One of the most memorable books I have ever read and absolutely essential. Hirsch identified the fact that American education began to slide and he noticed that kids were not learning the foundational knowledge that would make them successful in American life. American education has slid since then as many critics misunderstood his goals. Critics considered his summary of literary as an attack on kids who had not mastered foundational knowledge since they believed in the `I'm OK, you're OK' school of thought. The U.S. has fallen behind many other countries and Hirsch documented how Americans could master the key knowledge they needed to know in order to have a claim to literacy. As the years have unfolded Hirsch has been proven correct as other countries performed what American teachers and administrators did not insist on and the kids did not learn.

Educational anthropology > United States/Culture/Multicultural education > United States/Literacy > United States

Very helpful in focusing one's efforts for and filling in the gaps in self-education. Also a nice supplement for home schooling. ( )