More on How to Decide What People in a Culture Should Know

[lhynard]

Last week was crazy busy. I had started posting this, but it included another poll on your opinions that got far too long.

My last public entry did not really trigger much debate on this actual question. I think the science poll distracted everyone (except for jeltzzRather than trying to poll you on each and every possible topic one could teach to those

Comments

[ext_60155]

When I was in junior high and high school, we didn't have "history," we had "social studies." Maybe this is a more appropriate thing for everyone to learn.

I think social studies was history with a good dose of civics mixed in. We learned some basic things about how our government was set up and why, things which any American ought to know just to be able to participate as a citizen of a republic. Social studies was about both the events (history) and ideas (civics) that have played the biggest role in shaping who we are today. Maybe that's a criterion to use for determining what is most important.

As I think about the stuff I learned in school, for better or for worse, I had to say something about health and gym. Although I generally disliked health class, I think that basic knowledge about how to keep yourself healthy is important for everyone to have. As for "physical education," I'm not sure what to think about that. At its best, you learn something about the capabilities of your body and about the nature of how things operate in the physical world. At its worst, gym class teaches you how to work with unreasonable people to achieve meaningless goals. Unfortunately, this is an important life skill. :-)

[lhynard]

Yeah, social studies is probably a better subject.

I completely forgot about gym and health. I've got mixed feelings about that one as well. The things you mention are great in theory. Sadly, in practice, I think it rarely turns out that way.

I think I might be all for gym class if it were not graded.

[G]ym class teaches you how to work with unreasonable people to achieve meaningless goals. Unfortunately, this is an important life skill.

heh