Posted on 02/01/2005 7:49:56 PM PST by franksolich
History textbook confuses students
A publisher has agreed to amend a high school textbook that teachers said confused students into equating Norway's government under Nazi occupation and its post-war return to democracy.
History teachers at Asker Upper Secondary School protested after finding that a textbook covering Norwegian history after 1850 made complex and controversial comparisons between occupied and post-war Norway.
The text argued that "both put great weight on ideology and modern propaganda" and that their methods led to both forms of government being controversial.
"The book erases the separation between democracy and dictatorship. This can be dangerous in a time where one knows that history repeats itself," said teacher Johanne Volden.
The school ordered the textbooks 'nearly unseen' after being satisfied with the volumes on earlier time periods but soon found what they felt were fundamental errors.
History teachers called the book a scandal, partly due to its coverage of the war and post-war Norway in a single chapter called "Solidarity, growth and indoctrination".
"We expect a minimum of correct interpretation of historical events in a textbook. The author cannot take liberties at the cost of fundamental societal perceptions. The students are left with the impression that (post-war prime minister) Gerhardsen was just as bad as Quisling and Terboven," said history teacher Sissel Frogg.
The teachers say the text has created chaos, leaving many students with the impression that Nazi occupation was a high point in Norwegian history. Grades have dropped and confidence in textbooks plummeted.
The teachers at the school claimed that the author, May-Brith Ohman Nielsen, at best has little understanding of student background knowledge, and presents complex historical analysis before supplying basic information.
"Such academic exercises should be left to forums other than textbooks," said teacher Inge Johnsen.
Head of the publishers, Nina Refseth, quickly agreed to remove the "unfortunate" passage claiming democracy was controversial, but argued that the criticisms calling the book a scandal were exaggerated.
Refseth argued that the text was mean to stimulate critical thought and to spark discussions about the similarities and differences in historical periods.
Students argued that their workload was such that they didn't have time to dissect textbooks, and they expected their books to be accurate.
I saw that! Good job!
(now you've surpassed me with HTML and I'm gonna ask YOU, next time, LOL!) OK ?
LOL! I had to backtrack to read this....what you said....
When it comes to "cold," nothing is colder than New Jersey in the winter (where I spent two winters)--Free Republicans from Minnesota and Michigan might insist that their states are cold, but Minnesota and Michigan are like Miami Beach, when compared with standing on the sea-shore of New Jersey in the middle of January.
LOL! B.r.r.r.
Excuse me...I differ in YOUR opinion!
---
YOU SAID "but Minnesota and Michigan are like Miami Beach, when compared with standing on the sea-shore of New Jersey in the middle of January."
---
That's just plain wrong!
Well, aside from Norway being mountainous, and socialist, and not raising much grain at all, I suppose that's, er, one way to look at it.
Next time, try Vermont. OK? (w!)
You can put me on it, if you would be so kind :-)
*bows deeply*
No reliable record for missing sheep
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article960390.ece
Kings of Norway:
Harald Fairhair Harald Hårfagre : 872-933
Eirik Bloodaxe Eirik Blodøks : 930-934
Håkon the Good Håkon den Gode : 934-961
Harald Gråfell : 961-976
Haakon Jarl² Håkon Jarl : 976-995
Olav Tryggvason¹ : 995-1000
Svein Forkbeard Svein Tjugeskjegg : 999-1015
Olav Haraldsson, Saint Olav¹ Sankt Olav / Olav den Hellige : 1015-1028
Knut the Great Knut den Mektige : 1028-1035
Magnus the Good Magnus den Gode : 1035-1047
Harald Hardråde : 1046-1066
Magnus Haraldsson : 1066-1069
Olav Kyrre¹ : 1066-1093
Håkon Magnusson : 1093-1094
Magnus Barefoot Magnus Berføtt: 1093-1103
Olav Magnusson¹ : 1103-1110
Øystein Magnusson : 1103-1123
Sigurd Jorsalfar : 1103-1130
Magnus the Blind Magnus Blinde: 1130-1135
Harald Gille : 1130-1136
Sigurd Munn : 1136-1155
Øystein Haraldsson : 1136-1157
Inge Krokrygg : 1136-1161
Håkon Herdebrei : 1157-1162
Magnus Erlingsson : 1161-1184
Sverre Sigurdsson : 1177-1202
Håkon Sverreson : 1202-1204
Guttorm Sigurdsson : 1204
Inge Bårdsson : 1204-1217
Erling Steinvegg : 1204-1207
Filippus Simonsson : 1207-1217
Håkon IV Håkonsson : 1217-1263
Magnus Lagabøte : 1263-1280
Eirik Magnusson : 1280-1299
Håkon V Magnusson : 1299-1319
Personal union with Sweden
Magnus Eriksson : 1319-1343
Håkon VI Magnusson : 1343-1380
Personal union with Denmark
Olav IV Håkonsson¹ : 1380-1387
Good profile sir.
When it comes to being optimistic and pessimistic, I find myself being a short-term pessimist and a long-term optimist (such as about Iraq, or even Norway), and I have always been curious how a trader would handle such a customer.
As for Norway being the Nebraska of Europe, the similarities are astounding, if one looks beneath the surface.
Forget the fact that Norway is mountainous and liquefied, and that Nebraska is flat and generally water-free (above-ground; the largest ocean of fresh water in the world is right below my feet, however).
Some of the similarities between Norway and Nebraska are that (a) both are large in size, but small in population, (b) both are sort of "off the beaten path; places that one passes through, rather than stops at, (c) both are generally ignored by those in a larger entity [Europeans do not pay much attention to Norwegians, just as Americans do not pay much attention to Nebraska], (d) both have some of the highest literacy rates, and school-graduation rates, in the world, (e) both have a population which has traveled more in the world, and more often, than larger places, and (f) both are heavily Scandinavian, Norway 99% so, and Nebraska at least 40% so (although 99% of those are of Danish extraction, not Norwegian).
Norway even has bison.
The similarities between Norway and Nebraska boogle the mind.
The Nazi occupation is still fresh in the minds of those who live on the West Coast of Norway - there are still ruins of German bunkers all over the place, even some unexploded bombs. I wonder how the authors thought they could get away with this.
Regards, Ivan
Well, Madam, like I told someone else on Free Republic once before, it is a personal preference, this intense dislike for dead fish--on the other hand, fish is popular among other Nebraskans, although fresh-water fish rather than salt-water fish.
Nebraska produces 100% of the edible beef that is produced in the United States, and I am only mildly enthusiastic about beef, too.
One can blame the Danes of Nebraska for my dietary tastes; I am essentially a poultry-and-dairy person.
You're on, sir, but remember, I'm new to this finding the news in Norway, our gallant allies in the War against Terror, and so the "quality" of the news items might vary, until I sharpen the skills.
Ah, one of the most-distinguished and most-popular members of Free Republic dropped in; I am honored, sir.
I think the authors thought they could "get away" with this historical distortion because of their collective "mind-set," in which the world is, and was, the way they wished it to conform to their ideological mold.
You being British, and therefore acquainted with the story of Richard III, and how that was all messed up by politically-correct "historians," would understand this phenomenon exists.
What I found most interesting in this particular story from Norway is that it was the students themselves who DEMANDED accurate textbooks; usually kids (alas even here in Nebraska) just take whatever swill is dished out to them, in the form of "history."
This would indicate to me also, they all live in Oslo, home of the "blue state" elites of the country, and think the "red state" yokels in the western part of the country would just accept it.
You being British, and therefore acquainted with the story of Richard III, and how that was all messed up by politically-correct "historians," would understand this phenomenon exists.
Indeed. Richard III was not a hunchback, it is not at all certain he was responsible for the deaths of the princes, nor did he lack popular support, particularly in York. However, the revisionist history took its time to seep in, and was helped by possibly the most effective piece of propaganda ever, "Richard III", which is still a great play. In contrast, this is a rubbish textbook and there are people who still have living memories to contradict it. The academics were indeed clumsy.
What I found most interesting in this particular story from Norway is that it was the students themselves who DEMANDED accurate textbooks; usually kids (alas even here in Nebraska) just take whatever swill is dished out to them, in the form of "history."
The Norwegians I know have a good sense of their history - I suspect the kids realised they were being told a load of old rubbish, though their commitment to their country's past is admirable.
Regards, Ivan
The neighborhood has since changed over many times (Italians and Greeks becoming dominant in the 1960s, Arabs, Asians and Latinos in the 1990s). Nevertheless, there are still vestiges of the neighborhoods Nordic past, including the 5th of May parade (and crowning of Miss Norway in Leif Ericson park), one bakery (Leskes), one tavern (the Leif) and two delis, including the following with a website:
http://www.nordicdeli.com/
Kids should know better than to expect their textbooks to be accurate.
That is the very first lesson of modern history.
Probably, no doubt, madam, there were more Norwegians in New York City, than in other parts of the country--one has to remember that New York City has more people, period, than many states--the whole of Nebraska could not even populate mere Brooklyn.
But one wonders what Norwegians did in New York City, since they were culturally-inclined towards (a) farming and (b) fishing, which led most of them to Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Surely they were not temperamentally suited for urban factory and service jobs, being too independent for such industrial-revolution servitude.
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, tells the "story" of a Lithuanian--which one assumes is "sort of" Scandinavian--in a meat-packing plant in Chicago, and the biggest impression one gets out of that is how such people (Norwegians, etc.) were distorted, contorted, maladjusted, to such work; how it destroyed both their personal and cultural characters.
Well, again, sir, I find it remarkable that it was the students, and not any adults, who first protested against this grotesque paralleling of totalitarianism and democracy; I wish kids in this country were as assertive in demanding to learn the truth, and not just taking anything and everything dished out to them.
BTW: I carry a Y-Chromosome, so I am not a madam. :-)
Next time I get caught in a howler here I will just repeat the excuses these academics use when caught with their lies too obvious. "I was just trying to stimulate critical thought and spark discussion." Yeah, that's the ticket.
Forget the adults - only the kids have any chance at seeing through the lies of government, and I fully expect it of them, when the opportunity arises.
I don't think they'll have much regard for gubmint employee pension-seekers, whether lie-spewing teachers or other so-called members of the gubmint 'helping professions' when the moment arrives.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.