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| As a retired teacher, I am very aware of gaps in what I consider common knowledge. Jay Leno on the “Tonight Show” showcased these gaps in knowledge in his “Jay Walking” segments. Just recently in the “Dear Abby” column in our local newspaper, gaps in knowledge came up again. A third incident arose in a conversation with a friend. This reminded me of a personal incident that happened about 10 years ago. I’ll start with that. We were returning from a winter vacation in Mexico and were going through Customs in Dallas. As the immigration official checked our passports, he asked where we had been and if we had a good time. These were light questions that didn’t require much thought, which was a good thing since we were returning from a week of activities that didn’t require much thought. Then he asked, “What country are you from?” Apparently we were anticipating the question to be “What state are you from?” because our unthinking reply was, “Nebraska.” Suddenly the official from Texas became very serious and said, “Sir! The last time I checked, Nebraska was not a country!” This was during the years when the Huskers football team was a major football power in the Big Twelve, as was the University of Texas Longhorns. In a conversation with a friend, he mentioned a person who lived in Portland. I asked, “Maine or Oregon?” He said, “They are from Oregon. The only place I’ve been in Oregon is Portland. I guess I just assumed that was where they are from.” I know he knows that Portland, while a beautiful city, is not the only city in the state. He just made an unthinking assumption. The questions and comments in “Dear Abby” are more frightening. A person from Hawaii said he had been asked, “Do we need passports to visit?” and “Which side of the road do you drive on?” A person from Albuquerque reported being asked, “Do they speak English in New Mexico?” and “Where should we go to change money?” A couple from Vermont said they were asked if their state was in Maine or Massachusetts. These questions and comments may be the result of several things. Some are due to “unthinking responses,” like Nebraska being a country or the friends being from Portland. I can almost understand asking what language is spoken in New Mexico—it is a border state, and large portions of the state are designated Native American Tribal Land and the native language is spoken there. And Hawaii isn’t one of the contiguous states. Some of the questions are the result of map illiteracy. Others are serious gaps in knowledge, like asking if Delaware and New York are states. What does this have to do with kids? Some but not all of the responders/question-askers were youngsters. What can we (parents and grandparents) do to eliminate such gaps? While kids are taught geography in school, it is mostly by region. They need to see the United States as a whole. Parents can use highway maps and atlases when planning a road trip. Let them use the map to follow the route you are on. Use a travel guide to become familiar with cultural, historic, and natural attractions in the area. You’ll help the kids do better in school in the long run. Editor’s Note: Marge has three children and two grandchildren. She spent nearly 25 years as a substitute teacher in grades pre-K to nine; five years teaching preschool; and 10 years running her own tutoring business. Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees are in education. She also has volunteered for many years for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Little League. |
Preventing Knowledge Gaps |
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