Cultural Literacy and Kids
Everyone’s poetry comments were well taken.
This discussion has really got my brain churning.
I started to reexamine some of my old posts, and I remembered my reference to the book Cultural Literacy: What every American Needs to Know.
I don’t think we can ever start our kids too early on this idea. Are there any resources that outline what our kids need to know from a cultural standpoint?
Suggestions?
M Donlevy
posted by M. Donlevy @ 9:20 AM
8 Comments:
At 11:27 AM,
Gabriela said…
I thought for long time about the message of this book. There is no doubt that cultural literacy is of outmost importance and cannot be stressed enough to our students or start it early enough. I think that the issue is much deeper that not being familiar with culturally accepted western standards. I think the problem will not be solved by providing Americans with a “cheat sheet” of most common facts (or myths). Don’t you think that by assuring that ALL Americans have a well-rounded education that knowledge would be incorporated into their “core knowledge?” I think that the current system of education is taking us apart of what it is considered our “culture.” Educated individuals have a better chance of becoming successful individuals. I do not think that referring to a list of terms will provide the foundation people need to understand the message being conveyed. Would it not be better if students learn about Icarus in a Greek Mythology class? Or about Adam and Eve or Mohammed in a world religion class? How can you retain these concepts for life if all you did was referring to them out of context?
The way things are, putting so much emphasis on standardized tests than true learning, our Zeltergeist (to use one of the terms of the book) will be a society of ignorant individuals who lack the need of self-actualization. Providing lists of what we ought to know instead of having a deep knowledge of it will prevent our need for knowledge as idiot guides, books for dummies and endless hours in front of the TV are doing now.
At 11:46 AM,
Anonymous said…
I think that cultural awareness is incredibly important - not just of "high culture" so to speak, but everyday cultural tidbits that students may come across in reading or conversation. I remember the first time a middle school student told me that she didn't know who Elvis Presley was -I almost flipped out! I was teaching gifted education at that time in North Carolina and had complete freedom over my curriculum. I immediately planned and taught a unit on 20th Century Music in America.
My current (middle school) students' only cultural knowledge is what they get from myspace.com, MTV, or BET. It is unfortunate that they do not know who Louis Armstrong or Frank Sinatra are. My students even call each other's style "emo" with no clue that there was a real person named Emo Phillips who started this trend 20 years ago.
Since Christmas, I have been trying to fit in some "culture clips" throughout the year to expose them to some important cultural icons. So far we have covered Abbot and Costello ("Who's on First") and Gene Kelly. I am working on a Powerpoint presentation on Emo Phillips and am constantly searching for visual resources to teach these kids about someone who otherwise they may never know.
I understand that Abbott and Costello are not as important cultural knowledge as Greek gods, but Greek mythology is still in the curriculum -- if Abbot and Costello are mentioned in a book they are reading, and they don't know who they are, wouldn't that be cultural illiteracy?
- Courtney R. Unruh
At 11:53 AM,
Anonymous said…
Another note about cultural literacy -- I am teaching Reading (an intensive program for students who did not score well on last year's FCAT) and our county has bought a scripted curriculum for us to use. I had planned to use a week during February to assign a Civil Rights Leaders research project. I felt this would give the students the opportunity to learn about some heroes of the civil rights movement, in line with Black History Month, as well as use reading strategies to research and write about/present their person. I was told that I couldn't do this project because I had to "stick to the script."
I feel that sometimes students are denied the opportunity to learn cultural knowledge because it is not deemed necessary.
I do think that this is where a creative media specialist could fit into the picture. By creating different displays of books throughout the year on various topics, a media specialist could draw students' attention towards certain books that could increase cultural awareness. A media specialist could also work with teachers and help them fit some aspects of cultural literacy into the mandated curriculum.
- Courtney R. Unruh
At 6:07 PM,
Jim said…
To Courtney- Yes , Emo Phillips is surely weird and funny, but I don't think he has anything to do with "Emo." I was told that emo was short for emotional and that it refers to punk music with a little more melodic singing on top of the power chords. Try Googling emo music.
At 8:16 PM,
M. Donlevy said…
If we are talking about what Americans should know about American culture I would put Abbott and Costello on my list. Though, I prefer the Marx brothers.
At 8:34 PM,
Anonymous said…
Michael-
The book sounds great and I will have to check it out. I wish I had some books to suggest but I'm not familiar with any.
Courtney I'm sorry you couldn't teach Black History with your children. I teach 2nd grade. Each teacher has chosen a famous Africian American and we are going to teach about that person for an hour a day starting tomorrow. The children will visit 7 classrooms in the next two weeks. I'm teaching Mary McLeod Bethune and found some really neat stuff. I'm very good friends with our media specialist and she is actually going to do some sort of information/presentation with the kids each day on our morning news highlighting different Africian Americans.
Unfortunately right now is crunch time for the teachers for FCAT. We hear it throughout the school and you can feel the stress levels. Our media specialist is working nonstop trying to get all classes grades 3-5 in for research lessons before the FCAT. At this point science and social studies have been put to the back burner. It amazes me to see how much goes into this one test. Barbara Miller
At 6:11 AM,
Anonymous said…
I'd like to compliment Courtney on what I think are some quality insights into how media specialists can assist teachers with cultural literacy education.
(Courtney--I strongly suspect you and I work for the same county. . . I do agree that such a scripted reading class is part of the fallout connected with high-stakes tests.)
A couple of years ago I was part of a team that took old movie clips and turned them into two DVDs to teach literature concepts. For example, the one I made on conflict features a scene from Hitchcock’s “The Birds” when I teach conflict with nature. I wasn’t surprised that my students hadn’t heard of Hitchcock, but I was amazed that about two thirds of them had never seen an Indiana Jones movie.
Usually once each year I have them listen to Agnes Moorehead’s radio recording of “Sorry, Wrong Number” when I want to review plot elements. I have to give a lot of information before we even get started; how radio was the dominant form of entertainment in the 1930’s and 1940’s and what telephones were like 70 years ago.
Anyway, I know I’m not referring to high-brow culture.
Addressing cultural literacy needs is difficult with such structured curriculums, but I think we can all make inroads. The book that Michael recommends seems to be a good place to start.
Julie Horrocks
At 9:59 PM,
Anonymous said…
Michael -
I agree with Gabriella that cultural literacy needs to be more than just facts learned from a list. So many of the seemingly trivial facts I know come from reading mythology and watching old movies when I was younger. Frances Farmer (yes, that Frances Farmer) lived in my hometown and had an afternoon movie show each weekday. We also listened to show tunes and read both classic and current literature.
I enjoy both the Marx Brothers and Abbot & Costello. I will introduce my son to them soon. Right now, he is learning about those cultural icons, The 3 Stooges.
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