School Bells - 8th grade current affairs - week two
This is the second week of the school year and the second experimental 8th grade current affairs class for me to teach. The reader may recall the first week I introduced myself and the students did the same. The students shared what they thought was the most important thing happening in the world.
Me: Good afternoon everyone. I am so happy to be back in class with you. I hope that your first week of school went well.
Last week several of you named issues which are currently of interest to you and your families. Susie, you said that in your home they are talking about the fact that Michael Phelps is making a comeback and proving that one can make mistakes and start over again. We agreed that this week we would talk about the effect of labeling ourselves as winners or losers.
Susie, tell us what you know about Michael Phelps.
Susie: Now he has won 23 gold medals. He did really well and was world famous and then then he had some problems with addiction and had to go to treatment center. Now he is winning more gold medals.
Me: Are there other Olympians who have had a difficult time and are doing well?
John: My dad is reading a book about another swimmer, Anthony Erin, who had a lot of medical issues but has won gold this year. He is the oldest at 35 which is even order than Michael who is 31.
Tom: My mother was talking about Derek Redmond who made a comeback in 1988.
Me: What about women who have made amazing comebacks or overcome great odds.
Amy: My grandmother talked about Wilma Rudolph who had polio and had to wear a brace and yet in 1960 won three gold medals.
Susie: What about Clarissa Shields the kick ass boxer from Flint, Michigan? Oops (covering mouth). I am sorry.
Me: Well, we should not use that language in class but she is.
(There were lots of approving smiles and nods from the rest of the class.)
Me It seems as if we could name a lot of people who have overcome great odds to achieve a lot. Who can name a supreme court judge who overcame a tough childhood?
Amy: Sonia Sotomayer.
Me: Yes, her father was an alcoholic. She lived in the projects and had to take care of her younger brother. She also had diabetes and as a young child had to learn to give herself shots.
This morning I was listening to an interview with a famous movie director, writer and producer, Norman Lear, who created such shows as All in the Family and Maude. When he was nine his father went to jail. He also had a very critical mother. Yet, he was a distinguished veteran and became an amazing success and inspiration to many. He is 94 and still very active.
We could tell lots of stories about people who sadly commit suicide, die from drug over doses, spend a lifetime in jail, or quit school - people who just give up. What makes the difference?
Amena: My mother says that we have to think of ourselves as winners - that winners win. I think that is hard sometimes, especially if you are one of the refugees escaping from my home country and who have not been able to come to the United States. We had family who helped us.
Me: Very good Amena. I wonder how often we think of classmates who are not doing well as winners. Have any of you heard other kids calling some of the kids losers or other names?
Paul: Yes. Some kids seem like losers Uncle Jim.
Me; What would happen if we decided to all call all white kids born in the United States losers Paul? That would include you wouldn’t it, Paul?
Paul: Yes it would. I would hate it.
Me: Tom, what do you think would happen to Paul then?
Tom: He might begin to think of himself as a loser.
Me: Tom, it seems you are saying that it is important to encourage each other to think of ourselves as winners. Who in this class is a winner?
Class: We are.
Me: Yes you are. What about this kids who are having problems?
Susie: If someone is failing you cannot give them a good grade can you?
Me: What can we do?
Abdul: When I first came to school and did not speak the language or know the customs I was xpnot doing well. Everyone here told me I could do it. They treated me as a winner.
Me: Did that help?
Abdul: It did. Not only telling me but helping me with my English and some subjects which were taught differently than in Egypt.
xp
Me: It sounds as if we are saying that sometimes people such as Michael Phelps and others begin to think of themselves as losers and are unable to keep winning. Perhaps we have to help them believe in themselves again. Is Michael Phelps and some of the others we talked about winners because they did their best or because the won gold medals?
Amy: I think because they did their best. They tried again and again.
Me: I agree. All of you did a wonderful job. I hope everyone can join in the conversations next week. Next week all we talk about the issue Abdul brought up - some people thinking all Muslims are terrorists and what that is like for Abdul and is family as well as for other Muslim families. Ask family members what they think. You might want to pretend you are journalists and take notes.
Thank you. See you next week.
The bells rings.
Written August 16, 2016
This is the second week of the school year and the second experimental 8th grade current affairs class for me to teach. The reader may recall the first week I introduced myself and the students did the same. The students shared what they thought was the most important thing happening in the world.
Me: Good afternoon everyone. I am so happy to be back in class with you. I hope that your first week of school went well.
Last week several of you named issues which are currently of interest to you and your families. Susie, you said that in your home they are talking about the fact that Michael Phelps is making a comeback and proving that one can make mistakes and start over again. We agreed that this week we would talk about the effect of labeling ourselves as winners or losers.
Susie, tell us what you know about Michael Phelps.
Susie: Now he has won 23 gold medals. He did really well and was world famous and then then he had some problems with addiction and had to go to treatment center. Now he is winning more gold medals.
Me: Are there other Olympians who have had a difficult time and are doing well?
John: My dad is reading a book about another swimmer, Anthony Erin, who had a lot of medical issues but has won gold this year. He is the oldest at 35 which is even order than Michael who is 31.
Tom: My mother was talking about Derek Redmond who made a comeback in 1988.
Me: What about women who have made amazing comebacks or overcome great odds.
Amy: My grandmother talked about Wilma Rudolph who had polio and had to wear a brace and yet in 1960 won three gold medals.
Susie: What about Clarissa Shields the kick ass boxer from Flint, Michigan? Oops (covering mouth). I am sorry.
Me: Well, we should not use that language in class but she is.
(There were lots of approving smiles and nods from the rest of the class.)
Me It seems as if we could name a lot of people who have overcome great odds to achieve a lot. Who can name a supreme court judge who overcame a tough childhood?
Amy: Sonia Sotomayer.
Me: Yes, her father was an alcoholic. She lived in the projects and had to take care of her younger brother. She also had diabetes and as a young child had to learn to give herself shots.
This morning I was listening to an interview with a famous movie director, writer and producer, Norman Lear, who created such shows as All in the Family and Maude. When he was nine his father went to jail. He also had a very critical mother. Yet, he was a distinguished veteran and became an amazing success and inspiration to many. He is 94 and still very active.
We could tell lots of stories about people who sadly commit suicide, die from drug over doses, spend a lifetime in jail, or quit school - people who just give up. What makes the difference?
Amena: My mother says that we have to think of ourselves as winners - that winners win. I think that is hard sometimes, especially if you are one of the refugees escaping from my home country and who have not been able to come to the United States. We had family who helped us.
Me: Very good Amena. I wonder how often we think of classmates who are not doing well as winners. Have any of you heard other kids calling some of the kids losers or other names?
Paul: Yes. Some kids seem like losers Uncle Jim.
Me; What would happen if we decided to all call all white kids born in the United States losers Paul? That would include you wouldn’t it, Paul?
Paul: Yes it would. I would hate it.
Me: Tom, what do you think would happen to Paul then?
Tom: He might begin to think of himself as a loser.
Me: Tom, it seems you are saying that it is important to encourage each other to think of ourselves as winners. Who in this class is a winner?
Class: We are.
Me: Yes you are. What about this kids who are having problems?
Susie: If someone is failing you cannot give them a good grade can you?
Me: What can we do?
Abdul: When I first came to school and did not speak the language or know the customs I was xpnot doing well. Everyone here told me I could do it. They treated me as a winner.
Me: Did that help?
Abdul: It did. Not only telling me but helping me with my English and some subjects which were taught differently than in Egypt.
xp
Me: It sounds as if we are saying that sometimes people such as Michael Phelps and others begin to think of themselves as losers and are unable to keep winning. Perhaps we have to help them believe in themselves again. Is Michael Phelps and some of the others we talked about winners because they did their best or because the won gold medals?
Amy: I think because they did their best. They tried again and again.
Me: I agree. All of you did a wonderful job. I hope everyone can join in the conversations next week. Next week all we talk about the issue Abdul brought up - some people thinking all Muslims are terrorists and what that is like for Abdul and is family as well as for other Muslim families. Ask family members what they think. You might want to pretend you are journalists and take notes.
Thank you. See you next week.
The bells rings.
Written August 16, 2016
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