AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
- Brad
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Cade mentioned that non-history classes sometimes teach better history than the history classes. I know that is true in Washington. I used to work for a company bringing gifted kids down in washington more opportunities to shine (special ed budgets focus more on the slow kids than the equally needy ones that have overtaken their peers). I ended up dealing with the state superintendent of public instruction a bunch and that was a big complaint. Apparently a lot of schools hire sports coaches as teachers, and to get them around the rule that they can't just coach and be paid they'd be given the 'non-essential' courses to fuck up. Those were History and English.
- Cade Antilles
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
That's totally true in California, too. And, not just in the public school system. I went to private high school, where you'd think there'd be better emphasis on education, but no. Coaches had to teach, too, so they gave them History and Math. It's a wonder I made it out of Math at all. The only one I got out of with a grade higher than a C was my second attempt at Algebra 2, which I got an F the first time but an A the second (the second time was actually taught by a real math teacher).
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
I'm lucky then, in that only our football and maybe rugby coach were hired as coaches, and I think they just get the extra shop courses. All the other coaches are teachers who volunteered to do it (and our school doesn't really care about them, we're a football school). At other schools around here though, it is generally history that's taken up by the coaches.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
My history classes were taught by:
a football coach freshman year
a football coach sophomore year
a soccer coach junior year
To be fair, the soccer coach had a bachelor's degree in history.
a football coach freshman year
a football coach sophomore year
a soccer coach junior year
To be fair, the soccer coach had a bachelor's degree in history.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
I think only one of the teachers at our high school was there due to his coaching. Unfortunately social studies is seen as an easy subject and was often taught by gym teachers and even the drama teacher once. On the other hand my favorite history teacher was also my favorite gym teacher and coach.
Most of what I know about history I have learn by my self outside of school through reading. I also learned a lot in the one history course I took in university; I wish I took more history classes in my degree.
Most of what I know about history I have learn by my self outside of school through reading. I also learned a lot in the one history course I took in university; I wish I took more history classes in my degree.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
So a thread on celebrating a holiday got devolved into country ripping? Hmm. Let it be known that while possibly true what Canadians say about America, Americans don't think about Canada that much.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Neceros wrote:So a thread on celebrating a holiday got devolved into country ripping? Hmm. Let it be known that while possibly true what Canadians say about America, Americans don't think about Canada that much.
Where is the country ripping? People are talking about their various experiences in education that stemmed from a discussion on the historical sources of the American national anthem?
Edit: (skims back a bit)
Okay, so there is a bit of it in there. But come on, that isn't exactly boiling hatred. You can't really say it's unexpected. Internet is international, and while I love my American neighbors and may disagree with their international stances on things I don't consider the bureaucracy evil; but globally it is probably the most hated nation on the planet (certainly in terms of numbers of people who do). If we had a large fan base in Asia or the middle east, a forum like this would be all sorts of trolling.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Lord Chrusher wrote:Most of what I know about history I have learn by my self outside of school through reading. I also learned a lot in the one history course I took in university; I wish I took more history classes in my degree.
I feel the same way. My dream is that once I'm retired, I can return to school and do a double major in Philosophy and History. Those two subjects interest me to no end, but I never saw how I'd be satisfied with a career in them. I'm a little jealous of my brother, who has his History degree now. But he's going to be a teacher, so boo-urns to him (both my parents are teachers).
My history teacher in high school was arguably my favourite teacher. She taught incredibly well and was enthused about the subject. "Grade 12 History with Mrs. Sproule at Chatelech" was synonomous with good teaching. I was pretty fortunate overall, actually. I probably had some of the best English, Math, History, Chemistry and Physics teachers around (all of which were my provincially examinable courses). My Chem teacher had his doctorate (!) in Chemical Education, so basically he was a doctorate-level expert in teaching chemistry. He was awesome. He also wore a different tie every day of the year.
Our rugby coach taught something that really WAS useless; CAPP (Career And Personal Planning).
I could go on, but I think I was very lucky in having some excellent high school teachers.
*
- Cade Antilles
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
I've found that a proper instruction of history seems to be synonymous with a passion for history. The best teachers are the ones that love their subject. Although, even the ones that love history sometimes miss the mark on how to teach it. Oftentimes it seems like they teach the memorization of dates and names, and that's it. What's really important in history are the reasons why some event occurred, how it happened, and what effect it had on later events. I just wish my HS History teachers had taught like that, 'cause I would've discovered my love for it years earlier.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Well, I spend the weekend in Port angeles, parts of Bainbridge island, Everett, and Poulsbo. Its been 6 years since I was last in the US (Seattle & Auburn). Must say all the places on this trip were quite beautiful and look like great places to live. We got some fireworks of course with these silly looking skyrockets:
Unfortunatley I dont have any pics of the actual setting off, but my friends who were staying with did have a videocamera and hopefully got something captured. One thing I did enjoy were the underwater firecrackers which I did in a 2l bottle of water. Then I emptied it and put in a large spin-stabilized firework in where it spun abunch inside before exploding it into this work of art:
Also when we were in Everett on the day of the 4th, we got to visit the Boeing Everett factory. Unfortunatley the tour was very strict on no cameras for the in-facility tour, so all I got was this picture outside before we went in and had to check our stuff in paid lockers.
This is one of boeings Dreamlifters, (modified 747's used to carry parts for the 787. screams "HURR IMMA PLANE" dosen't it?) and behind it is a completed 787 but you can only see the tail. But inside the actual facility, holy crap it was HUEG. Heres are some pictures that shows only one section of the facility:
* http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/mar/02/1?picture=344000511
* http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/at_work.html#photo16
All in all a very awesome trip.
Unfortunatley I dont have any pics of the actual setting off, but my friends who were staying with did have a videocamera and hopefully got something captured. One thing I did enjoy were the underwater firecrackers which I did in a 2l bottle of water. Then I emptied it and put in a large spin-stabilized firework in where it spun abunch inside before exploding it into this work of art:
Also when we were in Everett on the day of the 4th, we got to visit the Boeing Everett factory. Unfortunatley the tour was very strict on no cameras for the in-facility tour, so all I got was this picture outside before we went in and had to check our stuff in paid lockers.
This is one of boeings Dreamlifters, (modified 747's used to carry parts for the 787. screams "HURR IMMA PLANE" dosen't it?) and behind it is a completed 787 but you can only see the tail. But inside the actual facility, holy crap it was HUEG. Heres are some pictures that shows only one section of the facility:
* http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/mar/02/1?picture=344000511
* http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/at_work.html#photo16
All in all a very awesome trip.
- Brad
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
I wish there were fireworks on Canada day that I could've got to. Vancouver was a transit no-go and Cloverdale... well, for non vancouverites, Cloverdale is kind of... well far and hicky. Like if Pluto had yokels. Basically I wish I had the fireworks pictured above. Then there'd be fireworks close by where I was.
Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
If your a patriot fine. I don't see anything wrong with the prospect of being proud of your country but I don't see why I'm am supposed to be. I see myself as living here like I live in an apartment complex. I pay my rent and I feel no obligation to die for my landlord.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Neceros wrote:So a thread on celebrating a holiday got devolved into country ripping? Hmm. Let it be known that while possibly true what Canadians say about America, Americans don't think about Canada that much.
Meh. It's not like Americans never rip on other countries. Let the anger go.
On the topic of what I did to celebrate my country:
My friends and I actually went out to see the Macy*s Fireworks on the Hudson this year. The fireworks were great, the company was great, but instead of having police barricade to keep the pedestrians on the sidewalk, they had police yelling at us when we walked over an unmarked line between where we could and could not walk. Quite annoying, and poorly planned.
On the topic of history:
You cannot learn anything useful in the American school system (generally speaking) because teachers aren't allowed to teach what they think is important, they teach the regents (or whatever other standardized tests come at the end of the year - I had some acronym from 1 - 8th grades, and the regents during high school).
Any good teacher I had in high school was fired.
Once you get to college though, that's when real education begins, I think.
Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Most of my high school teachers were pretty good, and some of them were excellent. Also I am pretty sure in Pennsylvania secondary school teachers must have a degree or certification in their subject.
- Master Gunner
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
One of the many reasons I hate standardized testing. We have provincial assessments in English, math, and I think science now every few years up to Grade 8, but those are irrelevant. The only actual standardized tests we have is the English Language Proficiency Exam in Grade 9 which you need in order to graduate (and I failed the first time, due to it being written by somebody with rather poor comprehension of English grammar), and the AP exams if you choose to take them.
All courses have standard curriculums set by the province (except for tech courses until recently, they just had a three-line document that basically said "do whatever you want, we're too lazy to care or do anything), but its entirely up to the schools and teachers to enforce them.
All courses have standard curriculums set by the province (except for tech courses until recently, they just had a three-line document that basically said "do whatever you want, we're too lazy to care or do anything), but its entirely up to the schools and teachers to enforce them.
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- Penthesilea180
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Cade Antilles wrote:I've found that a proper instruction of history seems to be synonymous with a passion for history. The best teachers are the ones that love their subject. Although, even the ones that love history sometimes miss the mark on how to teach it. Oftentimes it seems like they teach the memorization of dates and names, and that's it. What's really important in history are the reasons why some event occurred, how it happened, and what effect it had on later events. I just wish my HS History teachers had taught like that, 'cause I would've discovered my love for it years earlier.
Passion is absolutely a key component in a good history teacher. But, you also have to have a passion for teaching too. Otherwise, you end up just being a researcher. However, California (as well as the rest of the states) has to cut teachers due to the budget crisis. Creative thinking and writing that are so important to developing a love of history are not priorities for most CA schools that I have seen. But, I think the people who really love history do eventually find their way to it, even if it comes a little later. I didn't discover my love for the type of history I do now until college, and even then, it was due to an archaeological dig and not a class. Now that I want to teach, the budget isn't there for me to be able to do that this year, but history will still be there when the money eventually returns.
And as long as I am in pontificating mode, I want to put this idea out there. As a historian who mainly studies Western America when it was still under the Spanish, I wonder what people think July 4th as a day celebrating the Eastern states' independence and if it should be the main patriotic holiday in the US. Has the nationalism produced by this celebration been expanded to included the Western states' independence? Or has it glossed over the later territorial gains to make the idea of independence purely Eastern?
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Interesting point... Penthesilea180 (I gotta be honest, that name is going to stick in my head just about as coherently as ... aww hell... Alja Makir's - I hope I got that right, I did promise to try... just feel like there ought be another 'i' in there somewhere...I'm getting better though!)
As a Canadian, I think about the western states during your country's creation in a way that is informed primarily by Clint Eastwood movies that come from Japanese films. Those and Antonio Banderas films. What you study must be very interesting though, if they are any indication. I congratulate you on having some history to research in your country.
Up here things are a little dry. When I did archaeology I ended up transferring to study under Canada's preeminent archaeologist, Dr. Brian Hayden. I quickly learned that in 13,000 years, the Canadian native population did almost nothing of interest besides come up with some neat stories. And you can't dig up an oral story-telling tradition. They're great stories, don't get me wrong. Big fan of Raven and Coyote over here. But from an archaeological perspective I can't help but feel like they just weren't putting in the effort. Canadian archaeology is staggeringly boring as a result (oh look an arrowhead! Since its one of their only stone artifacts, its one of the only things they made that survives in BC's acidic soil), but Canadian schools won't teach European or African archaeology, so I became a bit embittered toward the subject for a while.
As a Canadian, I think about the western states during your country's creation in a way that is informed primarily by Clint Eastwood movies that come from Japanese films. Those and Antonio Banderas films. What you study must be very interesting though, if they are any indication. I congratulate you on having some history to research in your country.
Up here things are a little dry. When I did archaeology I ended up transferring to study under Canada's preeminent archaeologist, Dr. Brian Hayden. I quickly learned that in 13,000 years, the Canadian native population did almost nothing of interest besides come up with some neat stories. And you can't dig up an oral story-telling tradition. They're great stories, don't get me wrong. Big fan of Raven and Coyote over here. But from an archaeological perspective I can't help but feel like they just weren't putting in the effort. Canadian archaeology is staggeringly boring as a result (oh look an arrowhead! Since its one of their only stone artifacts, its one of the only things they made that survives in BC's acidic soil), but Canadian schools won't teach European or African archaeology, so I became a bit embittered toward the subject for a while.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
So Brad was an archeologist, too.
Is there anything Brad hasn't done? Except disappoint?
Is there anything Brad hasn't done? Except disappoint?
- Brad
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
I think I probably disappointed Dr. Hayden by not really giving a damn about the Pit-houses of Keatley creek (all there is is little round nearly empty mounds and signs of several hundred year old displaced dirt).
I should probably clarify: Canadian natives have a rich heritage, the oral tradition is an important part of it - but it's also the reason that they don't have a material history to speak of. Nature provided them with everything they needed and the acidic soil took everything back except stone, some bone and volcanic glass. Since they didn't work stone except for some tools (most were bone - there's a fair few of those around still) there's not a lot of archaeological 'fun' like you get nearly everywhere else in the world. Living spaces were cedar at the most advanced, but unlike with European archaeology, we can't find the remains of them as easily because of the acidic soil and the rainforest. Mayan archaeology at least is looking for stone constructions. BC stuff dissolves in our rainforest.
I should probably clarify: Canadian natives have a rich heritage, the oral tradition is an important part of it - but it's also the reason that they don't have a material history to speak of. Nature provided them with everything they needed and the acidic soil took everything back except stone, some bone and volcanic glass. Since they didn't work stone except for some tools (most were bone - there's a fair few of those around still) there's not a lot of archaeological 'fun' like you get nearly everywhere else in the world. Living spaces were cedar at the most advanced, but unlike with European archaeology, we can't find the remains of them as easily because of the acidic soil and the rainforest. Mayan archaeology at least is looking for stone constructions. BC stuff dissolves in our rainforest.
- empath
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
On the subject of mediocre education, I've come to the conclusion that, due to the 'necessity' of standardized curricula that are focused essentially on preparing for standardized testing, secondary education is really only useful in teaching someone how to learn.
As has already been stated, the REAL learning comes later.
As has already been stated, the REAL learning comes later.
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
If Canadian archaeology isn't that interesting why not investigate paleontology? Surely there were dinosaurs whose tread was not unfamiliar upon yon northern soil?
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
There are a lot of dino bones to dig up in the prairies, especially Alberta. See the Tyrell Museum. Not quite so common in BC.
I had to take a few archeology courses and I also avoided classes on BC archeology wherever possible. Mostly because I prefer older stuff but also for the reasons that Brad said, there's not a lot of variety in the finds.
I had to take a few archeology courses and I also avoided classes on BC archeology wherever possible. Mostly because I prefer older stuff but also for the reasons that Brad said, there's not a lot of variety in the finds.
- Penthesilea180
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Re: AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY AMERICA DAY!
Brad: Yeah, it is a weird name, but at least I can more of less guarantee that it is never taken in any forum I go on. Penthesilea was an obscure Amazon in the Iliad who went to fight with the Trojans after she accidentally killed her sister in a hunt. Achilles ends up killing her, thinking she is a man. When he finds out she is not, he falls in love with her posthumously. Yay for weird Greek mythology. What would Freud think?
As for indigenous archaeology, I totally understand your frustration. The most you can hope for in California are a few post holes and seemingly random cave and rock paintings that are pretty indecipherable. I love that California gets some Spanish stuff to dig up. I mainly look at the impact of colonialism, so changes in material culture are a really great source of information regarding economic and social shifts. However, despite the Spanish architecture, there is still little left behind by the native population. We got so excited when we found a tiny red stone bead in the grounds around one of the Presidios.
Didn't the Russians come down the West coast of Canada to California? Did they leave anything interesting besides Fort Ross in Northern California?
I tend to think that Americans have romanticized the "independence" of the Western States. Growing up in the public school system in California I knew about the gold rush and the year we became a part of the US, but the whole Mexican/American war was kind of glossed over as, "Oops, well people were a little unscrupulous back then. Moving on..."
I am sorely lacking in Canadian history as I look more to the South. How did the Western provinces become part of Canada? Were any of them as controversial as Newfoundland?
As for indigenous archaeology, I totally understand your frustration. The most you can hope for in California are a few post holes and seemingly random cave and rock paintings that are pretty indecipherable. I love that California gets some Spanish stuff to dig up. I mainly look at the impact of colonialism, so changes in material culture are a really great source of information regarding economic and social shifts. However, despite the Spanish architecture, there is still little left behind by the native population. We got so excited when we found a tiny red stone bead in the grounds around one of the Presidios.
Didn't the Russians come down the West coast of Canada to California? Did they leave anything interesting besides Fort Ross in Northern California?
I tend to think that Americans have romanticized the "independence" of the Western States. Growing up in the public school system in California I knew about the gold rush and the year we became a part of the US, but the whole Mexican/American war was kind of glossed over as, "Oops, well people were a little unscrupulous back then. Moving on..."
I am sorely lacking in Canadian history as I look more to the South. How did the Western provinces become part of Canada? Were any of them as controversial as Newfoundland?
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