Buxton's Education Blog: You Tube videos regarding the political, geographical and historical illiteracy of the American electorate

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Thursday, January 9, 2014

You Tube videos regarding the political, geographical and historical illiteracy of the American electorate

In this 10 minute video Rick Shenkman, author of JUST HOW STUPID ARE WE? FACING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE AMERICAN VOTER (Basic Books, 2008), discusses the political ignorance of the US electorate (from the left)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhcnEQnWYDA

John Stossel 5 minute interview: Most Americans are politically ignorant (from the right)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdK7bQLg4ZM

Jay Leno quizzes HS students on Geography

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_pw8duzGUg

Interviews and video footage of political ignorance of certain American citizens and politicians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55uWbNdv89g

Chuck Todd and Alex Trebek discuss American geographic illiteracy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEl-G3X5w6Q

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If you want to know more about this blog......,

The purpose of this Blog is to create dialogue regarding the status of HS Social Studies in RI. It is not designed to discuss elementary or Middle School issues. It is not designed to discuss HS Math issues, and it's not designed to discuss Social Studies issues in Oregon. Although readers are welcome to post on the aforementioned topics, the focus will nonetheless be on HS Social Studies in RI. I have sat through all too many generic Professional Development days, and read far too many pages in K-12 Education texts where they talk about Mrs. Brown's second grade class. Both formats expect me to apply this generic information about teaching to my HS US History class. Frequently, it was and is a stretch! Additionally, it seems to me that we have far too many people with Elementary School backgrounds making educational policy decisions that might be appropriate at the pre-HS level, but not at the HS level.

The idea for this Blog came about after my conversations with numerous HS Social Studies teachers in my capacity of observing Salve Regina student teachers at a wide variety of RI high schools. Additionally, I have many Social Studies colleagues in a variety of high schools inside and outside RI as a result of my attending Model United Nations conferences. I noticed that there were many common concerns that these teachers had in common. My sense is that these Social Studies teachers expressed their concerns and shared best practices with others in their department, but didn't necessarily have a non-NEA forum to discuss common issues with HS Social Studies teachers from other schools.

Lastly, I feel like I'm in a unique position to assist the pendulum in swinging, which I observe many HS teachers are looking forward to. I have 32 years of HS teaching under my belt; I have 5 years of experience teaching at URI, so I have some ability to evaluate how the product of RI HS Social Studies courses fares at the next level. I also have lots of experience in the Salve Regina Education Department where I have gotten a greater sense for educational reforms, some of which I support, and some of which I have serious concerns about. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to speak to many Social Studies teachers, in a wide variety of settings, and hear their concerns. Finally, I feel I'm in a unique position, because I feel like I'm a lot more free to express my opinions regarding these matters than many other teachers are in the state.

In closing, I'd like to admit the following:
1) I like to write, and I like the Blog format. I used it frequently with my URI classes, and I also, for a period of time, managed a Blog that dealt with appropriate youth soccer coaching ideas.
2) I don't like to complain without doing something about the issues. Hence, at 4 different times in my 3 decades of SKHS teaching, I wrote lengthy pieces defending SKHS, which were published in the SK newspapers. My hope is that this Blog may be a forum to express concern, but may also, eventually, lead to action to improve education for our students.
3) I'm semi-retired and have some time on my hands.