[hikinghiker]

I'm not actually upset, but I am getting annoyed

Today is cowboy/cowgirl/western day. I decided I need a 'fun' break from curriculum so today we've been learning about life on the ranch and this afternoon we'll be making butter to eat with some bread (that we're going to pretend is cornbread )

Everyone is telling me that's what pilgrims did. I know that...but guess what? Butter wasn't make commercially until the late 1900s and even then ranches often made their own butter (and sold it at stores).

I could give everyone a history lesson on time periods and it's so frustrating not to. I am a total know it all and I'm well aware it's one of my negative qualities, so I'm keeping my mouth shut.

Everyone, just let me have the fun activity!

[Cassyree]

Know it alls of the world unite!!! Somebody has to fight the abysmal and growing national ignorance! Enjoy your bread and butter.

[ReeseTeacher]

are they confusing pilgrims with the pioneers perhaps?

[MissAgnes]

I mean, knowing that butter wasn't commercially available until the late 1900s is kind of niche knowledge.

Sorry. I find know-it-alls to be be incredibly annoying.

[Lakeside]

are they confusing pilgrims with the pioneers perhaps?

I bet that's part of it!

The lack of an "inner time line" is definitely a real thing, though. I think part of it is that kids today can look up any random fact whenever they need to, so sometimes those facts don't get connected to other knowledge in quite the same ways they used to.

I also think some of it is the decline in reading for pleasure. Kids don't immerse themselves in stories of the past as often, so they have less of sense of what it was really like.

[jov]

Especially among adults! This is one of Jimmy Kinmmel's "people on the street" geography quizzes from a couple of summers ago. I certainly hope he only showed us the fails, but it's still very depressing. Thank God for the kid at the end!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRh1zXFKC_o

[Lakeside]

I SO agree on the geography thing too.

I've been teaching my preschool niece and nephew states because I know there won't be much time devoted to it once they get to elementary school. It's like an afterthought in the curriculum here.

Now they're starting to ask about different countries, too, and I love their enthusiasm!

[annie_g]

As a history geek, I am constantly amazed at the lack of historical knowledge among both adults and kids. I always made sure I taught S.S. but I knew some teachers taught it minimally or not at all. My last 2 years of teaching, I taught 6th grade S.S. and Science and was always having to teach curriculum the students should have had in earlier grades to give them the background knowledge to understand the 6th grade curriculum. It's really very sad.

[EllyTeaches]

I agree that the knowledge is niche and I had no clue about it. However, I do see that students have no sense of history.

[whd507]

in our area, SS is usually reserved for coaches, so it gets passed through really quick and shallow. not that coaches are dumb by any means, but they have extensive after school duties that preclude much prep time for civics/govt./geography. its pretty sad.

I have two certificates in that area, but would be a mediocre coach, so I have to fall back on my 1-6 cert I guess.

also I see a huge gap in resources for period that aren't culturally relevant, the "boring" periods between the revolution and the war of northern aggression for example, a lot happened in that time, canals, a national road, wars, technology, yet its three pages... and another gap between the civil war and ww1, another from ww2 to the 60s, and some serious warped commentary on the 60s-80s... frustrating