As a social studies teacher, this topic is significant to me and how/what I teach. When I teach about history, I make it a very important point to view issues from multiple perspectives. For example, when teaching about Westward movement and Manifest Destiny, it is important to also see how Americans' "God-given right" to own land and promote our own form of government might be perceived by Native Americans whose idea of land ownership is quite different. Or, when students have brought up politics, I remind them that it is important to get information from multiple sources, not just one particular news channel that might be biased. In order to develop good citizens, especially in today's world of information overload and incredible bias, I think students need to be well-informed and critical thinkers who can not only listen to information given to them, but also analyze that information to determine where it came from, which perspective it is giving, and whether there are other perspectives to consider. Honestly, I think a lot of adults could use a lesson in this as well!
Having taught on an Native American Reservation, and having the friends I met there, the discussion of "Immigration" has a different context. During this time of limiting refugees and stopping immigrants...many of their Facebook posts have a very different flavor from those generally seen. When we discuss the "discovery of American in my SS class...it always involves them imagining the NA perspective and beliefs...which I never learned in school. Columbus Day was not a popular day on the Rez.
This article brings up some very valued points. One that I have often thought about myself is the idea that standardized tests seem to focus heavily on reading and math. The lack of emphasis on other subjects really indicates that they aren't valued or as important when these subjects may be where our students can find success academically. The article also highlights two practices that I am not always sure are implemented in schools: allowing students to ask challenging questions and exposing them to multiple points of view. No matter what subject we are teaching, I think our end goal is to aid students into becoming adults who will be able to think for themselves, view materials and ideas critically, and problem solve in the real world.
I thought this was a timely article since I am being asked often about certain school issues that not all parents are supportive of. I wonder as a Catholic school how we teach students to problem solve and think for themselves yet we are bound to staying within the perimeters of the church law. If we talk about the 'other view' are we saying what we teach isn't valid? I know what I tell my children, but what do we tell our students?
This is an interesting concept. I was actually struggling with this as far as a lesson that I was toying with teaching the middle school. My next topic is Tolerance. I thought about asking students what they thought about the concept of how our society is always so focused on "the first woman did this, the first Latino person did this, the first African American did this." I guess I was wondering why does it matter. Should it matter? Can we just celebrate an accomplishment without race or gender being involved? So I have been going back and forth on this all week, not wanting to get in trouble because I ask that question and have them debate it because I know we have to be careful not to put our views on them. It is tough because I want to have them ask that challenging question but in the world we are in right now, people can be offended easily. Would someone be offended by that? I agree with Vicki on the comment of I know how I would talk about this with my son. I would want him to not see color or gender but be impressed by the person's achievements.
All of the comments posted so far give me hope. They all acknowledge a recognition of the importance of allowing and encouraging students to voice their opinions, ask questions, and think critically. We do not have to provide the answers to all of their questions, but students will immediately recognize that we respect the dialogue. I appreciate Vicki's comment, and I have to admit that I may have been one of those parents that would have been encouraging our school to be sure to consider all of the perspectives in the issues that we discuss in our classrooms. I do wish, like Tracy, that along with our emphasis on math and reading, we could still acknowledge and draw attention to the concepts we cover in science and social studies.
I agree with Vicki, it is challenging in the fact of how we allow our students to question things and look at it in the view of the church. I often just find myself steering clear of it but I know it's important for kids the question things and think for themselves. Being in a Catholic school I think that is one of the things that is more challenging to do. How can we effectively let kids express there opinions? We definitely need people in this world that are able to think through issues and think critically about them.
In Social Studies, I just taught a unit on government which included a lot of information about citizens. I had many discussions with the second graders about citizens and our rights and responsibilities. It has been very interesting to hear 7 and 8 year olds thoughts and opinions on what makes a "good citizen." Many students would remember bits and pieces of political commercials and question why they said the things they said about others. Teaching 2nd graders the concept of voicing your opinion and thinking critically has proven to be both insightful and challenging.
I agree that it is important for us to teach students how to ask challenging questions and pose their opinions, but in respectful ways. As I read this article, what came to my mind was the current topic of students possibly leaving Aquin at the 6th or 7th grade to go to the public school. Allowing students to give their opinion or questions on paper may give us a perspective that would possibly allow our staff to rest assure that we are providing and cultivating a rich academic and spiritual environment for our students.
I totally agree that we need to teach our students/children to think critically. So many people in this world don't have that skill. It is hard to answer some of the questions students ask because you're afraid how it will be received by others. I always find it very interesting when the first graders get talking about politics and to hear what they say because they are listening to the adults which sometimes is quite eye opening. They really have no idea what they are saying but they think they do because that's what mom and dad said.
This was a very interesting article. As a kindergarten teacher I find that many of the kiddos opinions are based on what their parents/friends say. Their little minds are so receptive to everything around them and they pick up on so much. Like Betsy, some of them have talked about (and even dressed like) politicians, yet they know very little about that person. As a parent of a middle schooler, this is a little more difficult. Many topics come up and with that a lot of questions. I feel it is important to allow them to ask questions and to form their own opinions on issues. They need to be fully educated on all aspects of these issues to allow them to form opinions that they can feel good about and take ownership of. We shouldn't force our kids to think a certain way or believe in certain things just because we do.
I agree with others that we need to teach our students to think critically and have their own opinions. At the middle school age, many students do have their own opinions. However, I think that sometimes they get their opinion from others (parents, friends, etc) without critically thinking for themselves. As a middle school teacher, I try to give the students the facts about certain issues, then encourage them to come up with their own opinion on the issue. Most of my students love to talk and voice their opinion on things, however I think some students do not always know how to form an opinion or think for themselves. My goal is to help students become better critical thinkers.
I agree with many of the things mentioned above. It is always interesting to hear what the students say about certain topics as many times they are based on others opinions or ideas. My own kids come home and talk about topics that they have heard and it is interesting how they interpret the information. They will ask questions and we talk about it and allow them to make their own decisions. It is important to present the information and allow the students to create their own opinion on the topic. It is challenging with younger children as they do not have the skills to think for themselves, but it is a skill that we can help students work on and build through teaching.
Amanda, we have witnessed this as well with our son Dustin. He came home from school one day and had a strong opinion about a presidential candidate. Tim and I were wondering where did that come from since we had not talked about it at home at all!! It was interesting to talk to him and then be able to give him more facts to then form his own opinion instead of his friends with "overly opinionated" parents. Haha.
This article was very interesting and timely. I was just reading something about how to turn a democratic society into a socialist to a dictatorship over time so that the country doesn't even know it is happening. I know, just a little light reading. Anyway, some of the policies and the way our government controls so many day to day things in our lives is scary to think about. Where is our future heading? It seems like each generation is taught something different. I grew up with the mindset that you do not talk about religion or politics because you might offend someone or they might see your opinion as pushing your thoughts onto the other person. I understand where this thought process comes from, but at the same time it has caused my generation to be disinterested or unpassionate about these topics. I find myself trying to be more knowledgeable and interested now about what is going on in politics, but 5 years ago, I'll be honest, I did not care. I didn't learn to question or challenge what was happening in government like the article suggests. I hope my age group of parents does not make the same mistake that the world made for us. This really made me think about what I should be teaching in the classroom. How can I make students be more thinkers?
This was an interesting article. As others have already said I'm hopeful that social studies will be seen as a subject that is just as important as reading and math. When I'm teaching about different issues I always try to bring up all the different sides so that students can make up their minds what they think about that given issue.
The turmoil that we see and read about in society has many of us worried about the future of our country and our planet. I do want to be positive, though, about the next generation. Seeing my own children involved and active in civic organizations and being future-oriented makes me hopeful for better things to come. The trend for schools to be more inclusive and open to better disciplining and management is encouraging. In our Aquin classrooms, we give students more opportunities for choices, which gives them chances to make decisions based on their knowledge. When I was in grade school, we rarely had any choices or times to provide feedback. The new management and discipline practices in our schools today are far better ways to establish respectful relationships between teachers and students, and therefore, helps students to transition into society with those experiences. The classroom climate today is more safe for students as we are make them aware of behaviors that are and are not acceptable. Our social studies curriculum is also transitioning into a more inquiry and content based curriculum. I think that will engage students in higher level thinking and help them to ask questions, as they compare and connect with their own history and the history of our nation and around the world. Service and volunteering are really important aspects of being connected and being aware of others. That is another way that Aquin helps prepare students to be the kind of citizens we need in the world today.
This was a very interesting and relevant article due to some issues that been presented in middle school lately. I agree that it is very important to reinforce critical thinking skills in students as they continue to grow and gain confidence in thier thoughts and opinions about what they are learning in the classroom and experiencing in their personal lives. As adolescents, they are still strongly influenced by the views of their peers and parents. I feel that they need to have the tools to decide if they want to stand by their personal beliefs or go along with the popular way of thinking. I often hear comments about current events and politics that lead me to wonder how deeply the students understand their basis of thought. There is definitely a wide range of ability at the middle school level regarding their capability to think critically so hopefully we can help those struggling to develop the necessary skills they will need as they mature.
Being in a private school situation does give us an opportunity to use our faith as a means of guiding their development as Christian citizens of a global world. We can use the ultimate citizen as our goal/guide. But even that edge doesn't make it a sure thing. Kids through the centuries have been able to tell us how they are supposed to treat others, but often (just like adults) when "push comes to shove"...they don't make the best choices. We just have to keep reminding and hoping it will eventually stick when our kiddos are adults.
The article was very interesting. I think it is so important for students to be able to voice what they think. This however, needs to be done respectfully. Students should be able to ask questions about the topics in our society. They also need to listen to what the answers are. Just like Lisa said we tell students how to treat others and hopefully it will stick with them throughout their lifetime.
I enjoyed reading this article since I have a big interest in history. I have visited Washington D.C. and the Statue of Liberty three times. The word citizenship is really displayed in these two places. We should teach a class called "citizenship".
When the article talks about the "ideal school", I just have to sigh. That is what we worked so hard for every day. But as the article states not everyone has the same idea of an " ideal school". I feel we try to do just that; keeping in mind what are students need, what are parents want, what the state requires etc. That's a tough job. I do feel that if we do teach our students how to be good citizens in a variety of situations this alone may have more value to them in the future than meeting a standard expectation. We just need to continue to use the time we have with them as best as we can!
As a teacher, I try to teach students to be respectful to one another. I also try to allow them to think freely and ask lots of questions. When they ask questions that I believe they can answer using deeper thought I encourage them to answer the question themselves. I feel that we can get in the habit of spoon feeding the answers to students, because it is easier than trying to find ways to place the idea indirectly into their minds. We forget that discovery is one of the best ways to help with comprehension. I often walk students through the thought process so they can walk through it themselves later. We can use our content to teach citizenship and problem solving without even using the words by our actions, words, and expectations.
I definitely think there are many important areas when teaching our students to be good citizens. We live in an age where we see some not so great examples on social media and television. I would love to see our country go back to a time of stronger values and more people putting God first. Was those earlier times perfect? No, it was very male dominated and I think today that all people should be considered important and valued, not just people of a certain gender or color. In the classroom, we need to continue to work on respect and kindness to all people. We need to teach kids to embrace each others' differences instead of judging. Parents, teachers and communities need to wok together to make our world a better place.
This was an interesting read. I think as teachers we work hard to teach our students to be respectful to their peers and people of authority. We also demonstrate good citizenship by being good role models and through service projects. With all of our responsibilities, why can't we expect that some things like how to be a good person/citizen fall onto their parents or guardians? I found this on Facebook a couple weeks ago and saved it because I strongly agreed with it. It was supposedly a letter sent to parents from an elementary school.
“Dear parents, We would like to remind you that magic words such as hello, please, you’re welcome, I’m sorry, and thank you, all begin to be learned at home. It’s also at home that children learn to be honest, to be on time, diligent, show friends their sympathy, as well as show utmost respect for their elders and all teachers. Home is where they learn to be clean, not talk with their mouths full, and how/where to properly dispose of garbage. Home is also where they learn to be organized, to take good care of their belongings, and that it’s not ok to touch others. Here at school, on the other hand, we teach language, math, history, geography, physics, sciences, and physical education. We only reinforce the education that children receive at home from their parents.”
I have enjoyed reading this article along with all of the comments. I feel it is really important to ask those open ended questions and get the difference in responses starting early so they are able to critically think for themselves. It is so important for them to know that there can be different opinions and they do not have to agree with their friends. I see this even with preschool that sometimes it is easier to say the same thing the person before them did even if you know they have a different answer they want to say. I also see a different side of this with my own children as they get older. Some friends of theirs are always the followers that form the opinion of others and others are the "leaders" where everything they say goes. I can remember having debates on different topics in school and it was some of the best learning that I had, because you were hearing so many different view points and it truly made you think and form your own opinion and how to voice it respectfully.
As a social studies teacher, this topic is significant to me and how/what I teach. When I teach about history, I make it a very important point to view issues from multiple perspectives. For example, when teaching about Westward movement and Manifest Destiny, it is important to also see how Americans' "God-given right" to own land and promote our own form of government might be perceived by Native Americans whose idea of land ownership is quite different. Or, when students have brought up politics, I remind them that it is important to get information from multiple sources, not just one particular news channel that might be biased. In order to develop good citizens, especially in today's world of information overload and incredible bias, I think students need to be well-informed and critical thinkers who can not only listen to information given to them, but also analyze that information to determine where it came from, which perspective it is giving, and whether there are other perspectives to consider. Honestly, I think a lot of adults could use a lesson in this as well!
ReplyDeleteHaving taught on an Native American Reservation, and having the friends I met there, the discussion of "Immigration" has a different context. During this time of limiting refugees and stopping immigrants...many of their Facebook posts have a very different flavor from those generally seen. When we discuss the "discovery of American in my SS class...it always involves them imagining the NA perspective and beliefs...which I never learned in school. Columbus Day was not a popular day on the Rez.
DeleteThis article brings up some very valued points. One that I have often thought about myself is the idea that standardized tests seem to focus heavily on reading and math. The lack of emphasis on other subjects really indicates that they aren't valued or as important when these subjects may be where our students can find success academically. The article also highlights two practices that I am not always sure are implemented in schools: allowing students to ask challenging questions and exposing them to multiple points of view. No matter what subject we are teaching, I think our end goal is to aid students into becoming adults who will be able to think for themselves, view materials and ideas critically, and problem solve in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a timely article since I am being asked often about certain school issues that not all parents are supportive of. I wonder as a Catholic school how we teach students to problem solve and think for themselves yet we are bound to staying within the perimeters of the church law. If we talk about the 'other view' are we saying what we teach isn't valid? I know what I tell my children, but what do we tell our students?
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting concept. I was actually struggling with this as far as a lesson that I was toying with teaching the middle school. My next topic is Tolerance. I thought about asking students what they thought about the concept of how our society is always so focused on "the first woman did this, the first Latino person did this, the first African American did this." I guess I was wondering why does it matter. Should it matter? Can we just celebrate an accomplishment without race or gender being involved? So I have been going back and forth on this all week, not wanting to get in trouble because I ask that question and have them debate it because I know we have to be careful not to put our views on them. It is tough because I want to have them ask that challenging question but in the world we are in right now, people can be offended easily. Would someone be offended by that? I agree with Vicki on the comment of I know how I would talk about this with my son. I would want him to not see color or gender but be impressed by the person's achievements.
ReplyDeleteAll of the comments posted so far give me hope. They all acknowledge a recognition of the importance of allowing and encouraging students to voice their opinions, ask questions, and think critically. We do not have to provide the answers to all of their questions, but students will immediately recognize that we respect the dialogue. I appreciate Vicki's comment, and I have to admit that I may have been one of those parents that would have been encouraging our school to be sure to consider all of the perspectives in the issues that we discuss in our classrooms. I do wish, like Tracy, that along with our emphasis on math and reading, we could still acknowledge and draw attention to the concepts we cover in science and social studies.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vicki, it is challenging in the fact of how we allow our students to question things and look at it in the view of the church. I often just find myself steering clear of it but I know it's important for kids the question things and think for themselves. Being in a Catholic school I think that is one of the things that is more challenging to do. How can we effectively let kids express there opinions? We definitely need people in this world that are able to think through issues and think critically about them.
ReplyDeleteIn Social Studies, I just taught a unit on government which included a lot of information about citizens. I had many discussions with the second graders about citizens and our rights and responsibilities. It has been very interesting to hear 7 and 8 year olds thoughts and opinions on what makes a "good citizen." Many students would remember bits and pieces of political commercials and question why they said the things they said about others. Teaching 2nd graders the concept of voicing your opinion and thinking critically has proven to be both insightful and challenging.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is important for us to teach students how to ask challenging questions and pose their opinions, but in respectful ways. As I read this article, what came to my mind was the current topic of students possibly leaving Aquin at the 6th or 7th grade to go to the public school. Allowing students to give their opinion or questions on paper may give us a perspective that would possibly allow our staff to rest assure that we are providing and cultivating a rich academic and spiritual environment for our students.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that we need to teach our students/children to think critically. So many people in this world don't have that skill. It is hard to answer some of the questions students ask because you're afraid how it will be received by others. I always find it very interesting when the first graders get talking about politics and to hear what they say because they are listening to the adults which sometimes is quite eye opening. They really have no idea what they are saying but they think they do because that's what mom and dad said.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting article. As a kindergarten teacher I find that many of the kiddos opinions are based on what their parents/friends say. Their little minds are so receptive to everything around them and they pick up on so much. Like Betsy, some of them have talked about (and even dressed like) politicians, yet they know very little about that person. As a parent of a middle schooler, this is a little more difficult. Many topics come up and with that a lot of questions. I feel it is important to allow them to ask questions and to form their own opinions on issues. They need to be fully educated on all aspects of these issues to allow them to form opinions that they can feel good about and take ownership of. We shouldn't force our kids to think a certain way or believe in certain things just because we do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with others that we need to teach our students to think critically and have their own opinions. At the middle school age, many students do have their own opinions. However, I think that sometimes they get their opinion from others (parents, friends, etc) without critically thinking for themselves. As a middle school teacher, I try to give the students the facts about certain issues, then encourage them to come up with their own opinion on the issue. Most of my students love to talk and voice their opinion on things, however I think some students do not always know how to form an opinion or think for themselves. My goal is to help students become better critical thinkers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the things mentioned above. It is always interesting to hear what the students say about certain topics as many times they are based on others opinions or ideas. My own kids come home and talk about topics that they have heard and it is interesting how they interpret the information. They will ask questions and we talk about it and allow them to make their own decisions. It is important to present the information and allow the students to create their own opinion on the topic. It is challenging with younger children as they do not have the skills to think for themselves, but it is a skill that we can help students work on and build through teaching.
ReplyDeleteAmanda, we have witnessed this as well with our son Dustin. He came home from school one day and had a strong opinion about a presidential candidate. Tim and I were wondering where did that come from since we had not talked about it at home at all!! It was interesting to talk to him and then be able to give him more facts to then form his own opinion instead of his friends with "overly opinionated" parents. Haha.
DeleteThis article was very interesting and timely. I was just reading something about how to turn a democratic society into a socialist to a dictatorship over time so that the country doesn't even know it is happening. I know, just a little light reading. Anyway, some of the policies and the way our government controls so many day to day things in our lives is scary to think about. Where is our future heading?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like each generation is taught something different. I grew up with the mindset that you do not talk about religion or politics because you might offend someone or they might see your opinion as pushing your thoughts onto the other person. I understand where this thought process comes from, but at the same time it has caused my generation to be disinterested or unpassionate about these topics. I find myself trying to be more knowledgeable and interested now about what is going on in politics, but 5 years ago, I'll be honest, I did not care. I didn't learn to question or challenge what was happening in government like the article suggests. I hope my age group of parents does not make the same mistake that the world made for us.
This really made me think about what I should be teaching in the classroom. How can I make students be more thinkers?
This was an interesting article. As others have already said I'm hopeful that social studies will be seen as a subject that is just as important as reading and math. When I'm teaching about different issues I always try to bring up all the different sides so that students can make up their minds what they think about that given issue.
ReplyDeleteThe turmoil that we see and read about in society has many of us worried about the future of our country and our planet. I do want to be positive, though, about the next generation. Seeing my own children involved and active in civic organizations and being future-oriented makes me hopeful for better things to come. The trend for schools to be more inclusive and open to better disciplining and management is encouraging. In our Aquin classrooms, we give students more opportunities for choices, which gives them chances to make decisions based on their knowledge. When I was in grade school, we rarely had any choices or times to provide feedback. The new management and discipline practices in our schools today are far better ways to establish respectful relationships between teachers and students, and therefore, helps students to transition into society with those experiences. The classroom climate today is more safe for students as we are make them aware of behaviors that are and are not acceptable. Our social studies curriculum is also transitioning into a more inquiry and content based curriculum. I think that will engage students in higher level thinking and help them to ask questions, as they compare and connect with their own history and the history of our nation and around the world. Service and volunteering are really important aspects of being connected and being aware of others. That is another way that Aquin helps prepare students to be the kind of citizens we need in the world today.
ReplyDeleteEdit: The classroom climate today is more safe for students as we make them aware of behaviors that are and are not acceptable.
DeleteThis was a very interesting and relevant article due to some issues that been presented in middle school lately. I agree that it is very important to reinforce critical thinking skills in students as they continue to grow and gain confidence in thier thoughts and opinions about what they are learning in the classroom and experiencing in their personal lives. As adolescents, they are still strongly influenced by the views of their peers and parents. I feel that they need to have the tools to decide if they want to stand by their personal beliefs or go along with the popular way of thinking. I often hear comments about current events and politics that lead me to wonder how deeply the students understand their basis of thought. There is definitely a wide range of ability at the middle school level regarding their capability to think critically so hopefully we can help those struggling to develop the necessary skills they will need as they mature.
ReplyDeleteBeing in a private school situation does give us an opportunity to use our faith as a means of guiding their development as Christian citizens of a global world. We can use the ultimate citizen as our goal/guide. But even that edge doesn't make it a sure thing. Kids through the centuries have been able to tell us how they are supposed to treat others, but often (just like adults) when "push comes to shove"...they don't make the best choices. We just have to keep reminding and hoping it will eventually stick when our kiddos are adults.
ReplyDeleteThe article was very interesting. I think it is so important for students to be able to voice what they think. This however, needs to be done respectfully. Students should be able to ask questions about the topics in our society. They also need to listen to what the answers are. Just like Lisa said we tell students how to treat others and hopefully it will stick with them throughout their lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this article since I have a big interest in history. I have visited Washington D.C. and the Statue of Liberty three times. The word citizenship is really displayed in these two places. We should teach a class called "citizenship".
ReplyDeleteWhen the article talks about the "ideal school", I just have to sigh. That is what we worked so hard for every day. But as the article states not everyone has the same idea of an " ideal school". I feel we try to do just that; keeping in mind what are students need, what are parents want, what the state requires etc. That's a tough job. I do feel that if we do teach our students how to be good citizens in a variety of situations this alone may have more value to them in the future than meeting a standard expectation. We just need to continue to use the time we have with them as best as we can!
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, I try to teach students to be respectful to one another. I also try to allow them to think freely and ask lots of questions. When they ask questions that I believe they can answer using deeper thought I encourage them to answer the question themselves. I feel that we can get in the habit of spoon feeding the answers to students, because it is easier than trying to find ways to place the idea indirectly into their minds. We forget that discovery is one of the best ways to help with comprehension. I often walk students through the thought process so they can walk through it themselves later. We can use our content to teach citizenship and problem solving without even using the words by our actions, words, and expectations.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think there are many important areas when teaching our students to be good citizens. We live in an age where we see some not so great examples on social media and television. I would love to see our country go back to a time of stronger values and more people putting God first. Was those earlier times perfect? No, it was very male dominated and I think today that all people should be considered important and valued, not just people of a certain gender or color. In the classroom, we need to continue to work on respect and kindness to all people. We need to teach kids to embrace each others' differences instead of judging. Parents, teachers and communities need to wok together to make our world a better place.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting read. I think as teachers we work hard to teach our students to be respectful to their peers and people of authority. We also demonstrate good citizenship by being good role models and through service projects. With all of our responsibilities, why can't we expect that some things like how to be a good person/citizen fall onto their parents or guardians? I found this on Facebook a couple weeks ago and saved it because I strongly agreed with it. It was supposedly a letter sent to parents from an elementary school.
ReplyDelete“Dear parents,
We would like to remind you that magic words such as hello, please, you’re welcome, I’m sorry, and thank you, all begin to be learned at home.
It’s also at home that children learn to be honest, to be on time, diligent, show friends their sympathy, as well as show utmost respect for their elders and all teachers.
Home is where they learn to be clean, not talk with their mouths full, and how/where to properly dispose of garbage.
Home is also where they learn to be organized, to take good care of their belongings, and that it’s not ok to touch others.
Here at school, on the other hand, we teach language, math, history, geography, physics, sciences, and physical education. We only reinforce the education that children receive at home from their parents.”
I have enjoyed reading this article along with all of the comments. I feel it is really important to ask those open ended questions and get the difference in responses starting early so they are able to critically think for themselves. It is so important for them to know that there can be different opinions and they do not have to agree with their friends. I see this even with preschool that sometimes it is easier to say the same thing the person before them did even if you know they have a different answer they want to say. I also see a different side of this with my own children as they get older. Some friends of theirs are always the followers that form the opinion of others and others are the "leaders" where everything they say goes. I can remember having debates on different topics in school and it was some of the best learning that I had, because you were hearing so many different view points and it truly made you think and form your own opinion and how to voice it respectfully.
ReplyDelete