E. D. Hirsch's Preface To Cultural Literacy

In E.D. Hirsch’s “Preface to Cultural Literacy,” he explains the role cultural literacy plays to create a pathway for the less privileged to succeed. Cultural literacy is the ability to obtain “basic information” useful for the “modern world.” He goes on to compare the didactic theories of education and relating it back to the idea of cultural literacy. Hirsch emphasizes the importance of the school system to educate cultural literacy, on the other hand, I think students themselves should also be responsible. Hirsch references many great thinkers including Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, Plato and Samuel Johnson. Overall, there were two main conflicting arguments of education. One side argues that there are specific information that should be taught to children. The other side argues against it and instead, children will eventually learn from their own experiences. Hirsch critiques

It is then through their own experiences that they can apply the skills in a fitting way. These specific skills should be determined by the modern culture, the age of the child, or the maturity of the child. It is crucial for the school system to support students so that they can thrive in the world, but students should not depend on the school system to teach them what they are suppose to know. Instead students should be actively looking for necessary tools to advance in life. It can happen through the influence of their peers, or curiosity of the students themselves. We are in a different time now, where resources are more accessible. With the advancement of technology, it is not difficult to look for information online. There is also the option of the library. The curriculum of schools can encourage students, but it is up to the students to take on the actions and look for opportunities to further their knowledge of the