Teaching the Real Reason for the Season

This is a true account of a conversation I had with my children, regarding whether it is 'fair' to teach both scientific and religious explanations as if both are equal or comparable. I was able to use a lot of fine art and illustrations, because the Greek myth I used has inspired the imaginations of many artists and still does.

Special thanks to AronRa for helping with the voice-over.

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[MumblingMickey]

The fact that anyone would need to 'explain' why teaching assorted stories from numerous cultures, religions and historical periods is not an explanation is frankly beyond me...

Whats next I wonder... the 'scientific' explanation for reproduction... you know with the sex, and pregnancy and birth thing.... and just to even things up teach the alternative 'stork' theory of reproduction?

[LilandraX]

@MumblingMickey Creationism is still being taught in 13 percent of US classrooms. It is deemphasized in an additional 30 percent. We are still educating a large number of people who can't distinguish a myth from a scientific theory.

[stiimuli]

I've subscribed in anticipation of more nice videos from you. May I make a small criticism? While I understand the need in some videos to have a script handy, you sounded a bit too much like your were just reading that script.

People like AronRa can sound great reading from a script but most of us end up sounding rather stale doing so. I might suggest using a bullet-point script with points you want to adress but a more loose, conversational adressing of those points.

just a thought =)

[LilandraX]

@stiimuli Thank you. We tried another recording, but Aron said," it sucked worse." He naturally did his voice overs from the start with no problems. I am working on it, and will try different things in the future with with his help. He struggles with patience, but he still helps.

[LilandraX]

Subkimor 3. "...every bit of it was taught and left up to the children to pick what they believed (sic) true."

Science is not a democratic process. Only theories that undergo rigorous testing survive that is what is taught in science classrooms. Not what people believe may be true.

[LilandraX]

Subkimor:2. "...both, if not all forms of creationism or evolution should be taught."

There is not enough time in the day to teach the thousands of forms of creationism. Science is vast on its own. No form of creationism has scientific merit or testability.

[KOICrowz]

A third grader is smart enough to figure out why creationism shouldn't be taught, but someone like Rick Perry isn't..

Well, I guess we now know what grade he didn't make it to.

[MumblingMickey]

You'll understand here that I'm not supporting the teaching of crazy assed nonsense to kids... but you do realise the rest of the world is watching this... and most are rubbing their hands with glee...

It takes a lot to try persuade a biomed company to set up a research base... it takes less if the US simply can't produce the researchers.

And hey, I'm in an english speaking well educated nation where thankfully we more or less dumped religion over the last decade (for obvious reasons)

[MumblingMickey]

@LilandraX Well that's pretty much madness... but then again since it will have a very bad effect on the US's ability to carry out science and therefore research this century (in a period dubbed the information age) its pretty obvious that Europe and China will benefit greatly from this lunacy.

Not that I'm saying this is my preferential choice in how new jobs and industry should arise in the rest of the world... but since I'll benefit by it I certainly can't feel too bad about it.

[roxyosox122]

The Aborinal story looks really...funky.

[kayak2004]

Awesome, we need more science teachers like you.

[0debug]

This is a video that American politicians and members of school boards should watch. Nicely done.

Let's hope that humanity can keep both the Ancient Roman fundamentalists and the Abrahamic "space monster god" fundamentalists, from interfering with school classes (except for those subjects being taught in a reasonable manner where they belong, in the History class).

[bartonim]

Nicely done! You also have a very nice voice to listen to. I think your students must really enjoy your lessons! Thanks for posting.

[Rushlimpballs]

Greek and Roman mythology are much more interesting and fun than the mythology of the three monotheistic religions.

[ScreamingForClemency]

aron has a great voice.