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  1. #11
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    For about twenty-five years, I taught university level history: European, ancient, and United States history. I was surprised at how little students knew of history. I was further surprised by how inaccurately history was being taught. The truth is, of course, that no single book nor single class could possibly contain all the knowledge needed to "teach" history.

    Therefore, each author and each teacher, hopefully, try to pick out the most relevant and important information to give to the students. Something important always gets left behind. And, in today's world, there are so many histories. And all of them are important and valid.

    What I find disturbing is the way some authors and teachers try to distort the story. Real life has more intrigue, sex, and bloodshed than any film or soap opera could show.

    Another issue is when educational "leaders" determine what is important and what is not. Many states here have "standards" that have to be taught so as to prepare students for higher learning. Teachers often have their courses pretty much predetermined. And little time remains to fill in the gaps. As a kid, back when Stonehenge was brand new, teachers taught what they thought was right and needed. My generation did not have trouble doing the higher education.

    I do believe that if teachers were left to teach without interference, students would know more of their own history. But yet, no one, can know everything about everything. Keep on reading. And challenge what you read to make sure it is honest and true.

    Have a good new year, by the way.

    Tom
    Last edited by kiltedtom; 4th January 18 at 04:31 AM.
    "Life may have its problems, but it is the best thing they have come up with so far." Neil Simon, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Act 3. "Ob la di, Ob la da. Life goes on. Braaa. La la how the life goes on." Beatles

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  3. #12
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    Starting from the point of view of Outlander has very little to do with history....

    As someone who was educated in Northern Ireland, England and Scotland with a Scottish certificate of education higher level in history. It doesn't matter which you were in, official history education in my time at school (1962-1975) was outline only for national history education.

    Do you teach of heroic Jacobites verses the nasty English royalty and army.
    Or
    Do you teach of the army of the elected British government fighting a bunch of rebels lead by an Italian( Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart ) supported by a foreign power ( France).

    Most of my certificated history education was European history ( including Britain's role) roughly from 1800 to 1950. Though the history books went right up to 1970..

    Sadly most drop history as soon as they can, media studies is seen as an easier subject.
    Today history education is more about how people felt about things, rather than what actually happened. They are supposedly taught how to find things out, rather than to know things. But with a lack of genuine teaching of the history, they have no interest and never go to find out the facts.

    Most learn their history from rubbish films like Braveheart. Much of British history has been mangled by hollywood., Their TV series are now adding to the problem.
    Last edited by The Q; 30th December 17 at 08:58 AM.
    "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"
    Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill

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  5. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiltedtom View Post
    As a kid, back when Stonehenge was brand new, teachers taught what they thought was right and needed.

    Tom
    I knew you were old, but roughly, 5000 years old is some achievement
    "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"
    Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill

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  7. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiltedtom View Post
    For about twenty-five years, I taught university level history: European, ancient, and United States history. I was surprised at how little students knew of history. I was further surprised by how inaccurately history was being taught. The true is, of course, that no single book nor single class could possibly contain all the knowledge needed to "teach" history.

    Therefore, each author and each teacher, hopefully, try to pick out the most relevant and important information to give to the students. Something important always gets left behind. And, in today's world, there are so many histories. And all of them are important and valid.

    What I find disturbing is the way some authors and teachers try to distort the story. Real life has more intrigue, sex, and bloodshed than any film or soap opera could show.

    Another issue is when educational "leaders" determine what is important and what is not. Many states here have "standards" that have to be taught so as to prepare students for higher learning. Teachers often have their courses pretty much predetermined. And little time remains to fill in the gaps. As a kid, back when Stonehenge was brand new, teachers taught what they thought was right and needed. My generation did not have trouble doing the higher education.

    I do believe that if teachers were left to teach without interference, students would know more of their own history. But yet, no one, can know everything about everything. Keep on reading. And challenge what you read to make sure it is honest and true.

    Have a good new year, by the way.

    Tom
    I was a US history major undergrad and I had to read a lot. My professors stressed reading stories/narratives from the bottom up, from real folks that were there. Of course we had to read modern commentary too. At the time, I like the post civil war to 1900 era best, then post WWII, but I've become more intrigued with the revolutionary period now. It's interesting, but I went into computers and ended up getting a masters in information systems, but I'd like to do something on the graduate level that combines history, maybe poli sci, psychology/sociology/anthropology in terms of leadership and movement and why people choose the leaders they do from those perspectives. What I have found from just delving into psychology a bit is that a much larger percentage of leaders/executives/politicians are psychopaths than the general population. I'd like to find out why this happens, consequences and solutions if possible or necessary. What many don't realize is that even some leaders that are liked were/are psychopaths and they have had some negative outcomes long term, IMO, that are overlooked...James Fallon touches on this and Robert Sapolsky has done interesting work with baboon tribes and has demonstrated/recorded changes when the alphas are taken out of the equation, with positive results. Anyway, psychopaths are drawn to leadership like peds are drawn to certain professions. To put it another way, power doesn't corrupt, it attracts the corrupted. Sorry for the long winded talk, just had to get it out.
    Last edited by macmanjim; 30th December 17 at 09:27 AM. Reason: spelling
    American by birth, human by coincidence and earthling by mistake.

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  9. #15
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    We Scots, of whom the question was originally asked have said noticeably little. That is because Scottish history cannot be divorced from politics which we are not allowed to discuss on this site and, for similar reasons, is avoided in school education.

    Alan

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  11. #16
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    I remember being taught about the battle of Hastings (1066) and also a lot about the Romans. The Roman stuff I liked as there is a local interest with remnants of Antonines Wall visible from my high school. We did learn about Mary, Queen of Scots, as this was also a local story, she being born in Linlithgow. (I grew up in Falkirk). We touched on Scottish history, the battles in Falkirk and Bannockburn,and studied the World Wars. I think the problem was trying to fit in over 1000 years of history into two years of learning.
    I'm not lost, I just don't know where I am

  12. #17
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    Not so ancient history, did you go down to the Scottish railway preservation society? They backed onto the east Stirling football ground, I was a regular there at the srps and when they moved to. Bo'ness. I don't get there so often these days although I'm still a member..
    Last edited by The Q; 30th December 17 at 02:16 PM.
    "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"
    Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill

  13. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Q View Post
    Not so ancient history, did you go down to the Scottish railway preservation society? They backed onto the east Stirling football ground, I was a regular there at the srps and when they moved to. Bo'ness. I don't get there so often these days although I'm still a member..
    I took a steam train trip (on Thomas the tank 😜) to the mine, leaving from Bo’ness, my nephew used to volunteer on the steam trains. I never made it when they backed onto the Shire grounds
    I'm not lost, I just don't know where I am

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  15. #19
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    This article from the British Educational Research Association Blog may be of interest:

    https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/history-...for-excellence

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  17. #20
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    I went to the local school in Scotland for about the first three years of my school life and I don't remember being taught any history at all. Mind you there was a war (WW2) going on so some of the teachers were away. From what I can recall, reading, writing, arithmetic and a dollop of Christian religious education was the daily routine. I then went to various prep and public(for those outside the UK read, private) schools in England. I was no academic, but I did enjoy history and yes we did cover British history fairly extensively and I do remember within that area, certain major Scottish historical events being discussed in, I think, a pretty fair way.
    Last edited by Jock Scot; 31st December 17 at 07:12 AM.
    " Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the adherence of idle minds and minor tyrants". Field Marshal Lord Slim.

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