Breezey

Living in the Uk has taught me something I never would have understood-how different Australians actually are from the English-even if many(Australians) don't realise it.
I suppose the Americans should also stick a union jack in the corner of their flag-or risk being accused of not being "proud of their heritage".

Breezey

The irony! being proud of ones country means not letting it get a fully fledged identity of its own.

Vash the Stampede

We do have our own identity. There's no other country like us, and no national character like the Australian national character.

We have our own currency, our own culture, our own history, our own slang, our own traditions... etc. etc.

What more do you want?

I am not a "dual citizen" Australian; I am a 100% single-citizenship Australian, and like you I am frustrated by the immigration controls enforced upon me.

Vash the Stampede

I've understood it all my life; didn't need to visit the UK for that!

I wasn't accusing anyone of not being proud of their heritage.

What the Yanks do is their own business; I'm simply talking about Australia.

jad n rich

Jack grade 4, just did the arrival of the first fleet etc, they all had to get up on stage dressed as convicts and sing that Botany Bay song while they all linked arms and swayed across the stage

Last term they did Ned Kelly and dressed up in silver bin liners with tin foil around the heads. No english history or history books but a lot of fun learning the aussie bits, they also did a term on aboriginal history, loads of fun with body paint, digerydoos etc think that was grade 2. Odd thing tho, grade 6 kid hasnt done any history it seems to get done by play in earlier grades. I suppose there isnt really that much history to cover.

GinaUK

Finally, a sensible person!

Looking at cause and effect (rather than learning by rote that in xxxx year yyy person did act zzz) can also mean that we learn from the mistakes of the past. If we want to avoid WW3, we need to learn to be more tolerant of each other - looking at cause and effect of historical events is a good way to learn that.

Just my view.

Gina

BadgeIsBack

lol.

Lets see we can do the English version: (now I think about it there is stacks of English history that is now ignored or forgotten).

Apart from some bloke stopping the ocean, and a bloke burning the cakes, English history for Jack in Grade 4 starts with when King Harold marched up and down the country, went to Stamford Bridge, (reminds me of a football stadia) then copped it in the eye at Hastings.

Then we have a bit of Plague, with peasants covered in muck, - think Monty Python; maybe a mention of Magna if you're in the top set, followed by a bit of Shakespeare and Henry and Elizabeth, then a jolly Civil war, Industrial Revolution, "Kiss me Hardy" and "England Expects" at Trafalgar, 2 World Wars (and 1 World Cup) then ...nothing apart from EU debacles and wrangling.

mand8002

My daughter has just done Medieval England at school and she is in year 6. It was done as a project and they finished with a medieval day where they all went dressed up and had a medieval banquet and medieval games. She thoroughly enjoyed it and I am sure the information learnt will be remembered.

MrsDagboy

And there speaks a died-in-the wool republican .

jad n rich

Kids just reminded me, although they dont do english history (my kids are big readers at home) the school and public library have the horrible history series, you know the ones vicous vikings, evil edwardians etc, the books are well worn when they hire them, so they must get well read here even thos its english history.

Vash the Stampede

When I was a kid, we started history lessons in Grade 4.

Australian, of course; first fleet and all that.

CORKER

Yes ...everybody that speaks English as a first language has to learn English history....I read this in a newspaper ...so it must be true..

wanderingwombat

You mean about how other peoples living in pink coloured places on the world map were actively encouraged to abandon their culture in favour of the new way, enforced by armed men in red coats?

I always wondered about the logic of wearing heavy uniforms in hot climates



WW

CORKER

Yeah!.....but we didn't make them eat Macdonalds...!!!!

desperate2go

I understand your point, but no need to be so condescending. I too am a little worried that my daughter (who obviously has her British roots) will not learn alot of the history that i learnt at school. You will just have to take the time to teach them yourselves if it worries you, thats what i am going to do. I would not like her to not have that knowledge, just because we have moved to another country. It is still part of her heritage.

Why are SOME people on here so quick to jump on others if they dont put their query in a very measured way

Makes it a bit unfriendly on here sometimes i think. Shame really.