I include a lot of famous people listed by birthdays in my Celebrate the Australian Year website and some people may want to know why. Isn't doing projects on miscellaneous "famous" people what we did in the 1970s? Aren't they all "dead white males"? I know I did my fair share of them, but guess what 30 years later I still remember them, because they became virtual friends.
People who are famous for endeavours in history, science, art, music, mathematics, literature and poetry are part of our western cultural heritage. They are part of where we have come from , highlight the best of humanity and have produced something of worth that has outlived themselves. In contrast many of the people that students read and see images of today are famous purely for being famous. The movie and TV stars, pop stars, sports stars and models in the popular magazines are more consumables themselves than creators of things and ideas of lasting worth. It is easy for students to discover these people. It is not so easy for them to discover the sort of people I include in my lists so it is up to parents and teachers to help introduce them.
We are by nature social creatures who connect by "gossiping" to find out about others. It is easier to learn about people's ideas if we know a bit about their childhood and foibles. This is why popular magazines sell, so take the advantage and "sell" the people who are famous in your field. Maths teachers might prefer to concentrate on mathematicians and science teachers on the scientists.
Students need to know that books, music, art, and scientific and mathematical ideas are thought of and created by real people. They don't just exist by themselves. In fact the more we know about these people the more we realise they have problems and make mistakes just like everyone else. Then if they can rise above this then maybe we all have the potential for greatness and creativity.
I try hard to find famous women particularly in the maths and science fields to make girls realise that they can achieve here too.
We are awash in information all day long but once we have heard about something once we are more attuned to noticing it when we encounter it again because it becomes familiar. When we introduce children to famous people they will pay more attention next time they find that name in a textbook or website or hear it on TV. Gradually it will become connected to more strands of information and interconnections will appear.
It is entirely arbitrary ordering famous people by birthday and indeed there is a lot to be said for introducing people when they are connected to something else that is being learnt in the classroom. However starting the day with a 5 minute spiel on a famous person is a useful settling routine and increases the number of people introduced. The greater a student's general knowledge the more hooks they have to connect new knowledge to.
Many famous people aren't on these lists because their birthdays aren't known either because they lived so long ago or in societies where birthdays weren't recorded. Add then to your own lists on days when there isn't anyone else. Have fun getting to know them yourself.
People who are famous for endeavours in history, science, art, music, mathematics, literature and poetry are part of our western cultural heritage. They are part of where we have come from , highlight the best of humanity and have produced something of worth that has outlived themselves. In contrast many of the people that students read and see images of today are famous purely for being famous. The movie and TV stars, pop stars, sports stars and models in the popular magazines are more consumables themselves than creators of things and ideas of lasting worth. It is easy for students to discover these people. It is not so easy for them to discover the sort of people I include in my lists so it is up to parents and teachers to help introduce them.
We are by nature social creatures who connect by "gossiping" to find out about others. It is easier to learn about people's ideas if we know a bit about their childhood and foibles. This is why popular magazines sell, so take the advantage and "sell" the people who are famous in your field. Maths teachers might prefer to concentrate on mathematicians and science teachers on the scientists.
Students need to know that books, music, art, and scientific and mathematical ideas are thought of and created by real people. They don't just exist by themselves. In fact the more we know about these people the more we realise they have problems and make mistakes just like everyone else. Then if they can rise above this then maybe we all have the potential for greatness and creativity.
I try hard to find famous women particularly in the maths and science fields to make girls realise that they can achieve here too.
We are awash in information all day long but once we have heard about something once we are more attuned to noticing it when we encounter it again because it becomes familiar. When we introduce children to famous people they will pay more attention next time they find that name in a textbook or website or hear it on TV. Gradually it will become connected to more strands of information and interconnections will appear.
It is entirely arbitrary ordering famous people by birthday and indeed there is a lot to be said for introducing people when they are connected to something else that is being learnt in the classroom. However starting the day with a 5 minute spiel on a famous person is a useful settling routine and increases the number of people introduced. The greater a student's general knowledge the more hooks they have to connect new knowledge to.
Many famous people aren't on these lists because their birthdays aren't known either because they lived so long ago or in societies where birthdays weren't recorded. Add then to your own lists on days when there isn't anyone else. Have fun getting to know them yourself.