This afternoon work improved. We decided to take a little time and challenge our students.
Quick back story: At one point one of our sophomores looked at us and said, "You drive west to get to Ohio right?"
We gave each student a blank map of the continental United States. First we had to explain the word continental. Then we challenged them to fill the map correctly. Only 2 students could complete our challenge. One of those students couldn't remember North Carolina and South Carolina. It was truly horrible. I was appalled at their lack of basic United States Geography knowledge.
We decided to up the challenge. They are all to study their corrected maps tonight. Tomorrow they will re-take our challenge. Those who are able to correctly complete their maps will win an award/prize.
As an educator I was appalled at their lack of knowledge about their own country. They all new that Mexico was South and Canada was North, but they didn't know where Louisiana was. I thought for sure with all of the recent hurricane coverage (in the past 4 years) they would have known that state. Of course they all knew Florida and thank God they all knew where Indiana was. We had a girl label California as New York (Same girl as the one in the back story).
Is our education system so bad or do I just have some students who can't remember Geography?
5 comments:
I tend to think it's a combination of the school system and parents. The schools are typically hampered in enforcing any sort of discipline or consequences for poor behavior, while many parents are disinterested in what their children are doing, lack specific academic knowledge themselves and so do not attempt to involve themselves, want to be a friend rather than a parent, or are simply "too busy".
I feel some small pity for my sons. They will have their homework checked by their exacting father. Poor guys.
I'm not sure the cause, but a lot of people are like that. The first time i got a hair cut out here the lady was asking me where I was from and I said Indiana, and she was like, oh that's on the east coast right? I was like no, more in the middle, and she was like, so down south? -Tyler
I'm not sure I could get that map completely correct myself. Especially New England and a few of the Western states...
@Todd- "Poor guys" nothing! The odds of your children ending up in my program drops dramatically because you AND Bethany will be active parents in your childs' education.
@ Tyler - Yikes! I guess since she isn't from this area, that's "ok" (?). But for a student from Indiana to not know where Ohio is...yeah!
@Natty- I remember you sent me a link to a game awhile back where you had to label the states..wonder if I can find that site again....
So I am a total dork for being able to name all the states in the US, South America...and most of them in Asia, Mexico, and all but odd ones like Luxembourg and Moldova in Europe?
I even double checked that I still knew them before posting this...just to make sure I did still know them.
It's one thing for adults to forget, but I think it's unaceptable for a student to not know the names and locations of the states!
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