Anonymous Patron writes “Sad Story out of Oregon, where Tigard-Tualatin has no money set aside to replace 7-year-old foreign-language texts that pre-date the euro.
the Tigard-Tualatin School District are hoping they’ll have new books for the 2005-06 school year. But the district budget has no money set aside for the textbooks.
“This is the year of tight financial resources, and I don’t know whether or not there will be money to support textbooks for second languages,” said Susan Carlile, director of curriculum and instruction. “I feel like we need to address that need.””
Pretty Weak Reasons Cited….
So these foreign language text books are no longer useful because they don’t state the current form of currency? Huh? Big deal.
What does the euro have to do with learning French. For Pete’s sake, what does Princess Diana have to do with learning a different language?
Even the technology the old books do use can be a distraction. For example, videotapes accompanying some sections feature people from the late 1980s and early 1990s, Alvstad said. “They’re really kind of funky looking now.” She has to pause sometimes to tell students that “people don’t really dress this way all over in France.”
If the teacher or her students can’t overcome a minor “distraction” (they are funky looking) then the republic is in trouble and she is a pretty ineffective teacher. I don’t see how 15 year old fashion is relevant in regards to teaching students how to speak French. Has the language changed in 7-10 years? If not, then what is the big deal. Make do with what you have.
I’m sure there are some valid reasons for replacing text books in school. For example, the books have extensive marks/writing in them or the books are fatally outdated (a history book mentioning the Soviet Union). However, the examples given in this article aren’t terribly persuasive.
More Work for Me
I have until this school year, selflessly volunteered the textbook repair services of my able assistant when old books needed a facelift. Of course, with the continuing strain of budget cuts in Oregon, my assistant was laid off, leaving only me to spruce up (and increase the life span) of our aging textbooks. Consequently, I have found myself in a heck of a time bind. The teachers are great, though, and know that their repairs are at the bottom of my inbox.
BTW, pchuck, on more than one occasion, teachers have kiboshed the use of video material in their classrooms precisely due to the costume of the actors who purport to portray contemporary youth. A fifteen year old video may not seem dated to us. It is however older than the current crop of sophomores. The teachers are well aware that the message of the video is not being heard because the actors are so unhip!
Re:More Work for Me
I agree with you on your first point about text books that are damaged.
I don’t agree with you on the second point about the fashion of actors in videos. Sure some students may think that it is unhip and silly; however, when it comes to making tough choices about spending money on new textbooks that isn’t a terribly convincing argument.
I’d like to state that the Oregon schools are in a bind and in a perfect world, they should get new text books; however, looking at the totality of the circumstances the reasons set forth in this article just aren’t very convincing.
Right now state government in Oregon has a lot more pressing problems than 7 year old French text books with late 80’s fashion. They need to solve their revenue and spending problems.
textbook manufacturers…
Like the churn of ‘current’ books.
I despise them for it.
A history book *better* mention the USSR, or it won’t be much of a history book. I’ve not come across many history books that write about current events, “the USSR will continue to be a dominant force in world affairs for decades to come”. An old history book only needs addendums of newly revealed facts, and updates onto what has happened since it’s publication date.
Old videos do suck, becuase some kids are too distracted by them. But by and large, that’s because videos themselves suck. The only good production values I ever saw in school were the old 16mm films, which most everyone got rid of, because it was ‘old’ technology. But the stuff was written very well, without dated/dateable material in it, and still taught a lot of usefull stuff…
— Ender, Duke_of_URL