Fables and Parables and Stories.

[graciegirl]

When I went to grade school, we were taught fables to illustrate a point and to teach ethics. Most of us heard in Public School about Chicken Little, about the little boy who cried Wolf, about the squirrel who saved for a rainy day etc. Now, if I understand correctly, that isn't allowed, because it is "teaching morality". Tell me whether those stories still come to your mind and how you feel about them. Tell me your favorite and how it relates today.

[Cassie325]

Gracie....they are NOT learning these in school....you are right.

Do you remember this one?

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing


A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to
the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found
the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it
put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.
The Lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the Wolf was
wearing, began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing; so,
leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal of her, and
for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying
hearty meals.
Appearances are deceptive.

So instead of learning the above....they are learning this:

My little 11 year old, barbie and tinkerbell loving, little girl came home from school announcing they were having a new class. That once a week they would be going to something called GREAT....GANG Resistance Educ and Training....
I would give anything to bring back Chicken Little and The Boy who cried wolf....

:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:

[graciegirl]

The story of the little boy who cried "wolf" is on MY mind right now. It is a shame when that happens in real life and when a person who might need understanding and compassion, but their behavior in the past makes people suspicious if they once again are making a big fuss when probably nothing is truly wrong.

[ConeyIsBabe]

Gracie.... I understand what this topic is about and I AGREE ! :agree:


However, I would like to shift thoughts to another old fable that I have been thinking of a lot these days, relating to our economy. I'm OLD and don't remember it exactly.... was it a hen ? Someone who was always stashing away food and storing it for hard times ? Then when all the other barnyard characters had nothing.... she turned out to be the smart one ? Did she share the goods? I don't remember how it all went but I've been comparing it to our current economy and bailing out all those individuals who lived the large life while us slobs who lived within our means are going to have to pay for them.

Did I make any sense ? How did that old fable go ?

[graciegirl]

Yes, Babe. It most certainly has been on my mind. If it isn't the truth, what is?

I can't bear to think about it. Being careful and saving and working hard.

............to fish out a bunch of lazy people who don't want to curtail their impulses and feel they have a right to things just because they want them.

[renielarson]

Gracie,

I don't know where you are and why you can't teach the fables of "morality" but in my district we still can and do! In fact, fables/folktales are one of our 3rd grade state curriculum objectives.

[graciegirl]

Bright. That is good to hear. We had a big problem with the religious right here some time ago and now things have changed. I am a moderate.

Hear that world?

I am a moderate.


Halloween and Christmas is kinda different too in the school system.

[Sidney Lanier]

I remember learning about fables and folktales in elementary school, and of course I didn't understand back then what 'curriculum' meant, but I have no recollection of this type of literature being used to 'teach morality.' In fact, I don't remember being 'taught morality' per se; it was more acquiring life skills and values by the power of example of others--parents, other family members, teachers, neighbors, peers--with occasional explanations for concepts that may have been too complex for whatever age I was at the time. Did I miss something, growing up in a big city? Hmmm....

[graciegirl]

I remember learning about fables and folktales in elementary school, and of course I didn't understand back then what 'curriculum' meant, but I have no recollection of this type of literature being used to 'teach morality.' In fact, I don't remember being 'taught morality' per se; it was more acquiring life skills and values by the power of example of others--parents, other family members, teachers, neighbors, peers--with occasional explanations for concepts that may have been too complex for whatever age I was at the time. Did I miss something, growing up in a big city? Hmmm....

Sidney,

I am not sure what the difference is between values and morality.
I only know that I have used these valuable lessons time and time again to make sense of this difficult and complex world. It seems that as I get older there are more questions than answers and sometimes I do feel like "the sky is falling". It is so nice to be heading to TV in about two weeks, where people have recieved about the same education as me. It is comfortable to know that.

I don't think you have missed a thing Sidney. You seem awful smart to me. Smartest thing you did is marry that HB!

GG