Surviving Social Studies

 

I had a shop teacher in high school who would say, "You need some experience with a hammer and nail before I'll let you use the air nailer."  I didn't like that philosophy so much I was in shop class because I REALLY wanted to use that air nailer, but as I've gotten older I appreciate what he was implying.  At least for me, if I've done something manually, I usually have a better appreciation and respect for what the technology I'm using is making up for.  Before I simply push the buttons for 8 x 3 on a calculator I'm glad that I know why 8 x 3 equals 24 - not just because the screen says so.  (Yes, I looked back before typing more to make sure I had 24 as my answer...twice). 

Sometimes I wonder if we're taking things too fast before we've solidified the foundation.  The thing is, I'm not critical of technology at all.  I'm a HUGE techie, but I also grew up before a lot of the technology we use today was available so I have a different frame of reference.  Not that the way things used to be was better (let's take dial-up internet connections for instance), but the frame of reference is there.   
So, in your opinion, what are some aspects of education that you'd like students to know how to do "the old way" so they have a better foundation of knowledge so when they use the technology that is available today they understand what it is replacing?

P.S. - I own several air nailers now and think of that teacher every time I use them. 
 

 

So, in your opinion, what are some aspects of education that you'd like students to have a better foundation of knowledge in?