I can't exactly itemize my comments on each topic of this chapter, or my post will easily be its own chapter. The author herself itemizes the potential upgrades to each of the curriculum areas. I won't respond to each, but I'll start with an agreement to the upgrade in the first place. Let's face it- a lot of the stuff we teach and expect the students to "know" for the state assessments doesn't ever get thought about once the student graduates high school (maybe college). As hard as it is for me to admit, I probably couldn't confidently tell you the contributions of the Italian explorers or the Eastern Indian trade routes- significant points in the 4th grade social studies curriculum. However, I gathered a much more contextual, global understanding of the explorer's influence on world society when, during my study in Costa Rica, I escaped the pro-Anglo slant of my American education. Not to say we should stop teaching those topics, but there are clearly more relevant aspects of the the stories than the isolated lists of what "good the contributed to the founding of our country." Of course, that's just the social studies.
I would be remiss to pass over the discussion of English Language and Literature, but I was also intrigued by Jacobs' inclusion of Health and P.E. in this discussion. I certainly have less-than-positive flashbacks of the 20-year-old substance abuse video tapes in the makeshift classroom on the gymnasium stage; but I just thought that was Health! This empowerment through science approach seems so forward-thinking, yet at the same time like the only sensible way the "teach health" all along!
As for Literature, I can't say much for the novelty of the author's suggestions. At this point, film studies, Google Lit-Trips and poetry slams feel pretty "been there, done that." But, the whole approach to language of any kind as the development of logic through making meaning, makes perfect sense! There's no point to reading if there's no reason for writing, but there's no point to write if we don't benefit from speaking- which is obviously false. It's all about communicating and receiving a message. Aside from that, is there really a point to teaching anything else?
Good thoughts!
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