinese tune set to the xylophone.

That's all I can remember. It sounds like I'm making this up but I'm not.

It's as if classic American music is the third rail of the current songbook and I think that's bullshit.

Don't you know, "This Land is Your Land" is communist propaganda past the 1st verse?

The 1st verse are the most communist propagandist lyrics in the entire song!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish she learned real history. Not the Pilgrims/Indians nonsense.

like what? just deliberately vague .. I sense you really don't have any examples.

NP, but the adoration of Christopher Columbus is one. He did NOT "discover America" and overall was a pretty horrific man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish she learned real history. Not the Pilgrims/Indians nonsense.

like what? just deliberately vague .. I sense you really don't have any examples.

NP, but the adoration of Christopher Columbus is one. He did NOT "discover America" and overall was a pretty horrific man.

where is it taught that Christopher Columbus "discovered America"? Seriously, I did not ever see that taught in any of DC's classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Science and math

Second this opinion.
The way math and other sciences are taught in this country are horrendous.

[Anonymous]

I like the way Montessori schools and homeschools set up their history lessons. Chronologically instead of from the child out. I think it's really confusing to tie things together and figure out how things are related in history and why those things may have happened. Also, kids are just more interested in ancient things when they're young so it's easy to teach this way. The kids in Montessori work out timelines for events and read stories from different times in history. Science can be set up more as from the child's perspective and spiraling out.

[Anonymous]

I am impressed that the schools are spending a little longer on each science unit so the kids actually learn something in depth rather than rushing from one thing to the next. Not impressed with Time for Kids or any of the new "science textbooks" if you can call them that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish elementary and middle school kids learned the art of a good debate - in an age appropriate way of course.

I was on a high school debate team but was up against kids who had learned how to develop rationale arguments (lunch room menu items, etc.) in expensive private schools (and their parents) and I had a lot of catching up to do.

I try to get my child to present clear arguments when she disagrees with something and I actually listen. I get the sense that her teachers just want her to shut up and listen. She doesn't get to question at school.

I've taught her about making sure she only debates at the "right time and place," but there's never a time to debate at school.

worst thing you can do. try to listen with understanding, not picking the other fellow's argument apart.

PP here. I agree that you shouldn't teach kids to "pick apart another's argument." I think the age-appropriate (kid) form would be how to express your points clearly. I think we should do x because of a... b... and c.

I just don't see a lot of critical thinking (structuring logical arguments) in grade school. I only got formal teaching in college in a public speaking class. And we didn't tear each other apart in class. It was about learning how to listen to the other person and see things from another point of view.

It's the best way I can think of to get people to "walk in someone else's shoes." You have to be able to think about what others care about.

[Anonymous]

16:04 I wish the children would learn those lessons too. I read a book recently where it said American kids didn't know how to disagree with one another in a friendly way. They either went with the popular opinion or got overly upset about differences and alienated themselves from those that disagreed. I'd like my child to be able to understand someone's point of view while still having their own ideas.