Post war education

AbsolutCheshire

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I am stuck on education questions- my story takes place after WW3, the world is desecrated and centers around my MC and a little girl he rescued at birth. He took her to hospital and they placed her with a family until she was 4 years old. Then some villains, not sure who yet, who were looking for my MC, Doc, killed the family and abducted her. I was working on the rescuing scene when it donned on me, even if Doc saves her he’ll have this 4 year old girl to take care of and he’s living on the lam how would the education for this child go?

Noting that the world is hard lived in this story, the cities are no more than towns and villages, technology is held only by those conducting the war- it’s almost like the world has been thrown back into time. Money doesn’t hold weight, rare to see a car, people scrapping to get by.

So anything you have to offer would be appreciated. Thanks.

/ac
 

misslissy

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In that kind of scenario where it seems like everyone is fending for themselves, he'd probably be educating her at home - it sounds like there aren't any schools. But it's your world, so if there is an education system, you need to decide what that looks like.
 

jaksen

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People who are educated, who find themselves in restricted circumstances, often will simply teach the children they are with to read. That's what they start with, if you are talking 'formal-type' instruction.

Of course he's going to teach her what survival skills he knows. How to start a fire. How to cook out of cans. How to scavenge for clothes, food, medical supplies and books!

But it seems to me he'd emphasize and start with reading and that libraries would be a favorite 'scavenging spot.' I've often thought I'd like to write a story where people - after the decline and end of the 'modern world' - decide to live in an old library.
 

MattW

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It depends on how far technology and civilization have degraded.

I think survival essentials would be the place to start - foraging/hunting for food, who to trust or fear, basics of self-defense, stealth, etc. This would be inclusive of recent history, geography of all places near, and important places far.

I'd also think that reading/information access would be critical skills in the post-catastrophe world you describe. You can navigate the remnants better, and find lost knowledge from a variety of sources that would improve the security and sustainability of your life.

Probably also a need for some rudimentary skills in tool use, sewing, driving, basic machinery.

Grifting, conning, lying, and creating false identities and documents could also have a use.

Maybe like in The Road, imparting a sense of morality, or at least an understanding of why they are on the run would explain the severity of your world to the young child.

Realistically, a 4 year old isn't going to get all of this, but start simple and taught over time it could make sense.
 

Royal Mercury

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I suppose that abandoned schools would also be ripe for looting.

But it sounds like she'd be attending the school of hard knocks for the most part.
 
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AdriRaven

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In the game Fallout 3, there is a somewhat improbable scenario: a bunch of kids living down in a cave together, away from the treacherous adults of the world. They're forced to leave when they hit 16, since 'you change when you grow up'.

What's relevant here is their means of education. From what you can learn in-game, the oldest kids usually take over teaching duties, with basics reading and writing, survival, fighting and food-gathering. Beyond that, the teacher notes that he has access to materials for a lot of other subjects but that the kids mostly learn what they're interested in.

Still, as a child, I suspect your little gal wouldn't really be taught much more than the basics. If you're developing the story much further than that, your Doc may know more about what she needs to learn due to their experiences.
 

Kitti

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He can teach her all the usual survival skills on his own - presumably, after all, he has them already.

To teach her to read, all he'd really need is a single book (historically this would be a copy of the Bible, but you could have lots of fun making her learn to read out of a Harry Potter book or a mystery novel or something).

Teaching her to write only requires a stick and dirt. She wouldn't know how to hold a pen or pencil, but the skill would transfer readily enough. Along with teaching her to write, he could teach her basic arithmetical skills the same way.

History is just storytelling, so he could recite to her whatever he remembered. Ditto with the odd scraps of science - botany, chemistry, physics - that she needs to survive.

What else would she really need to know? Arguably even literacy could be irrelevant to your post-war society, but it's a central enough component to our current society that he'd probably feel the need to teach it to her.