Re: Why not have Africa in our schools?

["Rita Kaikow (Oceanside High School)" <K12OCKZR@VAXC.HOFSTRA.EDU>]

>Our company has had nothing but complaints from non-African American public
>school teachers, principals, and administrators regarding putting curriculum
>about CITIES of the 48 Black African countries in the classroom.
>

I was not familiar with your curriculum and read the available
documentation at your website.  It did not provide me with a clear
picture of just how much time would be devoted to the study of each city.
And whether or not it could be modified to be incorporated with studies
of other areas and people.

I believe that students should be exposed to the fact that the world is
made up of many diversified cultures.  Most importantly they should
understand that the United States is a true "Melting Pot" of nations.
But the latter can only continue to be so if people learn to accept
differences be they ethnic or religious.  It is important that students
see the relationship of these to life in the U.S. because ones heritage
definitely impacts how one relates to others.

>We could teach students about all countries and cultures of the world and
>teach them what it means to be American.

I second this comment!

The Social Studies curriculum in NYS attempts to introduce students to
ALL areas of the world.  In the past several years, our library collections
dealing with Middle Eastern and African nations has expanded to support
this.  We have seen publishers "jump on the bandwagon" by producing works
that seem to support these needs.  But too often the quality has not met
the challenge.

Today's students are faced with increasing amounts of information.  And
we have seen the results of this overload.  Are basic skills being
glossed over so that more and more can be added?   It's time for
educators to really evaluate what students need.  They need to know how
to find out facts; how to evaluate facts found; how to assimilate
information in a way that will help them understand what they have yet to
find out about.

To paraphrase a familiar saying:

Give a man a fact, and he may be able to recall it later.
Teach a man how to find information, and he becomes a lifelong learner!
Stimulate interest, and he will seek the answers!