If they taught cultural anthro in middle/high school...?

Question

I really wish I had known about anthropology when I was younger. I think it would help to build a more tolerant society as young people are exposed to the idea that no culture is superior to another's. Does anyone have any ideas why they don't do that? Had I known anthro existed in high school, my life might've had a very different outcome from what it is now.

Answer 1

It wasn't taught in my high school. It is taught in some high schools along with psychology and sociology. Unfortunately, I went to a very small high school and had no idea what anthropology was until my third year at university when a light went on in my brain and I promptly changed my major, we did cover some basics of psychology and a little sociology though. I'm also Canadian.

Answer 2

Anthropology states how badly yahoo sucks.

Answer 3

I was taught anthro in high school. I thought it was really exciting. I had the best teacher ever. He was young, energetic and didn't bull around. He always asked questions and most of our classes were non traditional (in the sense that we spent minimal time in the text book and more time discussing) I really learned alot that year. Perhaps schools in the US don't teach it? (I wouldn't know, I'm in Canada)

Answer 4

Two issues affect this -

First, there are not enough teachers that really understand Anthropology to teach it at the high/middle school level.  I am sure that a lot of teachers had A anthro course while in college, but that does not make them competent to cover the topic to students.  Unlike, history, math and many other topics - schools that teach you how to teach do not offer classes in how to teach anthropology.  Occasionally you will find a high school teacher that was also an anthro student - and they might be competent to teach it.  Then, if you can get the school to agree -

you run into the second problem -

Not enough parents of high/middle school kids, or the kids themself, have any clue about what Anthropology is to think about taking the course.  In my senior year (long, long ago) my class had over 700 students - an intro to anthro course was offered as a social science elective to seniors.  I jumped at the class and was the first to sign up - and apparently the only one - the course had to be cancelled because not another single person signed up!  I was dissapointed  but went on to study it in college and have now been a professional anthro/archaeologist for over 20 years.

I agree with you that getting at least an introduction to the concepts of anthropology (cultural relativisim, ethnocentrism, etc.) at an early age might well help many students understand the world we live in a lot better.  Hopefully the future holds more potential for an early introduction to Antrho - and things like this forum will raise enough interst in students that they start asking for it.

Answer 5

blame the church