Children's Textbooks

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at children's textbooks and the issue of stereotyping. The paper focuses primarily on gender issues. According to the paper, a more fundamental reanalysis of what American history really is must be embarked upon, and until then teachers must strive to supplement textbook knowledge with outside learning and interpretive activities if they want to provide a fuller picture of past and present human life to students.

From the Paper:

"The series also tries to show boys and girls from the past engaging in efforts like chopping wood, hauling water, traveling by train, and doing daily chores to help their families. This is realistic in the sense that it accurately depicts the hard life of persons alive in America many years ago, does not misrepresent the roles of the genders, yet also pays tribute to the labors of women and girls in a way that is meaningful and relatable to all children. All children have to do chores, and all children travel, and this is a way to bring history alive to both girls and boys without suggesting that one gender labored or engaged in exploration more than the other gender. The clothing of the children is historically accurate, but girls are not only seen as objects of admiration. Famous figures of the past of different genders are both given respect and attention. There is a stress upon transportation regarding America's past, though, that might, depending on the viewpoint of the educator, seem to tip the balance of 'typical' interests of boys and girls in favor of male-oriented pursuits."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American History: Early Years to 1877. (2006). New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill.
• "Community Map." (2004). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 19 Dec 2006 at<http://www.eduplace.com/ss/socsci/books/content/maps/A_comm.pdf>
• Golden, Daniel. (19 Aug 2006). "Aiming for Diversity, Textbooks Overshoot." The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 Dec 2006 at<http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115595234477240157-RhaWj2JLBSK5vWf_z_2LGU4TkzU_20060829.html?mod=blogs>
• Jacoby, Jeff. (30 Aug 2006). "Sacrificing truth on the altar of diversity." The Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 Dec 2006 at<http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/08/30/sacrificing_truth_on_the_altar_of_diversity/>
• My World: Bringing Social Studies Alive. (2004). New York: Houghton Mifflin.

More papers on Children's Textbooks:

• Book Review # 74707 : "Special Needs Children"
• Research Paper # 99643 : "Who Decides What Our Children Should Be Taught?"
• Research Paper # 61632 : "Single-Parent Household Students"

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