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Post by Jaga on Apr 13, 2013 9:10:16 GMT -7
I was in the high school yesterday substituting for Social sciences. Some kids asked me; "where is Poland". They try to guess "is it a part of Russia?" or "Poland is in Africa". They also guess usually that I may be from Germany. I wonder why, since German languae is different than Polish. Still it looks that Poles and Germans have more in common that they think....
I was a bit mean and I think I should give kids a hint and remind them about WW II.
The other class was better, they knew that Poland is somewhere near Russia and Germany.
Every now and then people think that I am from Holland. They even blame the way I say ""Poland" on their error. But when John, my husband was saying the same thing, that I am from Poland, they still thought it is Holland.
Pieter, I think it is time for me to visit you in Arnhem.
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Post by Eric on Apr 13, 2013 14:34:31 GMT -7
Unfortunately, geography and even history are very underrepresented in American schools these days. Most of my younger coworkers don't even know where Poland is, and they barely understand where Russia is, either.
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Post by karl on Apr 13, 2013 18:32:21 GMT -7
Jaga
It is good you are there to represent Europe. Perhaps do you think it was just a moment of indecision that was to block temporarily the children's initiative in responding to the question?
What I am attempting to say is: Once in while when broached unexpectedly with a surprise question, a person may not have the mind set at that moment of proper response. Then after the fact, once the mind has settled, knows the answer but of course much too late...
Or, the children have not been properly educated to understand the educational reasons of being in school. Of this, I would be disappointed if so.
Schooling is a lifes experience of learning many disciplines of socialization/friendships/learning of rules/listening and reading with understanding/identifying the requirements of formal education and so on..
Perhaps though, my self am confusing the situation between our selves in our school time and may not be the same pot of tea with the Americans with their system of education.
Karl
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Post by pieter on Apr 16, 2013 16:27:05 GMT -7
Jaga,
You are welcome. Holland and Poland are close in sound, they both carry the 'land' at the end,
but Hol and Po are clearly different. I think we have to turn around and look from an European perspective to the American nation states. In Europe people would confuse Ohio with Illinois, Washinton, D.C. with Washington (state), Idaho with Iowa, Kansas with Arkansas, Montana with Minnesota and Rhode Island with Long Island. We simply do not know a lot about eachothers continents. Many white Americans are far away from their European roots, they aren't newcommers anymore they are third, fourth, fifth or sixth generation Americans. They are yankees, rednecks or just a melting pot of everything without knowing excactly what heritage they precicely have. They are Americans and don't know Europe, Poland is something behind the horizon. Not visible, and abstract idea, which existst somewhere on that strange far away continent on the other side of the ocean.
Cheers,
Pieter
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Post by Jaga on Apr 17, 2013 0:59:15 GMT -7
Pieter, people seem to know more about Holland than Poland. I still think that confusing US states... whether it is Ohio or Idaho is a lesser problem than not knowing where Poland is located, whether it is a country or a part od Russia, whether it is in Africa or Europe. For God's sake I do not ask anybody to list regions of Poland  |
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Post by Jaga on Apr 17, 2013 1:00:06 GMT -7
Karl,
these kids often never travel outside the US. They do not know that there is another world there which is very different
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Post by Eric on Apr 17, 2013 1:37:40 GMT -7
Jaga, you'll be lucky if you can find an American teenager who can identify all 50 states. Heck, you'll be lucky if you can find an American teenager who can find the United States on a map of the world!
I am not kidding!!
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