Yesterday I was assigning Brian a page in his American History workbook (this thing here, for 3rd - 5th grades) and I quickly read the assignment first. It was 4 or 5 easy paragraphs on the history of Texas. And I didn't know it. Any of it. Texas belonged to Mexico? Texas was its own independent country at one time? Our taking Texas into the Union precipitated a war with Mexico? Well, knock me over with a feather...
Have I mentioned that I took AP American History in high school? And that I earned a BA in history at a prestigious university? Yeah. Pretty scary, huh?
Homeschooling - it's not just for kids anymore.
Donn and I knew that Texas was once its own country. We didn't learn that in school--we learned that from meeting Texans in our travels. They bring it up quite often, actually.
ReplyDeleteUmm...wasn't that something to do with the Alamo? or maybe not. Wayyyy in the back of my brain, there is something about the Spanish-American war. But it's buried under the reminder to bring empty tin cans to preschool next week.
ReplyDeleteI was simply amazed to learn how many people don't know that NEW Mexico is a part of the USA.
I wonder how you missed that bit o' history. I never knew about the holocaust in the Congo until 8 years ago...just goes to show ya, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI guess it's hard to Remember the Alamo if you never heard of it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYikes. I do know this, but also, like planetnomad says, interaction with real Texans will bring it home. (With a hammer. *g*) Senior year of high school I attended Project Close-Up (the trip to Washington, DC, to learn about federal govt) and some fellow student groups were from Texas. I heard all about how they were planning to secede. (I hope I spelled that right. Leave the US, I mean.) And how the US would be nothing without Texas. I love Texans. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. And those Southern accents! That's where my fetish with men with southern accents began, on that trip. Sigh, y'all...
ReplyDeleteUmmm, uh, oh......WHAT holocaust in the Congo? You mean Rwanda? Or did I completely miss something else?
ReplyDeleteYou ain't kiddin' - I am in desperate need of homeschooling right now - particularly geography and history.
And I'm almost 33.
I knew about Texas, but I can't remember if I learned it in high school or along with that BA in history that I also earned from a prestegious college. Honestly, there is soooo much that goes on in our world and so much history to learn, some of it gets footnoted or barely touched upon. There really isn't enough time to learn every detail in a highschool history class. My dad is a huge history buff, so we were encouraged early on to delve into American history, which is still my favorite stuff to get from the library.
ReplyDeleteDoes The Alamo ring a bell? ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, yes, actually; I've heard "Remember the Alamo!" But I never knew what I was remembering it for.
ReplyDeleteYou probably just forgot - you know, part of that getting older thing ;)!
ReplyDeleteMost of what we think of as the SW US was part of Mexico. Check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_an_ideal_or_a_justification.html
You have to scroll down a little to see the map.
I am totally with ya here! Some days my mind is total mush and I think what the heck am I DOING??!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that history thing. ;D
P.S.
I am having a giveaway for my 100th post come over and check it out.
There are some teachers that need to go back to school. Like the Science teacher that is out to get YARM13YOL, this teacher keeps putting all the bad grades on Edline for her...she just knows she answered all the questions right on those test.
ReplyDeleteBy the way: I know you are waiting for the candidates to take up the chocolate issue...have you seen that Hershey's is changing their formula for chocolate?
What I love about homeschooling is picking up those little tidbits that I missed/forgot. And this time around I'm appreciating the education I'm getting!
ReplyDeleteI'm snickering... I'm allowed to do that because of that article you sent me, you stinker.
ReplyDeleteWhat you mean your 7th grade history class wasn't Texas History? And all through elementary school you didn't have Run to the Alamo events each year? You sooooo must not have grown up in Texas! We're wonderfully indoctrinated in our history, its actually kinda awesome!
ReplyDeleteI so admire any 'rent than can homeschool...I just dont have it in me! My bestie Home-schools and is always trying to recruit my beans into St Faustinas
ReplyDeleteThat's one of my favorite things about homeschooling!! I get to re-learn, or learn things for the first time. One of the reasons I picked the curric I did was that it is history-heavy, which I knew was paltry in my own education. I used to say, "Yay! I'm in 1st grade! I'm learning so much!!!" But, now my oldest is in 6th grade. I'm still learning, more than ever, but it doesn't sound as dramatic to say that I'm in 6th grade...
ReplyDeleteIf you want some more history you didn't learn, watch Iron Jawed Angels about the sufferage movement or ask me about Native American history. All the stuff that isn't even in the history books, much less just plain overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThe Boy is freaked out by Egyptian mummies, so we're leaning heavily on Mesopotamia. You wouldn't believe what I'm learning...
ReplyDeleteI persolallt think anyone in any teaching position should always be learning! WTG on learning new things.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago I took the three youngest on a little jaunt over spring break. Austin, San Antonio, Houston by way of the Blue Bell ice cream factory in Brenham, and then Galveston. I was the only one who had not been born in Texas. I was the only one who cried as we drove past the Alamo [I had toured it a couple years before that when on spring break with my classmates in the interpreting for the deaf program]. My little heathens were too interested in bickering over whose turn it was to ride shotgun...
ReplyDeleteIs there homeschooling for grownups???? I'm thinking I could learn (quite) a few things.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap do I identify with this. My education SUCKED. I am learning so much and my home schooler is only in 2nd grade. SECOND grade!
ReplyDeleteIn that case, I'm going to feel pretty good that I did know that!
ReplyDeleteI knew it, too. That's why there's an original Six Flags over Texas. Because there really were six flags over Texas. (As opposed to, say, Gurnee, Illinois.) Now, don't you just feel a homeschooling field trip coming on?
ReplyDeleteRemember the Alamo!!
ReplyDeleteI knew this because we lived in Texas for 5+ years, and I homeschooled for 2 of those years (3rd and 4th grades).
I believe the saying is, "Texas: it's a whole 'nuther country."
Did you know that there's no basement at the Alamo??
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean - in tutoring kids of all different grade levels, I learn something new from their textbooks all the time. The nice thing is, I can use that information with the next kid and it makes them think I'm smarter than I am.
ReplyDeleteSo true. I am getting a far better (and more interesting) education the second time around with my daughter.
ReplyDeleteWell no wonder the Texans have such an independant spirit!
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why homeschooling scares me...I think it would reinforce my opinion that I don't know ANYTHING! Although I guess you could fake it for a while by keeping slightly ahead of the student and then acting like you knew it already!
Just remember, the joke is that if you divide Alaska into 2 equal parts, Texas would be the third largest state. :)
ReplyDeleteI love homeshcooling. And there are times I sit with my daughter, viewing a teaching CD and I sit there and go...D'oh, why didn't they teach it like that when I was in school. It make so much sense that way.
ReplyDeleteWish I had been homeschooled.
I actually knew all that, but I was living in Texas in the 5th grade, so I got to learn all about it!
ReplyDeleteYes, I find myself learning as much as my kiddos sometimes:)
ReplyDeleteI second Kim...I've been taking my kids on a 5 week road trip visiting colonial and revolutionary war sites and I definitely have learned almost as much as my kids. It's not that I started off knowing more...they just seem to retain it better.
ReplyDelete