Hoa Thanh Nguyen
May 19, 2020
Writing Feedback / Teaching national literature and history vs. world literature and history [2]
Some people believe that it is more important to teach children the literature and history of their own country, rather than the literature and history of other countries.
It is believed by some individuals that children should learn about their own country's literature and historic events instead of studying the literature and history of other nations. Although I understand the importance of teaching children the literature and history of their country, I believe it is also essential for children to know about other countries' literature and history.
On the one hand, when children learn about the literature of their own country, they can understand the way people in their country think and how they express themselves. Based on that understanding, they can decide wether to continue or make changes to it so that they can create a better and more humane environment for themselves and their children to live in. When it comes to the study of the history of their own country, by learning about the past events, they can understand the struggles that previous generations had to go through so that they can enjoy what they have today. For example, many children in Vietnam tend to take food for granted until they learn about the 1945 famine when millions of Vietnamese died simply because they did not have any food to eat.
On the other hand, teaching children about world's literature allows children to reach above their horizons and understand that humans are the same everywhere. Although they speak different languages in different places and the way they express themselves may vary from one culture to another, deep down inside, we are all the same. This teaching of world's literature can boost compassion and mutual understanding among peoples. Similarly, while learning one's own history is like looking at a piece of a puzzle, learning world's history allows children to have a look at the bigger picture. They can make better sense of what is going on between countries around the world and, from there, they can make better preparations for what is to come in the future.
In conclusion, I personally believe that children should be taught both national and international history and literature, for the sake of their own country and of the global community.
Some people believe that it is more important to teach children the literature and history of their own country, rather than the literature and history of other countries.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is believed by some individuals that children should learn about their own country's literature and historic events instead of studying the literature and history of other nations. Although I understand the importance of teaching children the literature and history of their country, I believe it is also essential for children to know about other countries' literature and history.
On the one hand, when children learn about the literature of their own country, they can understand the way people in their country think and how they express themselves. Based on that understanding, they can decide wether to continue or make changes to it so that they can create a better and more humane environment for themselves and their children to live in. When it comes to the study of the history of their own country, by learning about the past events, they can understand the struggles that previous generations had to go through so that they can enjoy what they have today. For example, many children in Vietnam tend to take food for granted until they learn about the 1945 famine when millions of Vietnamese died simply because they did not have any food to eat.
On the other hand, teaching children about world's literature allows children to reach above their horizons and understand that humans are the same everywhere. Although they speak different languages in different places and the way they express themselves may vary from one culture to another, deep down inside, we are all the same. This teaching of world's literature can boost compassion and mutual understanding among peoples. Similarly, while learning one's own history is like looking at a piece of a puzzle, learning world's history allows children to have a look at the bigger picture. They can make better sense of what is going on between countries around the world and, from there, they can make better preparations for what is to come in the future.
In conclusion, I personally believe that children should be taught both national and international history and literature, for the sake of their own country and of the global community.
