Customer Reviews

The Standard Deviants - Learn World Geography

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This DVD is so mind-numbingly stupid that it makes me angry every time I remember that I actually paid money for it. It gets one star only because Zero was not an option. I bought it for my then 11 year old son. It seems public schools no longer teach geography, and I believe it's a national disgrace that Americans are so ignorant about most of the planet. This DVD does nothing to overcome that ignorance. Yes it has lots of quick, MTV style, scene changes and effects. Yes it has upbeat(if moronic) teenage hosts. But its content is so general as to actually teach nothing. And its content is also factually incorrect - it seems unconscionable to me that the editors missed the fact that Mexico is part of North America. The DVD tells us that North America consists of the U.S. and Canada. I'll grant you that as a forty-something I'm biased against the style over substance tv format, but even my son found its lack of content a borderline fraud.

I bought this DVD to help teach the basics of World Geography to my middle school students. I was just as shocked as the previous reviewer that the DVD claims that Canada and the United States are the only countries in North America. They not only forgot Mexico, but they also failed to mention any Caribbean nations or Central American nations. While it can be pretty silly at times and the humor does not make you laugh at times and is more likely to make you wince, I still feel that it is the best video/DVD that I have found to quickly review World Geography. This DVD has 3 separate segments. North America Ho is not that great but the next 2 on Europe and Africa are much better and will be much more useful in the classroom. I will show this in class, but I will be sure to point out the mistakes about what nations make up North America.

I have used this with my 6th grade students. They really enjoyed it. The repeatition is good for Special Education students. It may not be perfect, but it is interesting, which is more than can be said for many Geography videos.

We understand others frustrations in their purchase of Standard Deviant...the company should have put "study and review" along with "learn" on their package. We'll never forget now (we learn from others mistakes) that Mexico etc... is in North America now will we! As for the jokes, some may be "over the heads" of 8 and under folks but so is Bugs Bunny and Dr. Seuss. We absolutely love and actually do learn from those corny guys!

This video is ok. At times it is rather confusing. The writers were more worried about being funny instead of presenting the material. And their research into these topics seems very limited.

I can't believe so- called geographers really place Mexico outside the Northern Hemisphere! Where did they go to school? This should be called Substandard Deviants! It really needs to be corrected or taken off the market. I want my money back!