A popular curriculum used by home-schooled students has drawn criticism for inaccurate, misleading information and an over-reliance on rote memorization, but those aspects may not be the worst things about it.
A lot of the material that children are exposed to in the Accelerated Christian Education is just astonishingly stupid, according to a former Christian fundamentalist.
Blogger Jonny Scarmanga shared some of the multiple-choice questions he found in some ACE packets used by British home-school students Monday on the blog, Leaving Fundamentalism.
In one question aimed at 9- or 10-year-old fourth-graders, students are given this example: “Children played happily in the water spout.” They are then asked to define a water spout from three examples: “a stream of water,” “two dry ducks” or “playground.”
Another example shows that “Elisabeth Howard sat and listened carefully.” Students are then challenged to identify whether Elisabeth Howard is “a kind of airplane” or “a missionary.”
Still another question asks 12- or 13-year-old seventh-graders to identify whether sports coaches, piano tuners or librarians “can touch the lives of their students.”
If that sounds like a trick question, that’s because it is.
“The correct answer, for those puzzled, is piano tutors,” Scaramanga writes. “It’s not that ACE doesn’t believe that sports coaches or librarians can touch students’ lives. The point is that the exact sentence, ‘Piano tutors can touch the lives of their students,’ has previously appeared in (an ACE packet), and the student is expected to remember this. Verbatim regurgitation of previously seen material is the entire point of the ACE system.”
The ACE curriculum relies on thousands of these multiple-choice questions to imprint the materials in students’ memories.
The ACE curriculum is accredited by the Middle States Associations on Elementary and Secondary Schools and by government-funded voucher programs in 11 states.
In the past, the curriculum has drawn criticism and scorn for teaching that the existence of the Loch Ness monster disproves evolution and that humans coexisted with dinosaurs.
The materials also include a strong conservative political bias that suggests God’s own views are right-wing, while liberals are villainous, and students are taught that government programs should not be used to meet needs that can’t be filled by family members or churches.
But those biases and falsehoods pale in comparison to a stupefying curriculum that expects to engage 10-year-olds by asking them whether an envelope is “a letter holder” or “donkey supplies.”
"Is our children learning?" Remember that famous George W. Bush quote?
Well the answer is that if you are using a Christian homes school curriculum probably not.
The now inescapable conclusion that we MUST reach in response to what we are learning about Christian homeschooling is that it has literally NOTHING to do with education, and EVERYTHING to do with indoctrination. And to that end ignorance provides fertile soil to implant faith based "truths" to replace scientifically proven facts.
At this point I simply cannot see this outside of the context of a religion that has recognized that its influence and control over the people of this planet has a shelf life, and that the expiration date is rapidly approaching. Which is forcing them to fight with everything they have to defend themselves against progress and the logic on whose wings it is fast approaching.
I recognize that it may be insulting to those of you who still have a faith, but the facts are that it is easier to attract into the fold those who feel rather than think, and those who seek comfort rather than those who seek truth.
The Sarah Palin's of this world simply cannot exist in a world without religious faith. Nor by the way can Fox News, Right Wing radio, the "Pro-Life" Movement, televangelists, faith healers, or Islamic terrorists.
That may seem like a discordant group but all of them benefit from those who have less access to scientific information, and more access to propaganda and faith based "education."
Christian homeschooling appears to be designed to protect a base of supporters that many on the Right, both religious and political, rely on, and who they are desperately afraid of losing.
Those who don't know, believe what they are told by those who claim to have "special knowledge." And that is an important part of the business model not just for religion, but also for Fox News.
"The Sarah Palins of this world simply cannot exist in a world without religious faith."
ReplyDeleteNothing about her exhibits religious faith. NOTHING. She just found a new gravy train and those ignorant enough to be taken in.
I happen to be an atheist, but my Dad is very religious and a promoter of public schools(yes, I was raised by 2 teachers) and has always said that private schools and home schooling is done to prevent education more than to promote it.
ReplyDeleteNow I am sure there are a few exceptions to that rule.
But a good example would be all the Baptist Church "schools"( I'll use that word lightly) that opened in the 60's.
First of all, most opened then so they could stay white and then it have become a way to push increasingly extremist Xtain views.
Christian fundamentalists have been thickheaded and substituting faith for reason since at least the 1800s, and probably way before that. However, reasonable skills were taught in those one room schoolhouses of the early 1900s. I saw an eighth grade exam my father likely took, and it was hard. It covered everything, even music. It was accepted that religious people were all over the place, but they were supposed to respect differing views, and usually did. This was America, after all, and they knew that when they came here. Most of them were superior to the extremists that have popped up a century later.
ReplyDeleteI think you explained why the ignorance is cultivated rather than scorned.
Tim Tebow was home schooled. It did not serve him well. Tim cannot read NFL defenses.
ReplyDeleteROFL
DeleteFunny, yes. But what ever happened to little Timmy Tebow (Other than a resounding endorsement from Sarah Palin)?
DeleteAs a parent and as a homeschooling parent, it boggles my mind why parents would willfully choose to keep their children ignorant. I mean, I hear what you're saying Gryphen, I just can't wrap my brain around it! I homeschool for non religious reasons and I push my children academically farther than the public schools would, if they were in them. It's just mind boggling. I wouldn't be able to look my children in the eyes if I knowingly did something that would be harmful to them on any level. Sad.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly one of the reasons that I try to avoid the question we always get of "where does your daughter go to school?" I take a breath, tell myself it's noone else's business what we do and tell them "at home." I agree with Anonymous at 6:57 a.m. I push my daughter very hard and we are homeschooling for DEFINITELY non-religious reasons. It irks me that the homeschool movement has this as their poster child.
ReplyDeleteThose who don't know, believe what they are told by those who claim to have "special knowledge."
ReplyDeleteThis is basis of all religion, isn't it?
I was raised in the Lutheran church by a man who basically was going through the religious motions in order to promote his "standing in the community" and by a lapsed Jew who really doesn't care about organized religion one way or the other, but really likes the music. I became a Pagan, for lack of a better word in my adult life. But I am also a scientist. And the more I learn about science, the more scientific discoveries made, advances we make, the more my own faith is upheld. (Just take a look at quantum physics - it will blow your mind!)
ReplyDeleteFor me, if your faith is challenged by logic, offended by other points of view, then your faith isn't very strong to begin with.
And, though my child is in our small rural school, I also supplement his learning at home (both parents are biologists) because, for me, the ultimate goal of an education is to give your child the most tools and information as possible in order for them to be as successful as possible. Hiding them away and only letting them see certain information (that is logically challenged) only hurts those children, and by extension, our nation, by raising a herd of dumb asses.
I don't understand where these Fundie's think the doctors, nurses, engineers etc will come from. It just doesn't seem like a good plan to raise a nation of idiots.
ReplyDeleteTexasMel
This, is how and why some mediocre thinker like Sarah Palin can be elevated and perceived to be anything other than a Hockey Mom from Wasilla. (And she wasn't even a good hockey mom, always got out of car pool and snacks for kids, unless you want them fattening up on Taco Bell each time.)
ReplyDeleteThe only time I've encountered piano tuners was in school. How are these kids influenced by them?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how these children will be able to work in this increasingly technological world without a good basis in reading comprehension, math, science, etc. Who would hire someone with such a skewed view of the world and such a lack of basic education? What an insular existence! I guess the kids know nothing else so are unaware of the richness of our world and the joy in learning. Sad, sad, sad and so harmful for the country.
ReplyDeleteExactly what I wanted to convey, but done with much more eloquence. Thanks for posting!
DeleteSpeaking of education:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/map-overlays-comparing-size-2013-12
9 'Facts' You Learned In School That Are No Longer True
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/changed-facts-2013-12
I blame the states for not approving all lesson plans used for home schooling (these are all packaged and sold by companies) and not requiring homeschoolers to pass tests demonstrating mastery of grade level curriculum. It is the fault of the states (and Federal government) for allowing homeschoolers, private schools and charters to be exempted from testing. They should be required to meet the same standards as public schools and that includes curriculum and standardized tests. In addition their lesson plans should contain everything a public school student is required to master and they should be able to PROVE they have mastered requirements through testing.
ReplyDeleteThere are some home schoolers that are very diligent, independent learners and excel in a free environment. But most need structure and supervision. The average parent isn't up to the task of providing a rigorous academic environment, especially if the student is not an independent learner.
Wrong AGAIN, Mr. Fancy Pants Librul Alaska blogger! According to ACE the word is "stupidification", not "stupifcation"! Look whose embarrassed now!
ReplyDeleteGROW UP and get yourself edumicated before you tell those exceptional real common sense Zeus-fearing, that are living in small town Amercians you speaks such good English!
Look who's embarrassed now.
DeleteBeing a contraction of who is.
But don't take my word for it. I went to a public school.
You speak real well English.
If all they learn is four words, they may have half a chance in the real world.
ReplyDelete"Want Fries With That?"