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warspite1 -> RE: Sudden interest in WWI (6/6/2010 12:14:10 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MikeBrough
quote:
ORIGINAL: warspite1
My 10-year old daughter has just done some WWI history at her primary school. They concentrated on four individuals - two of which they studied in some depth - Thomas Highgate, the first soldier shot for cowardice in 1914 and Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British Army, killed in 1918. Interesting - and heartbreaking - stories.
As part of their learning the children were taken on a school trip to Westminster Abbey to see the tomb of the unknown warrior and to see the Cenotaph last November - I was able to accompany them as an adult helper and a very humbling experience it was I must say.
A half-formed thought begins to take shape in the Brough noggin. I believe many schools use the same approach to history, focussing on the experiences of individuals rather than the big picture. The human perspective is a great way to grab the kids' attention but the individual stories chosen can often be non-representative. The examples you gave, the first black officer and the first man shot for cowardice, cannot be said to be mainstream experiences for the millions of men who fought in the trenches.
My son's primary school class did WW1 a couple of years back and he came away from those lessons believing that nearly everyone on the front line was likely to be killed. It was quite entertaining to do the research with him to show him that this wasn't the case.
Do you think that the kids' perception of historic events is shaped by this off-centre approach? Will any future reading they do be influenced by this slightly-leftist agenda, with everything they read being filtered through this initial lens?
Warspite1
I know where you are coming from. The First World War is a recent introduction for year 5's at my daughters primary school. This may explain why my daughter was told that the First World War started because Germany invaded Poland......and that is not a joke I'm afraid.
I did point out to one of the teachers that I would have liked other individuals' stories highlighted - such as Noel Chavasse V.C and Bar [&o][&o]. But I guess I am flogging a dead horse with that one - I suppose that information is for me to fill in.
However, I would add that the Walter Tull story is incredible - and would recommend this to anyone. As with all teaching, any political slant can be put on a subject, and sadly a leftist slant is almost guaranteed in British schools. In the case of Tull, it does not really matter, his story is desperately sad and at the same time very inspiring. Apparently a great footballer, his professional career with Tottenham Hotspur was cut short through racism, and his life, as a half caste orphan in Edwardian Britain was far from easy. Yet despite everything thrown at him, Walter Tull volunteered to fight for his country. His ability was recognised by those he fought with and this recognition gave him the opportunity to train as an officer - despite the regulations of the time forbidding such a thing.
Walter Tull is a true British hero in my opinion if celebrating his unique story helps in any way to eradicate racism, then that can only be a good thing [&o]
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