whispers awnesty's blog

It is so touching and amazing how perceptive small people are. My husband walks around oblivious at times as to the way I feel ...and sometimes misses  the point when i explain to him in what i think are no uncertain terms. Today, however, at one of the lowest internal points i have had in a long time , my son comes up to me and tells me he loves me and gives me a hug. This is probably normal  Read More »

In Literacy and Cultural Literacy, Hirsch points out the ability to read is more than seeing words on a page and knowing what it says, it is actually understanding and knowing the background of what an article or document is saying and how it applies to us in our society. Very few people actually have what Hirsch calls Cultural Literacy, which is the general knowledge of historical background with in the life going on around us.  Hirsch’s point is not that we do not have the literacy it takes to truly understand, it is that we do not even know we are lacking it. Once aware, it is our responsibility to fix the educational literacy system and adjust our own knowledge level. Hirsch says that our lack of background knowledge in our culture and policies takes away our ability to communicate efficiently and effectively, even in the simplest parts of our day we are forced to oversimplify instructions. Although there is a rise in both literacy and cultural literacy, it isn’t enough. What we need to do is re-incorporate this universal knowledge into our education system so that we- and our children- may be more efficient in life.  Read More »