Comments on: Winnie the who? http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/ Free-linking and thinking on education by Joanne Jacobs Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:09:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mark Roulo http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69420 Mark Roulo Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:40:16 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69420 "And as for Churchill– some of the stories about his conversations (i.e. If you were my wife, I’d drink it!) while true, do have a fictional flare.</i>" I think the problem is that it is difficult to have *any* reasonable grasp of Britsh WW-II history and not know that Churchill was real. Not knowing about Churchill suggests pretty much *no* knowledge of WW-II. And this probably suggests little knowledge of much other history. -Mark Roulo “And as for Churchill– some of the stories about his conversations (i.e. If you were my wife, I’d drink it!) while true, do have a fictional flare.”

I think the problem is that it is difficult to have *any* reasonable grasp of Britsh WW-II history and not know that Churchill was real. Not knowing about Churchill suggests pretty much *no* knowledge of WW-II. And this probably suggests little knowledge of much other history.

-Mark Roulo

]]> By: Richard Cook http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69417 Richard Cook Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:12:52 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69417 Yeah, that Lionheart guy was French too!!! From Anjou no less, home of the pear. Heard those pears were fictional too. Ya never know about those pears... Yeah, that Lionheart guy was French too!!! From Anjou no less, home of the pear. Heard those pears were fictional too. Ya never know about those pears…

]]> By: Deirdre Mundy http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69410 Deirdre Mundy Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:06:17 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69410 Well Richard the Lionheart is confusing! I mean, he appears in fiction (like Robin Hood) and the King Richard of movies is really a fictionalized version of the original. And Robin Hood has been a folk hero for centuries.. maybe he was based on a real figure, who knows. And as for Churchill-- some of the stories about his conversations (i.e. If you were my wife, I'd drink it!) while true, do have a fictional flare. When I first read "Carry On Mr. Bowdwitch" I was annoyed at the author--how could she create such a far-out unrealistic main character and win the Newberry? Then I found out the book was a BIOGRAPHY. That completely impoosible man actually EXISTED. Perhaps part of the problem is that some historical figures are so unusual and so large that we can't quite get our head around the fact that they're real! That's a good excuse for Richard. Churchill is a little harder to excuse..... Well Richard the Lionheart is confusing! I mean, he appears in fiction (like Robin Hood) and the King Richard of movies is really a fictionalized version of the original.

And Robin Hood has been a folk hero for centuries.. maybe he was based on a real figure, who knows.

And as for Churchill– some of the stories about his conversations (i.e. If you were my wife, I’d drink it!) while true, do have a fictional flare.

When I first read “Carry On Mr. Bowdwitch” I was annoyed at the author–how could she create such a far-out unrealistic main character and win the Newberry? Then I found out the book was a BIOGRAPHY. That completely impoosible man actually EXISTED.

Perhaps part of the problem is that some historical figures are so unusual and so large that we can’t quite get our head around the fact that they’re real!

That’s a good excuse for Richard. Churchill is a little harder to excuse…..

]]> By: Sam http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69400 Sam Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:08:43 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69400 The survey wasn't just of young people. Go back to the source http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/598605. The references to 65% believing that King Arthur was real and 58% believing in Sherlock Holmes were for all Britains, not just teens. There was only one paragraph on young people, "The research showed that the nation's under 20s are lacking the most when it comes to basic historical knowledge. Over one fifth (21%) thought Winston Churchill, arguably Britain's most famous Prime Minister, was a work of fiction, and over a quarter (27%) thought pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale was a mythical figure." The reference to 47% not believing in Richard the Lionhart, was again for all Brits, not just young people. And while a fifth of the under-20s did think Churchill was fictional, so did 23% of all Brits. The survey wasn’t just of young people. Go back to the source http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/598605. The references to 65% believing that King Arthur was real and 58% believing in Sherlock Holmes were for all Britains, not just teens.

There was only one paragraph on young people, “The research showed that the nation’s under 20s are lacking the most when it comes to basic historical knowledge. Over one fifth (21%) thought Winston Churchill, arguably Britain’s most famous Prime Minister, was a work of fiction, and over a quarter (27%) thought pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale was a mythical figure.”

The reference to 47% not believing in Richard the Lionhart, was again for all Brits, not just young people. And while a fifth of the under-20s did think Churchill was fictional, so did 23% of all Brits.

]]> By: Robert Pondiscio http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69393 Robert Pondiscio Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:51:44 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69393 Google “Winston Churchill fictional,” and you’ll find plenty of commentary from Brits who are exercised by how little their kids know about their own history. Over here, meanwhile, a professor at one of our most prestigious universities tells USA Today, apparently with a straight face,”There’s a kind of shift going on, from the narrative of the founders, which is the national mythic narrative, to the narrative of expanding rights.” Putting aside Marilyn and Oprah, who symbolize our expanding rights to God knows what, our ignorance is not embarrassing, but a virtue—a shift in the narrative. Google “Winston Churchill fictional,” and you’ll find plenty of commentary from Brits who are exercised by how little their kids know about their own history. Over here, meanwhile, a professor at one of our most prestigious universities tells USA Today, apparently with a straight face,”There’s a kind of shift going on, from the narrative of the founders, which is the national mythic narrative, to the narrative of expanding rights.” Putting aside Marilyn and Oprah, who symbolize our expanding rights to God knows what, our ignorance is not embarrassing, but a virtue—a shift in the narrative.

]]> By: The Core Knowledge Blog http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69392 The Core Knowledge Blog Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:39:59 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69392 <strong>History Is Bunk...</strong> “Maybe if we start listening, history will stop repeating itself.” — Lily Tomlin A pair of researchers asked 2000 high school juniors and seniors from across the country to “write down the names of the most famous Americans in history... History Is Bunk…

“Maybe if we start listening, history will stop repeating itself.” — Lily Tomlin

A pair of researchers asked 2000 high school juniors and seniors from across the country to “write down the names of the most famous Americans in history…

]]> By: SuperSub http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69375 SuperSub Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:21:00 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/02/04/winnie-the-who/#comment-69375 With regards to King Arthur, there has been some suggestive but inconclusive research that the legends were based upon an actual king, so I'm not sure if that can be held against the survey-takers. Can't believe the data regarding Churchill... I doubt that 20 percent would believe that Mohammed is a fictional character. The schools are probably spending more time on him though. With regards to King Arthur, there has been some suggestive but inconclusive research that the legends were based upon an actual king, so I’m not sure if that can be held against the survey-takers.

Can’t believe the data regarding Churchill… I doubt that 20 percent would believe that Mohammed is a fictional character. The schools are probably spending more time on him though.

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