BlackDragon480Bluster KerfuffleMaster of Windy ImportRegistered Userregular
edited May 2012
Incredible, @Zonugal I do believe that your high school history teacher is the physical manifestation for the Plantoic form of douchebag.
But, if he gets people into history, I can look past such character flaws
I'm considering heading back to college to push for a MA in history and start teaching at the post-secondary level. I doubt I'd be able to maintain a level head with anything younger than 18.
BlackDragon480 on
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
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FandyienBut Otto, what about us? Registered Userregular
yeah that guy sounds like a piece of shit
i had a history teacher in high school who would bring in a 500 year old katana and cut the syllabus in half every year and he was pretty great. all my high school history teachers were wonderful and tried to focus on world history and were cognizant of anglocentric/western centric biases and tried to correct them
was nice
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Zonugal(He/Him) The Holiday ArmadilloI'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered Userregular
My high school was a menagerie of monsters & madness.
All of my history teachers didn't do anything but read directly from the textbook ( though one was a stereotypical Texan and he would always go off on tangents about the weirdest shit, like what his cows did that morning or shooting coyotes or something) but I still enjoyed history. It wasn't my favorite class by any means (science and english, whooo!) but it was up there. However, I didn't like memorizing dates. I don't care exactly when something happened, all I cared about was interesting facts about interesting people and places and how the events that transpired affected things afterwards. Like, the order in which things happened and why was more important to me than exactly when they happened, if that makes sense.
Darmak on
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Zonugal(He/Him) The Holiday ArmadilloI'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered Userregular
I think that makes it even more impressive. I'm sort of in awe of this kind of douchebaggery.
Some students had built him a wooden podium during their time in a shop class, it was a mighty piece of art.
And one day he got so angry at a class for being dumb that he screamed at them for being dumb and than kicked a hole through the podium.
Fuck it, this man needs a television show.
Or at the very least a live class lecture series by The Teaching Company, or a livestream from his classroom.
I want to see this person in action.
During a spirit assembly my senior year he came out with a few other teachers all riding bikes. While riding around he saw some students laughing at him so he peddled really quickly towards them and then jump out of the bike launching himself into them.
He was awesome.
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facetiousa wit so dryit shits sandRegistered Userregular
I was just talking about this with a soon-to-be-coworker on facebook, sharing how it's weird that early on history was one of our least favourite subjects and now we're working a job all about (living) history.
I am awful at remembering names and dates, especially when just reading from a book. That was the majority of my history/social studies up until eighth grade when I had an awesome teacher. Apart from being generally entertaining and highlighting a lot of anecdotal history that was far more interesting than the basic stuff - he'd often go off on huge tangents, his particularly favourite subject being Andrew Jackson's insane life and complete dickishness - he had couches in the couches in the back of the room where the whole class would convene and sit in the round, just straight up discussing the stuff we were learning about. Apart from being a far more involving way of learning, it also taught me that I retain things far better aurally. That really sparked my interest in the subject to the point that it's become a passion of mine about which I am incredibly excited to get to work in a suitably 'involving' way of presenting it.
"I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde
memorizing dates is really a very small part of history and it's study, i think
For any stretch of time there's probably just a handful (as in actually five or so) Important Dates. They get crammed more closely together as you're studying a more specific period though, like "the Roman Empire" versus "the Western Front of WWI."
Why those dates were significant, and how they interconnect? That's where you're getting into the meat of things.
(You can play along at home! Pick a period you know reasonably well and you can probably pull about five significant dates/years/reasonably short eras that can, if you get the right ones, give someone the broad sweep of the topic.)
At any significant level of study, memorizing dates is just un-necessary. If you need them for a piece of work, you just look them up.
Yeah, by that point that's what you're doing anyway. I'm more thinking of basic chronology/themes, the kind of stuff you should have in your head before going really indepth.
Stories about Vietnam, eh? Got a few I think are sort of interesting, and now I'll share them whether anyone cares or not.
My dad was drafted into the US army in 1969. He never fought because he was a long-haired, anti-war hippy and really, really, really didn't want to kill anyone. Which he cheerfully told his officers at every available opportunity. So he ended up getting sent to an army base in Texas that was known for 2 things - being in the middle of god damn nowhere and housing lots of veterans that needed some time to "decompress" before being sent home.
One of the guys that he met while stationed there was a photographer that had taken hundreds and hundreds of pictures across multiple tours in Vietnam. So, my dad being a friendly sort asked if he could see some of the photos and the guy pulls out an album, flips to a page, and says something like "Heh, check this one out, I almost didn't get the picture because when I saw this I couldn't stop laughing".
The pic in question was of a crossroads with a sign, basically clap board nailed to a 4"x4" with some town names painted on it. Someone had propped the corpse of a very dead North Vietnamese soldier against the base of the post - half of the man's chest had been blown off - and then hung a sign around his neck that said "smoking is hazardous to your health".
My dad didn't ever talk to that guy again.
He also told me about the older brother of one of his friends who enlisted a couple of years earlier. He started writing letters to my dad after he'd been shipped to Vietnam, partially due to boredom and partially because he wasn't speaking to his parents for some reason or other. My dad told me about one of the letters that he remembered because it was very, very weird. I'm paraphrasing, and so was he when he told me about it, but it basically went:
<blah blah family stuff, what bands are popular, is my little sister doing ok, you still dating that one girl, etc>
Been pretty quiet out here the past few weeks and we're all pretty eager t (writing stops, pen line starts a downward crawl on the page for 3 or 4 lines)
Hey sorry about that, some turd thought it would be a good idea to kill a deer with a grenade launcher and we had to run like hell before NVA forces showed up to find out what all the noise was.
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Ubikoh pete, that's later. maybe we'll be dead by thenRegistered Userregular
(You can play along at home! Pick a period you know reasonably well and you can probably pull about five significant dates/years/reasonably short eras that can, if you get the right ones, give someone the broad sweep of the topic.)
September 24, 1789
January 31, 1801
February 24, 1803
March 20, 1816
March 6, 1819
I think that makes it even more impressive. I'm sort of in awe of this kind of douchebaggery.
Some students had built him a wooden podium during their time in a shop class, it was a mighty piece of art.
And one day he got so angry at a class for being dumb that he screamed at them for being dumb and than kicked a hole through the podium.
This thread is now devoted to Zonugal telling us amusing high school anecdotes.
It counts as history.
Hey sorry about that, some turd thought it would be a good idea to kill a deer with a grenade launcher and we had to run like hell before NVA forces showed up to find out what all the noise was.
Is this not what man hath dreamt of since he created a grenade launcher?
manwiththemachinegun on
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Zonugal(He/Him) The Holiday ArmadilloI'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered Userregular
September 24, 1789
January 31, 1801
February 24, 1803
March 20, 1816
March 6, 1819
Hee, that's slightly more obscure than I was thinking, but feels (speaking as a Canadian who doesn't follow legal history at all) like it gets the idea across.
PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
marbury v. madison is the most surreal thing
it was a case concerning the supreme court's power of judicial review that ultimately set the legal precedent that the supreme court had the power of judicial review
just, "hey guys can we do this?"
"yeah, yeah we can"
"oh!"
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FandyienBut Otto, what about us? Registered Userregular
i want to switch majors to history when i go back to college but i am genuinely worried that i'm not smart enough to acquire a college degree
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Zonugal(He/Him) The Holiday ArmadilloI'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered Userregular
September 24, 1789
January 31, 1801
February 24, 1803
March 20, 1816
March 6, 1819
Hee, that's slightly more obscure than I was thinking, but feels (speaking as a Canadian who doesn't follow legal history at all) like it gets the idea across.
trust me, it totally illustrates your point about giving a broad sweep of the topic
here's the answer key:
September 24, 1789 - Judiciary Act is adopted, creating the Supreme Court
January 31, 1801 - John Marshall receives his commission as Chief Justice, he would shape the role of the Court and his influence is still seen today. For instance, he started the practice of the Court writing majority opinions instead of each Justice writing an opinion seriatim style, which is still used in the UK today.
February 24, 1803 - Marbury v. Madison, set the precedent that the Supreme Court, as final arbiters of Constitutional interpretation, could invalidate Congressional statutes that were unconstitutional
March 20, 1816 - Martin v. Hunter's Lessee, stated that the Supreme Court could review decisions from State courts that dealt with federal issues
March 6, 1819 - McCulloch v. Maryland, established that the Necessary and Proper Clause meant Congress could do things not explicitly in the Constitution if they were a means to an end that was explicitly in the Consitution; also established that States could not interfere with valid federal authority
Ubik on
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Zonugal(He/Him) The Holiday ArmadilloI'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered Userregular
I recognize he did terrible things and is likely a real bad guy.
But he was still terrific to behold and awe-inspiring.
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PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
he is terrific because he begets terror
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Ubikoh pete, that's later. maybe we'll be dead by thenRegistered Userregular
it was a case concerning the supreme court's power of judicial review that ultimately set the legal precedent that the supreme court had the power of judicial review
just, "hey guys can we do this?"
"yeah, yeah we can"
"oh!"
i know, right!
there's evidence that the concept of judicial review existed before then but it's amazing how people were just like, oh ok. because really at the time the Court wasn't all that powerful
i think it's a testament to our system that the branch without money or an army wasn't just ignored
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lonelyahavaCall me Ahava ~~She/Her~~Move to New ZealandRegistered Userregular
I love story of that Pa.
it's been absolutely fascinating to me to pick up on the Maori history since moving here. The Matariki festival is coming up soon, and I'm seriously hoping that I can get a chance to go.
Also, Hangi (i think i spelled it wrong) is the best food ever in the world oh my god.
Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
No one ever said elves are nice.
Elves are bad.
0
PiptheFairFrequently not in boats.Registered Userregular
Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
No one ever said elves are nice.
Elves are bad.
Posts
But, if he gets people into history, I can look past such character flaws
I'm considering heading back to college to push for a MA in history and start teaching at the post-secondary level. I doubt I'd be able to maintain a level head with anything younger than 18.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
i had a history teacher in high school who would bring in a 500 year old katana and cut the syllabus in half every year and he was pretty great. all my high school history teachers were wonderful and tried to focus on world history and were cognizant of anglocentric/western centric biases and tried to correct them
was nice
So in some ways maybe he was like Dr. Doom?
That is merely a sampling that is the calvacade of my high school experience.
Some students had built him a wooden podium during their time in a shop class, it was a mighty piece of art.
And one day he got so angry at a class for being dumb that he screamed at them for being dumb and than kicked a hole through the podium.
Fuck it, this man needs a television show.
Or at the very least a live class lecture series by The Teaching Company, or a livestream from his classroom.
I want to see this person in action.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Yeah but it seemed like that's all we fucking did.
it sounds like something out of a bad dream
During a spirit assembly my senior year he came out with a few other teachers all riding bikes. While riding around he saw some students laughing at him so he peddled really quickly towards them and then jump out of the bike launching himself into them.
He was awesome.
I am awful at remembering names and dates, especially when just reading from a book. That was the majority of my history/social studies up until eighth grade when I had an awesome teacher. Apart from being generally entertaining and highlighting a lot of anecdotal history that was far more interesting than the basic stuff - he'd often go off on huge tangents, his particularly favourite subject being Andrew Jackson's insane life and complete dickishness - he had couches in the couches in the back of the room where the whole class would convene and sit in the round, just straight up discussing the stuff we were learning about. Apart from being a far more involving way of learning, it also taught me that I retain things far better aurally. That really sparked my interest in the subject to the point that it's become a passion of mine about which I am incredibly excited to get to work in a suitably 'involving' way of presenting it.
Steam: Chagrin LoL: Bonhomie
Yep
I went to the greatest high school ever built on a former cabbage field.
Fife High School.
This competition included major universities like the University of Washington & Washington State University (who came in 2nd & 3rd).
For any stretch of time there's probably just a handful (as in actually five or so) Important Dates. They get crammed more closely together as you're studying a more specific period though, like "the Roman Empire" versus "the Western Front of WWI."
Why those dates were significant, and how they interconnect? That's where you're getting into the meat of things.
(You can play along at home! Pick a period you know reasonably well and you can probably pull about five significant dates/years/reasonably short eras that can, if you get the right ones, give someone the broad sweep of the topic.)
Yeah, by that point that's what you're doing anyway. I'm more thinking of basic chronology/themes, the kind of stuff you should have in your head before going really indepth.
My dad was drafted into the US army in 1969. He never fought because he was a long-haired, anti-war hippy and really, really, really didn't want to kill anyone. Which he cheerfully told his officers at every available opportunity. So he ended up getting sent to an army base in Texas that was known for 2 things - being in the middle of god damn nowhere and housing lots of veterans that needed some time to "decompress" before being sent home.
One of the guys that he met while stationed there was a photographer that had taken hundreds and hundreds of pictures across multiple tours in Vietnam. So, my dad being a friendly sort asked if he could see some of the photos and the guy pulls out an album, flips to a page, and says something like "Heh, check this one out, I almost didn't get the picture because when I saw this I couldn't stop laughing".
The pic in question was of a crossroads with a sign, basically clap board nailed to a 4"x4" with some town names painted on it. Someone had propped the corpse of a very dead North Vietnamese soldier against the base of the post - half of the man's chest had been blown off - and then hung a sign around his neck that said "smoking is hazardous to your health".
My dad didn't ever talk to that guy again.
He also told me about the older brother of one of his friends who enlisted a couple of years earlier. He started writing letters to my dad after he'd been shipped to Vietnam, partially due to boredom and partially because he wasn't speaking to his parents for some reason or other. My dad told me about one of the letters that he remembered because it was very, very weird. I'm paraphrasing, and so was he when he told me about it, but it basically went:
<blah blah family stuff, what bands are popular, is my little sister doing ok, you still dating that one girl, etc>
Been pretty quiet out here the past few weeks and we're all pretty eager t (writing stops, pen line starts a downward crawl on the page for 3 or 4 lines)
Hey sorry about that, some turd thought it would be a good idea to kill a deer with a grenade launcher and we had to run like hell before NVA forces showed up to find out what all the noise was.
September 24, 1789
January 31, 1801
February 24, 1803
March 20, 1816
March 6, 1819
This thread is now devoted to Zonugal telling us amusing high school anecdotes.
It counts as history.
Is this not what man hath dreamt of since he created a grenade launcher?
Hee, that's slightly more obscure than I was thinking, but feels (speaking as a Canadian who doesn't follow legal history at all) like it gets the idea across.
No, he was a shitheel. I can see how you would be confused, though.
Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
it was a case concerning the supreme court's power of judicial review that ultimately set the legal precedent that the supreme court had the power of judicial review
just, "hey guys can we do this?"
"yeah, yeah we can"
"oh!"
Nah.
Awesome.
that says an awful lot about you fyi
trust me, it totally illustrates your point about giving a broad sweep of the topic
here's the answer key:
January 31, 1801 - John Marshall receives his commission as Chief Justice, he would shape the role of the Court and his influence is still seen today. For instance, he started the practice of the Court writing majority opinions instead of each Justice writing an opinion seriatim style, which is still used in the UK today.
February 24, 1803 - Marbury v. Madison, set the precedent that the Supreme Court, as final arbiters of Constitutional interpretation, could invalidate Congressional statutes that were unconstitutional
March 20, 1816 - Martin v. Hunter's Lessee, stated that the Supreme Court could review decisions from State courts that dealt with federal issues
March 6, 1819 - McCulloch v. Maryland, established that the Necessary and Proper Clause meant Congress could do things not explicitly in the Constitution if they were a means to an end that was explicitly in the Consitution; also established that States could not interfere with valid federal authority
But he was still terrific to behold and awe-inspiring.
i know, right!
there's evidence that the concept of judicial review existed before then but it's amazing how people were just like, oh ok. because really at the time the Court wasn't all that powerful
i think it's a testament to our system that the branch without money or an army wasn't just ignored
it's been absolutely fascinating to me to pick up on the Maori history since moving here. The Matariki festival is coming up soon, and I'm seriously hoping that I can get a chance to go.
Also, Hangi (i think i spelled it wrong) is the best food ever in the world oh my god.
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
figured somebody would get it