America's Students should Learn More about Ireland?
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
United States
March 22, 2016 8:41pm CST
This is interesting to me. The author of the article talks about why he feels we should learn more about Ireland and it's culture and history. It talks about offensive t-shirts, and the misconstrued beliefs we have on what the Holiday really means.
However the comments on the article itself is just as interesting. Some bring up that we should first fix the courses we are already taught or teach. Math and Grammar being the most suggested.
Some say it isn't even taught anymore. I graduated in 2005 and it seemed as if maybe two pages were assigned to each historical topic. We really werent' exposed to too much and what we were exposed to was facts and numbers, not the heart of the matter.
What say you? If you are in college or have children in any level of schooling, do you think they should learn about Irish studies? Would you allow it if it was offered?
Should we be limited to just Irish studies? I say that we should give more importance to the history of the world period. I do think that courses should be offered for our Nation's roots. What I mean is, we are American but our ancestors come from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Germany, Belgium.. We should give our kids the opportunity to learn about that as well..
Here's the article for anyone interested :
Education is the key to ending ignorance over Ireland’s history .
6 people like this
6 responses
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 16
I believe that your history and cultural lessons should include other countries as it was not just Irish settles who came to the USA. There are far more that came from other European countries. Obviously it is coming from someone who has their own selfish motives.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
23 Mar 16
I agree the article is one sided, but I also see that the person was proud of his roots as well. I've not been in school for 10 years now but I've heard that the history that is studied now is far less than what even I learned. We focused so littl eon the big picture and so much more on the dates of things.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum It seems that history is being dumbed down everywhere!
@just4him (305227)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Mar 16
From what I've seen from the people I've talked to who recently graduated to those still in school, they don't even know American history. They should start there first and if they want to learn about another country, go for it. It would be good to have classes offered for all the different cultures here, but not mandatory. US History should be mandatory.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
23 Mar 16
I graduated in 2005 from High School. My Junior year we took US history and it was the easiest course. Mostly number we had to know and even then it was all open book. I loved that teacher for it but you are right, it doesnt' seem that History is as important as it once was.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305227)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Mar 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum I saw a history book several years ago and compared it to one I got when they were handing out when I was in 8th grade to anyone who wanted an old textbook. I still have it. It has more info in it than the newer books do.
@celticeagle (158483)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Mar 16
Of course I would allow? it/ want to see this. I am Irish and so I think I am prejudice a bit. I think that with all the genealogy studies going on this could open new doors that direction.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
23 Mar 16
Perhaps it will. Of course you know I would love Irish History to be taught more in AMerican schools but we shouldn't forget other nations that have shaped our own.
@xFiacre (12607)
• Ireland
23 Mar 16
@scribbledadnauseum I've often been puzzled why many Americans focus on their Irishness rather than on their status as Americans. Curious.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
23 Mar 16
I can't say I've come across too many that are truly dedicated to it. I have several acquaintances who look at it as being "kinda cool." They do not want to look past that. I can not name anyone I know who could tell me which ancestor came here from Ireland and where in Ireland they came from.
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 16
I think Irish studies may be a course offered at university but shouldn't be focused on any more than any other studies in high schools.
The article and the comments made me laugh.
Theres nothing wrong in being interested in your roots but it can be taken to extremes.
Probably because america is such a young country people still hypenate with things like irish-american or italian american where many of them, in all honesty, have never been to their "homeland" and have no actual knowledge of the culture.
They may know about irish-american culture but not actual Irish culture as has been evidenced here over the st patricks day time
