God bless America, My home sweet home

I was subbing in a seventh grade social studies class. The students were to label all 8 continents of the world and oceans on a blank map of the world. A student walked up to all frustrated because she didn't know any of the continents. I thought it would be easy to start with the continent she lives in, North America. I pointed to North America, told her this is the continent she lives on and it has part of our country's name.

"America?"

"There's a word missing in front. The continent is what direction of this continent (pointing to South America)?"

"North."

"Ok. Now write North America."

"I don't know how to spell America."

Silence.

"You're an American, and you don't know how to spell America?"

The student didn't reply. She patiently stood there waiting for me to spell America for her. After all the continents were labeled, she needed help with the oceans.

"What is the capitol of Georgia?"

"I don't know." (Do I need to remind you, the reader, I live in Georgia?)

"The capitol is Atlanta. What ocean touches the coast of Georgia?"

"I don't know."

"The Atlantic Ocean. Remember the capitol of Georgia is ATLANTa, and the ocean touching the coast of Georgia is the ATLANTic."

"How do you spell Atlantic?"

Finally the student had her map filled out with correct spellings and everything was labeled correctly. Later in the same week I was subbing in a sixth grade class at a different middle school. After first bus load was called, then parent pick-up and walkers, there was only one student remaining in the classroom. He was picking up trash off the floor and straightening desks. He told me he recently moved from Florida and was new to the school. I asked him, "Do you know how to spell America?"

"No, I really couldn't spell America for you."

"Are you taught how to spell America in class?"

"Not really. The teachers have notes on the board and we write down the words but we don't know how to spell the words."

"Ok. Thanks, I was curious."

I won't say every student can't spell America, I only met two. However, why can't two Americans spell America? This is the country they live in, and they don't know how to spell it. I don't know anything about the new curriculum for elementary and middle grades, because I studied secondary education, but I want to know are students not being taught the capitols of the states and how to spell countries? If yes, when?

On a side note, education starts at home. Parents needs to teach their children basic knowledge so when the child goes to school the teacher will be able to expand on their knowledge.

~Jonnie