In the last month I visited Madame Tussuad's, upon arriving I immediately noticed there where a number of school trips taking place as it was a school day I didn’t think any more of it. There was a particular groups of kids who were in front of me pretty much all the way round the were having such a great time. We went from film stars to music icons into the world leaders. While I was examining the wrinkles in Nelson Mandelas face I looked over and saw the children gathered around the waxworks of Saddam Hussein and Adolf Hitler. This drove me to question what these children where gaining from this? The children were aged roughly between 5/7 with an adult chaperoning them. The chaperon was telling the children about the things that Hitler used to do to people in his time. I was shocked because it obviously brought on lots of questions from the children.
This brought me to ask myself if I found this acceptable, for such young children to be told quite graphically what some the worlds extremist have done in the past. And whether or not they should be put in the same exhibition as such world changing people, as Nelson Mandela and Barrack Obama? Are we introducing children the negative influences from the past too soon? Or are we teaching them about wrongs and rights?
Bradley Your blog post is an arresting one as highlights the need to be aware on 'unintended' (Jarvis, 2004, 1997)[Adult education and lifelong learning: theory and practice] . It brings up the question of when communication and learning are misaligned. If this is the case face to face, I can only wonder at the possibilities in an online environment. Is it a case of that old movie byline 'be afraid , very afraid' or are there solutions to this dilemma?
ReplyDeleteOk Bradley - you got me so interested that I went off into the world of adult ed... Yes this blog brings up issues about the areas that interest you and beyond. Jarvis' unintended learning means that learning experiences are not always straight forward - so what were the children in you scenario actually learning? Perhaps they are learning to be desensitised, as you imply. So interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Madame Tussaud`s before, but I never really thought of it. You have a very good point.
ReplyDeleteWhen we watch films, there age guidance, and also when teachers teach history at school, they are careful of what is suitable or not for the age of kids.
Madame Tussaus`s can be like a open history lesson. However, as you mentioned, it could a haunted attraction for young kid.
People need to separate some of the sections, or at least people need to put age guide line for some section, I think.
That was an interesting question Bradley, Thanks for posting it.
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