Conclusions

For around 7 hours a day I am responsible for 30+ wonderful humans and interact with hundreds more over the course of the year. During that time I am responsible for their learning but I am also responsible to make sure they can critically think about the events that are going on in the world around them.

It is not however my job to make sure they think the same way I do. It is not my job to make sure they think the way their parents do. It is my job to help them learn how to look at any scenario with as many lenses as they possibly can and come to a conclusion that they can defend and that makes sense to them that is my job.

There is a lot going on in the world today. A lot of bad and a lot of good. Unfortunately we do not spend a lot of time focusing on the good. The other day we discussed why people felt like they needed to protest President Trump (who many in the class think is a Rockstar, I do not). Kids asked why he was “so bad” I could have taken the opportunity to list a million reasons why I feel he is dangerous (I have them) Instead we listened to “I have a dream” We discussed that time in American history, we discussed how change came about then and then looked at things Trump had said. Kids asked why he has said the things he had said, why people would vote for him, we looked at finding answers to those questions as well. Once we were done they had information why some did vote for him and why some didn’t. They understood why some feel worried for their rights but they were given the opportunity to come to that conclusion on their own.

It is hard be neutral when you are opposed to one thing so much but I know it is my job to teach my students to think, not like me but for themselves. The world is changing, it is already very different from when I grew up, kids have to deal with so much more, they are exposed to so much more and with the proper tools and ability to think hopefully they do not have to struggle too much with coming to their own conclusions.