Sunday, January 22, 2012

sunday's "so they said"

earlier this week I shared the worksheet I made for my very first lecture of the year
and let me say, it turns out, just like chocolate cake
everything is good for you...in moderation
and as I now know, this can include a little lecturing here and there
my biggest issue with lecturing is the amount of engagement of the students
and the thought of me doing all the talking for 55 minutes sounds like
 the last thing I would want to do
well, my kids proved that we could turn that type of lesson into more of a conversation
and I'm so glad we did - they had so many amazing questions and talking points
here are a few of my favorites:

"So, at the Presidential Inauguration, 
they are sworn in on the Bible.  
What happens if they are an Atheist?" 

Talk about a great way to start a conversation about SO many things.  And this question didn't just come up in one of my classes, but in all of them, and from so many different students, asking about different faiths and backgrounds, hypothetical situations, and the general progression of politics in our nation.

  I exclaimed my excitement by telling them what amazing questions they had - and that most adults have probably never even stopped to think about any of them.

I really do think they are getting it.  
I really do think they are starting to realize why we should study history.
I really love how quickly they "got" the significance of having President Obama
choosing to be sworn in on Abraham Lincoln's Bible
Oh, and I'm so in love with our lessons this week...
campaign rally for the Federalists & Republicans
with rally signs, buttons, and all - yes please.

4 comments:

  1. Reading your posts about teaching make me so excited to be a teacher. I am getting my MA in history right now and will be starting in a teaching credential program in the fall. The fact that your students are understanding why it is important to study history is incredibly encouraging for a soon to be teaching like me. So, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats on getting your masters and the credential program in the fall! I'm so glad that you enjoy reading about what I do in my classroom - always trying something new, no matter what you teach, is by far one of the easiest success plans I've found. As long as you are passionate about teaching - you will find your own path and do amazing things - very excited for you!

      thanks!

      Delete
  2. I can totally relate to those good days ... sigh! Those are the ones I strive for, but I know they don't happen everyday so when it does happen I'm very grateful. And I like the way you put it, that teaching should be about a conversation between you and the kids, totally my philosophy too.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...