Congratulations! This is awesome.

I feel like it takes a lot of effort to develop well-connected knowledge across my areas of interest. Academia is pushing me towards a silo (ivory tower).

I need to not trap myself within an ivory tower.

It is still super relevant today.

Honestly, if I were to teach an introductory course on education, I would want to use this book.

That said, I appreciate that he views multilingualism as good and in his ideal world, America would strive towards it.

You should read this book. It is brilliant and still relevant today.

14/14 #CulturalLiteracy

Here is my only point of substantial disagreement with E.D. Hirsch.
While the encouragement of multilingualism is contrary to our history (look it up), it is only unrealistic for political reasons, not practical ones.
13/14 #CulturalLiteracy

A common knowledge is assumed in all communications. We might as while try to identify it and pass this key knowledge down.
12/ #CulturalLiteracy

Dewey is more complicated than his detractors often like to admit.

Our curriculum must be “common” and “flexible.” This means we want students to have a broad shared body of knowledge AND a less shared, more particular knowledge of local culture/history
11/ #CulturalLiteracy

The facts kids learn (or do not learn) matter.
10/ #CulturalLiteracy

Throughout the book, Hirsch argues that one primary reason cultural literacy matters is because it enables mutual understanding. Cultural literacy is a requirement for effective communication.
9/ #CulturalLiteracy

“To acknowledge the importance of minority and local cultures of all sorts, to insist on their protection and nurture, to give them…respect are traditional aims that must be stressed even when one is concerned …with national and cultural literacy.”
8/ #CulturalLiteracy

A nation’s culture is filled with stories and facts that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
7/ #CulturalLiteracy

•AI
•Schema
•Transfer
•Knowledge
•Skills
•Cultural literacy
“Once the relevant knowledge is acquired, the skill follows. General programs contrived to teach general skills are ineffective.”
6/ #CulturalLiteracy

Cultural literacy isn’t about passing down a particular/dominant group’s culture. It is about a dialogue between groups and what should be included in “cultural literacy” changes as the groups naturally interact and change. p11

“Cultural literacy, namely, the network of information that all competent readers have.” p2
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#Books #CulturalLiteracy

Hirsch’s work isn’t a conservative project. His aim is to help students from all backgrounds.
He doesn’t advocate for a prescriptive set of knowledge/books students must know. Rather he advocates for a descriptive list.
I.e. What do most literate Americans know about?
3/
#Books #CulturalLiteracy

I always like when you see surprising endorsements. Richard C. Anderson endorsed the book. He is a brilliant researcher (see link) who I would say generally writes from a different perspective than Hirsch but found his work meaningful.
scholar.google.com/citations?us...
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#Books #CulturalLiteracy