tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post113824166497110059..comments2024-03-16T14:54:12.445-04:00Comments on History Is Elementary: Do We Really Need Black History Month?EHThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-50101175602953764792009-01-31T13:40:00.000-05:002009-01-31T13:40:00.000-05:00Thanks for your comment, Tiffy. You make a good p...Thanks for your comment, Tiffy. You make a good point about the mix of parents and their own responsibility regarding teaching their children.EHThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-49882271921620819272009-01-13T04:57:00.000-05:002009-01-13T04:57:00.000-05:00I understand the and agree with what you are sayin...I understand the and agree with what you are saying. It is alot easier and much better to incorporate the history and contributions of all people through out the year. I grew up abroad so I have only been to DOD Schools for them it is better when you are younger to have celebrate different ethnic groups in different months. To the person who complained that they didn't learn enough about the different ethnic groups you can't just blame it on your school. You parents/guardians should be you first educators and if not they you should want to read and better educate yourself. Too many times we blame the school for our problems of lack of knowledge but the school can't be with you 24/7 nor can they cover everything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-85409979978154360542006-12-29T08:45:00.000-05:002006-12-29T08:45:00.000-05:00I agree with you, history is history, why separate...I agree with you, history is history, why separate it into groups for different months?<br />Also, I don't think offensive group name calling does anybody any good.Eddiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155999413862242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-81962457813328920422006-12-26T13:11:00.000-05:002006-12-26T13:11:00.000-05:00Yes, you are correct. You are only 19 and your la...Yes, you are correct. You are only 19 and your lack of comprehending the points I was making in my post confirms your age. <br /><br />Thank you very much for your "drive-by comment", however, any person who is a regular reader of my efforts here at History of Elementary understands that I am extremely well versed at what I do in the classroom and with my efforts outside the classroom. African American history is taught in my classroom, but I do it within the context of each era of history not in isolation. African American events did not occur in isolation. Several factors come into play with every historical event. If I isolate them I am not giving my students a clear picture. <br /><br />Please understand that when my state dictates to me to teach American History from the Ice Age to to Reconstruction I do not have the luxury of time to take a month here and there to teach each racial history in isolation. <br /><br />Is is more important for students to be taught every January repeatedly for 12 years which African American invented the traffic light or all the different things George Washington Carver found out he could do with peanuts....OR is it more important to find out the whys behind African Americans finging it necessary to begin predominately Black universities or why George Washington Carver had to enter by way of the kitchen door in many hotels when he spoke to various groups? <br /><br />You see, by the time my students get to me (fourth grade) they have done all the cute activities, the book reports, and the songs associated with elementary education and Black History Month. However, they still don't know about certain events and don't understand the whys behind them. <br /><br />My class is the first opportunity they have to experience history chronologically....instead of isolated, disjointed snippets here and there. Since it is the first time I strongly feel that the treatment of Native Americans, African Americans, Catholics, and Jews, as well a women and other groups should be incorporated into the times we are studying. Context is very important for the historian to understand why certain things occurred througout history. If we can understand the context, perhaps we can keep things from being repeated. <br /><br />I'm very sorry you don't feel as if you or your contemporaries were taught enough about African American history to fully appreciate the contributions of such a proud race to our great nation. Don't blame me for it.....the folks you should be directing your ire to are your former teachers. It is a shame that my nine year old students probably know much more than you so far, and we are just beginning the American Revolution when we return after the Christmas break. Luckily you seem fairly intelligent and the Internet has many resources you can use to get up to speed. <br /><br />When I was in grade school there were no resources to teach with and most teachers had never been taught integrated history themselves. As I stated in my post there is a wealth of materials available today for educators and teachers to use. Every lesson in my fourth grade textbook focuses on various ethnic and/or religious groups appropriate for the time period and bring out notable people and events including examples of racisim. There is no need to do cute activities for one entire month when we are working on African American history all year long, as well as women's history, religious history, etc.<br /><br />As for my previous commenter to this post I'm sure you realize though you are only 19 that there is a certain element in society who wish to remain ignorant and insultated within their own familiar settings. Unfortunately they have their right to their opinion just as you have yours. <br /><br />Thanks for commenting Anonymous. I hope you visit History Is Elementary again soon. Your comments are always welcome.EHThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-89981110227259723732006-12-26T07:24:00.000-05:002006-12-26T07:24:00.000-05:00I am sad that you are able to call yourself an “ed...I am sad that you are able to call yourself an “educator”. I do realize that there has to be a line draw with all these separate recognitions. Maybe in your district that you teach in it is different, but where I am from (Wisconsin) people know little about black history (whether they are white, black, etc.) and when I was in school (I am only 19) we never talked about black history (other then that day when we briefly discussed slavery) or any other ethnic background other than good ole white people. If you think that times have changed that most people “understand” about race, just take a look at the other comment on your blog, he sounds really educated at his age. PLUS, I attend a predominately white college and feel confident in saying that a majority of them are ignorant when it comes to understanding anything about race. Another reason, which you did not mention is that one reason Black History was enacted was to help “payback” for the past treatment of blacks in this country. Did Jews or Italians suffer as much in this country as blacks or Native Americans? If you answer yes, please return your degree back to your university, because you suck when it comes to knowing history and you are NOT intelligent. Stop complaining, there are many school districts that don’t even recognize these events across this country, go and teach there and shut up about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com