MasterM, Knight.

I was reminded of this photograph

by a young man, Asher, who lives in Missouri

and loves historical re-enactments.

We spent several summers attending

the various displays and battles

organised by English Heritage.

I can highly recommend them

although the Viking phase was a bit hairy and smelly.

My children absorbed a sense of history and timeline

which is not communicated in the classroom.

All too often, the syllabus focusses on

the wars of the Twentieth Century

to the exclusion of everything else.

There is also an emphasis on

the experience of 'ordinary' people

which gives a distorted perspective.

If you are lucky they will understand

that the children wore gas masks in England

at the same time that Hitler was in Germany.

If the teacher is less talented that might not happen.

There is also a lot of history that is not covered at all.

It seems a shame not to understand about the Normans, Plantagenets, Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians and Victorians. Not to mention the Romans, Saxons and Vikings. And the excursions into Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Oh yes...and what about our Colonial adventures and a little bit about Europe. It may sound like a tall order but I think that it is at least as important as learning to decorate cereal packets or make plastic peanut trays in Design Technology.

Goodness, that was a rant.

Sorry folks - I had better go and take the medicine.