Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America

Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America

  • Downloads:1581
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-09-02 15:21:13
  • Update Date:2025-09-07
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Katie Worth
  • ISBN:1735913642
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

Investigative reporter Katie Worth reviewed scores of textbooks, built a 50-state database, and traveled to a dozen communities to talk to children and teachers about what is being taught, and found a red-blue divide in climate education。 More than one-third of young adults believe that climate change is not man-made, and science instructors are being contradicted by history teachers who tell children not to worry about it。

Who has tried to influence what children learn, and how successful have they been? Worth connects the dots on oil corporations, state legislatures, school boards, libertarian thinktanks, conservative lobbyists, and textbook publishers, all of whom have learned from the fight over evolution and tobacco, and are now sowing uncertainty, confusion, and distrust about climate science, with the result that four in five Americans today don’t think there is a scientific consensus on global warming。 In the words of a top climate educator, “We are the only country in the world that has had a multi-decade, multi-billion dollar deny-delay-confuse campaign。” Miseducation is the alarming story of how climate denialism was implanted in millions of school children。

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Reviews

Brandon Westlake

As a teacher myself, I was curious to see what this book would say from an outsider's perspective about climate education in America today。 Much of what Worth writes about resonated with my, and frankly didn't surprise me at all。 She talks to a lot of people and explores different avenues, from individual biases to structural obstacles like standards。 It's not an easy fix, but knowing what the problems are is essential。 I often think the best teachers are those who are passionate about their con As a teacher myself, I was curious to see what this book would say from an outsider's perspective about climate education in America today。 Much of what Worth writes about resonated with my, and frankly didn't surprise me at all。 She talks to a lot of people and explores different avenues, from individual biases to structural obstacles like standards。 It's not an easy fix, but knowing what the problems are is essential。 I often think the best teachers are those who are passionate about their content, learning more and keeping up on the latest research。 Worth's argument bolsters this thinking。 If we had more teachers who actively kept up with true, relevant, scientific research, and then taught science as a process rather than rote memorization, perhaps we would not only make progress in climate education but in education as a whole。 We should want teachers who model good thinking within their content, and that seems to be what she's implying in these pages。 After all, honestly, standards are merely statements on paper。 At the end of the day, a teacher will spin them however he/she wants and will teach them the way that he/she wants (unless there's some strong oversight system in place)。 Better standards are not the answer- better teachers are。I think this book gives a lot of insight for obviously the science community and science education community but I also think it's a great book to consider in teacher prep programs and professional development。 Yes, it is about climate change and research, but it is a great reflection about education and how we can improve it to meet the needs of our students。 。。。more

Eser

What is the purpose of education? In an ideal world, education would furnish youth with the knowledge and skills they need in the future。 Given that climate change is the looming existential threat for the entire planet, preparing our youth for the future would entail teaching them about the short- and long-term effects of climate change and the actions that might prevent the worst。 But this is not an ideal world。 I've been part of a grassroots nonprofit that teaches climate change at schools, a What is the purpose of education? In an ideal world, education would furnish youth with the knowledge and skills they need in the future。 Given that climate change is the looming existential threat for the entire planet, preparing our youth for the future would entail teaching them about the short- and long-term effects of climate change and the actions that might prevent the worst。 But this is not an ideal world。 I've been part of a grassroots nonprofit that teaches climate change at schools, and I was familiar with everything in this book。 However, if you don't think/talk about climate change and the livability of our planet regularly, you'll learn a great deal from this book。 Worth has an engaging writing style, and her extensive research about science and climate education, as well as her numerous interviews with students, teachers, textbook writers and editors, industry professionals, and scientific experts, make this book an excellent source。 Honestly, I couldn't put this book down。Miseducation is a perfect read for anybody concerned about climate change and the forces that influence or shape curricula and textbooks。 It is also for people who'd like to understand the current state of K-12 education。-ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review- 。。。more

Kat

Don´t trust everything you read - ever heard that? Or another version - don´t trust everything they say。Scepticism is good。 It´s good for science。 It´s part of critical thinking and there is nothing wrong with it, But what if our mistrust, our doubt, went way too far?For years we have been hearing scientists saying that climate change is happening, while other scientists, politicians and authorities have been saying the exact opposite。 If society gets mixed messages it´s only natural that mistru Don´t trust everything you read - ever heard that? Or another version - don´t trust everything they say。Scepticism is good。 It´s good for science。 It´s part of critical thinking and there is nothing wrong with it, But what if our mistrust, our doubt, went way too far?For years we have been hearing scientists saying that climate change is happening, while other scientists, politicians and authorities have been saying the exact opposite。 If society gets mixed messages it´s only natural that mistrust gets stronger and deeper。 Katie Worth travelled around States only to discover how money from oil and gas industry has walked into schools spreading false information not only amongst teachers, but also among children。 She explains how oil money is influencing politics (and vice versa) and science。 The amount of examples is overwhelming。 What´s more, Katie Worth says it´s not the first time we have to fight for factual science being present in schools as opposed to so-called-science。 For example the battle between evolution and creationism is still on! In XXI century! Another example is the battle between tobacco industry vs entire society。 Remember how they presented their own "science" to back up their believe that smoking is actually good for you? Katie Worth explains very well the problem of doubt in climate change and why fixing it is urgent。 But really, the most important question is: isn´t it already too late? Today is 16th of August 2021 and a few days ago scientists announced that our damage to climate is irreversible。 One of chapters in the book is called Victory。 Well, they won。#netgalley 。。。more