Donald Jones

I watched the Harvard professor who is leading a civic education project with some skepticism. Nevertheless, she deserves credit for trying. However, the matter of curriculum revision in civic education is already loaded with politics. Some half-century ago, the "discovery method" was the latest thing in civics and history teaching. Kids would be presented with multiple materials, or find their own, and "write the story themselves". It seemed to work for the very brightest kids, but thorough preparation in analysis of written and or spoken word, identifying facts from opinion, and a bunch of related skills needed to have preceded the story writing. Then, there was the division of "teaching methods" philosophies. Some ultraconservative teachers were so bogged down in "the facts" that the narrative and meaning got lost. Religious conservatives have had major influence on textbook content. And so it goes. The National History Standards (early 1990s) were attacked by some who wanted to monitor content, not trusting teachers to adapt the standards their classrooms. Around 1990, New York's attempts to revise the US History and government curriculum fell apart over multicultural issues: Was U.S., history a single story of expansion "from sea to shining sea", or was it a sad tale of oppression of minority groups? The outcome: local areas were expected to meet sets of standards, using their own methods and materials. I wish the task force the best of luck. Their task will be a touigh one. Dr. Donald H. Jones, Rochester, NY, writing from Delray Beach