Did you realize that most children have absolutely no idea where they live? They could not pick out their state on a map, or even America on a globe. They can't tell you what language is spoken in Paris, or what continent Brazil is on. Did you realize that many high school students can't either? Most people agree that the fundamental building blocks to a child's education are reading, writing, and mathematics. But I would like to add one more to that list: geography. Just as reading and mathematics open the doors to literature and science, geography opens the door to understanding history, culture, and current events. Educators are constantly telling us that our high-schoolers are failing to grasp the basics of American history. But how could they possibly understand the history of our nation if they cannot identify the 50 states on a blank map or know where Jamestown was settled? How could they understand the heritage of their diverse classmates, or indeed their own heritage, if they do not even know what part of the world their ancestors came from? The problem is this: most children never have a class in geography until seventh grade at the earliest. Because of this, everything they learned before that point in time is left completely out of context. The Jungle Book makes little sense if you do not know where India is or what a tropical rainforest is like. Hearing about our soldiers (often including a friend or relative) fighting in Iraq is a total mystery if you know nothing about the people who live there or why the Middle East is a particularly important and turbulent part of our world. That is why geography needs to be learned from the very beginning, just like the alphabet and simple addition. That way, everything a child learns is immediately put into its proper context in their minds. Otherwise, if you tell them you are sending money to help feed hungry children in Ethiopia, they might think that's somewhere near grandma's house rather than in eastern Africa. The power of understanding the world is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your child. And it is you who needs to give it to them, because the schools will not. Buy a globe and an atlas, as well as books that describe the histories, cultures, and religions of the people living in other countries. Teach your children about the world outside their everyday experience, and watch the horizons of their imagination and intellect explode. And start with the forgotten basics of geography. ------------------------------- Copyright, Paul Martin, Noss Galen Baby LLC 2006 |
