Do You Dare Take the Civics Literacy Test?

[Cecilie1200]

I guess grades don't mean anything either. And with the SAT format and content being changed since I took it many moons ago, how can anyone legitamately determine who is ready for college and who is not?

Well, I homeschool my kids, so that method of determination seems to work pretty well.

 

[Cecilie1200]

No, I can't blame my teachers I think they did the best they could. School was always kinda hard for me and I didn't get good grades no matter how hard I tried so I guess I quit trying. I've been told it's a good thing I'm sweet because I'm not very bright, so I try to play to my strength.

Maybe you just need a different learning method. Let's face it, textbooks and standard classroom scenarios aren't known for being fascinating and exciting, and sometimes they can be damned hard to dig through. There are a lot of books on the market that are written to explain subjects in everyday language to people who have no particular knowledge and education in a subject. For political issues, I like the "Politically Incorrect Guide" series, and for other topics, either the "Idiot's Guide" or the "[fill in the blank] for Dummies" series is wonderful. And most community colleges offer non-credit community education courses on various topics.

There's no reason you should denigrate yourself or settle for "just not very bright". Even if you're not a genius, you still have a human brain between your ears, and it's smarter, more powerful, and more complex than the most state-of-the-art computer processor on the planet. You should develop and enjoy it to the fullest possible extent.

 

[Annie]

Maybe you just need a different learning method. Let's face it, textbooks and standard classroom scenarios aren't known for being fascinating and exciting, and sometimes they can be damned hard to dig through. There are a lot of books on the market that are written to explain subjects in everyday language to people who have no particular knowledge and education in a subject. For political issues, I like the "Politically Incorrect Guide" series, and for other topics, either the "Idiot's Guide" or the "[fill in the blank] for Dummies" series is wonderful. And most community colleges offer non-credit community education courses on various topics.

There's no reason you should denigrate yourself or settle for "just not very bright". Even if you're not a genius, you still have a human brain between your ears, and it's smarter, more powerful, and more complex than the most state-of-the-art computer processor on the planet. You should develop and enjoy it to the fullest possible extent.

Indeed, all you said and more. Many post high school realize they wasted lots of time and opportunities. So they did. Doesn't mean they can't make it up.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Indeed, all you said and more. Many post high school realize they wasted lots of time and opportunities. So they did. Doesn't mean they can't make it up.

Even if you DID put in the work in high school, it's really nice as an adult to come to view the education process as something FUN, to be done for one's own pleasure and enrichment, rather than a chore to be gotten through quickly.

I love taking classes in things, for no other reason than just that I've always wanted to know.

 

[Annie]

Even if you DID put in the work in high school, it's really nice as an adult to come to view the education process as something FUN, to be done for one's own pleasure and enrichment, rather than a chore to be gotten through quickly.

I love taking classes in things, for no other reason than just that I've always wanted to know.

True that. You'd never believe the number of folks, parents, teachers, relatives, that tell me that as 'adults' they really wish to know more history.

Interestingly enough for my middle schoolers, they love ancient history, not so keen on American. I found that when I started teaching more as Western Civ., I got more response from all.

 

[Cecilie1200]

True that. You'd never believe the number of folks, parents, teachers, relatives, that tell me that as 'adults' they really wish to know more history.

Interestingly enough for my middle schoolers, they love ancient history, not so keen on American. I found that when I started teaching more as Western Civ., I got more response from all.

That's just strange. Maybe I just had really good American History teachers, but I always found it fascinating. Americans are a very unique bunch of people, with a very . . . robust and direct approach to life. I will never forget learning about The Great Molasses Flood, or the Senator who filibustered for so long that someone tried to poison him to shut him up, or the many fistfights that have erupted on the floor of both houses of Congress.

Only in America.

 

[Annie]

That's just strange. Maybe I just had really good American History teachers, but I always found it fascinating. Americans are a very unique bunch of people, with a very . . . robust and direct approach to life. I will never forget learning about The Great Molasses Flood, or the Senator who filibustered for so long that someone tried to poison him to shut him up, or the many fistfights that have erupted on the floor of both houses of Congress.

Only in America.

I think you are dealing with bright high school. Middle schoolers are trying to build upon something no longer being dealt with in lower grades. I'm in my 50's now, I was introduced to Julius Caesar in 3rd/4th grade. I'd already made acquaintance with Hamilton and Adams. Not such now.

1-3 are all about 'community'. 4th is supposed to be American, but in fact in our school at least is confined to one state. The kids do NOT come out with any sense of sections of country. 5th grade is all 'native american', but without context of how the Europeans impacted.

6th grade, my first year, is ancient. The kids love it. 7th is American-from conquistadors to Civil War, including constitution test. They hate it.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I think you are dealing with bright high school. Middle schoolers are trying to build upon something no longer being dealt with in lower grades. I'm in my 50's now, I was introduced to Julius Caesar in 3rd/4th grade. I'd already made acquaintance with Hamilton and Adams. Not such now.

1-3 are all about 'community'. 4th is supposed to be American, but in fact in our school at least is confined to one state. The kids do NOT come out with any sense of sections of country. 5th grade is all 'native american', but without context of how the Europeans impacted.

6th grade, my first year, is ancient. The kids love it. 7th is American-from conquistadors to Civil War, including constitution test. They hate it.

Hmmm. We did social studies in elementary school, which was a mixture of history, sociology, and anthropology on a very basic level. Very early history, and then we moved into early state history (I grew up in New Mexico), and then general study of the various types of North American aborigine tribes. 6th and 7th were more in-depth and detailed social studies, and then we moved gradually toward world history in the 8th and 9th, and the latter part of 9th moved us into the beginnings of American History. The rest of high school was American History.

What I remember was that my American History teachers seemed as fascinated and, sometimes, amused by our history as I was, and sought out interesting, quirky stories to leaven the textbook info and to also highlight the periods and issues we were discussing. It kept our attention, and made the information about the people, rather than just the dates and places.

I think it's invaluable to have a teacher - whatever the subject - who really, genuinely finds the topic interesting and absorbing himself.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

Wow, 49% national average. That's brutal.

Anyway, I'd say I'd make a good American

You answered 28 out of 33 correctly — 84.85 %

Average score for this quiz during December: 75.2%
Average score: 75.2%

Answers to Your Missed Questions:

Question #7 - D. Gettysburg Address
Question #8 - C. appoint additional Supreme Court justices who shared his views
Question #15 - E. Thomas Jefferson’s letters
Question #27 - A. the price system utilizes more local knowledge of means and ends
Question #33 - D. tax per person equals government spending per person

Pretty good for a foreigner, eh? Haha... This test actually reminded me a lot of the Civics tests in Costa Rica, not so much in content as in structure. asuidhPSDAOIhi. I guess most civics tests are pretty similar, though.

 

[Annie]

Hmmm. We did social studies in elementary school, which was a mixture of history, sociology, and anthropology on a very basic level. Very early history, and then we moved into early state history (I grew up in New Mexico), and then general study of the various types of North American aborigine tribes. 6th and 7th were more in-depth and detailed social studies, and then we moved gradually toward world history in the 8th and 9th, and the latter part of 9th moved us into the beginnings of American History. The rest of high school was American History.

What I remember was that my American History teachers seemed as fascinated and, sometimes, amused by our history as I was, and sought out interesting, quirky stories to leaven the textbook info and to also highlight the periods and issues we were discussing. It kept our attention, and made the information about the people, rather than just the dates and places.

I think it's invaluable to have a teacher - whatever the subject - who really, genuinely finds the topic interesting and absorbing himself.

For sure. I'm fascinated by history, which I'm pretty sure comes through on the board. My 'specialty' is early American/constitution. That doesn't preclude my interest or education regarding the classics, as my degrees are more towards Western Civilization, via both history and political science. On the other hand, I've over 16 grad hours in Constitutional studies, which obviously includes American studies. Indeed, I contributed and have been credited to the standards being worked out between NCSS and University History teachers.

I'm not so much for 'quirky' though do throw in a story now and again. Truth is, the real thing doesn't need embellishment, whether a river civilization or industrial revolution and the toll on an immigrant in Michigan. Their stories are and should be compelling enough.

 

[editec]

History is a STORY.

Anyone who cannot make the STORIES of history interesting for young kids should find another profession.

Seriously, there is no excuse for making history class for young kids boring.

History has every element that any good story does: love, death, wars, danger adventures, heros, villians...

If you can't take that material and make it an interesting story for young kids?

Become a stock broker or an engineer or something that doesn't require any talent.

Just get out of the classroom and go make a lot of money.

 

[PoliticalChic]

That's just strange. Maybe I just had really good American History teachers, but I always found it fascinating. Americans are a very unique bunch of people, with a very . . . robust and direct approach to life. I will never forget learning about The Great Molasses Flood, or the Senator who filibustered for so long that someone tried to poison him to shut him up, or the many fistfights that have erupted on the floor of both houses of Congress.

Only in America.

Good American History teachers help. But sadly, those good American teachers are scarce. A lot of teachers coming into the system just do not know enough. They have dumbed the curriculum. It is a spiraling down of education.

You can't just accept that what they teach you in school is enough. It is not enough and it would take an extremely motivated student who would be willing to do their own research to come out of school on the same level as a student a generation ago. Speak to someone your parents' or grandparents' age. They will know a heck of a lot of more history thank you do. Not because they are wiser or smarter, but because their education was much more dense.

One of the ways I fill in the gaps in my own knowledge is to read constantly and visit historical places with my children. It's never to late to learn something, you just need to be willing to put in the time and effort.

Amanda, if you are reading, I applaud you for taking the Civics Test. I bet you will get 100% one day. I am encouraged by the fact that a student in college would be willing to take such a test without being coherced. Just remember that the standards set for you are very low in comparison to previous generations. Set your own standards and you will find yourself head and shoulders above your friends and colleagues.

 

[Amanda]

I didn't mean to give the impression I was giving up. I am planning to go to college now but I'm trying to save up and get grants or scholarships lined up. I am going to try a lot harder this time. That's why I don't want to go to a JC, I think I will stay more motivated at a regular college.

I don't see acknowledging that I'm not a genius as bad. I'd rather know it than be delusional.

 

[NOBama]

I didn't mean to give the impression I was giving up. I am planning to go to college now but I'm trying to save up and get grants or scholarships lined up. I am going to try a lot harder this time. That's why I don't want to go to a JC, I think I will stay more motivated at a regular college.

I don't see acknowledging that I'm not a genius as bad. I'd rather know it than be delusional.

Apply to VERY financial institution in the country that has a student loan program. This is just a WAG on my part but, I suspect they'll be under a lot of pressure to start making student loans in the near future. Otherwise, Congress may accidentally do something right and stop giving them bailout money.

Good attitude on the genius thingy because, it’s impossible to teach anybody something who believes they already know everything. This board is living proof of it too.

Good luck to you!

 

[Cecilie1200]

I didn't mean to give the impression I was giving up. I am planning to go to college now but I'm trying to save up and get grants or scholarships lined up. I am going to try a lot harder this time. That's why I don't want to go to a JC, I think I will stay more motivated at a regular college.

I don't see acknowledging that I'm not a genius as bad. I'd rather know it than be delusional.

Most people aren't geniuses, even when they think they are. I think we all just want to encourage you not to sound quite so down on yourself. You seem like a bright, articulate girl, and as the old commercials say, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[Amanda]

Most people aren't geniuses, even when they think they are. I think we all just want to encourage you not to sound quite so down on yourself. You seem like a bright, articulate girl, and as the old commercials say, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Well... I'm more chatty and outspoken on the internet than RL. I'm too shy to speak up much and I usually say the wrong thing when I do. I learned to smile a lot and try not to make eye contact too much and people don't expect much from you. LOL.

 

[Annie]

Today I gave the test to my 8th graders as a class, meaning the smartest kids tended to lead toward the answers. The only one I gave them was the 'letter' of Jefferson's regarding wall of separation, (heck, I think I learned that in a grad class on Constitution). They got a 96.something. Missed one.