School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 17
“American Dream”
There has been much talk during the recent presidential election campaign in the United States of making “America” great again or making “The American Dream” possible again. The assignment for the students and their families the week between classes was to discuss what the phrase “The American Dream” means to them and if that differs from what it meant to their parents when they were in eighth grade. I am very eager to hear what they have to say. I hear the student arriving now.
Me: Good morning Class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: It does seem as if you and the first graders look forward to the cookies. Yes, I brought cookies. Will and Amena, please pass them out.
(They quickly do so. One can hear much smacking of lips.)
Me: Who wants to start?
Will: Mr. Jim, when my parent were young they were excited about getting a good education and having a life which was easier for their children.
Me: Easier in what way?
Will: Even though there was less racism than when they had been born, there was a lot of hope and fear. Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed a couple of years before they were born and there was still a lot of fear. They wanted a quiet, safe life but one that Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud of. When we were talking this weekend they say that American Dream meant something different for them than it did for their white friends.
Me: Yes, that makes a lot of sense.
Abdul: My family and I talked about what it was like coming to the United States. They were very grateful and what did they say? I wrote it down. Here it is, “We were very grateful and hopeful. We wanted all our kids to have an equal chance to become who they wanted to be.”
Me: Did they say any more about that?
Abdul: Yes. Mom wanted my sisters to be free to be good Muslims but also to have the dreams they wanted.
Amena: My parents wanted the same but they were confused by everyone using America when there are many American countries. That is still confusing.
Me: Yes, I think it confuses many but I also think it has become such a common term for the United States that no one pays much attention. How is your dream different than that of your parents Amena?
Amena: We talked about the fact that because they look like the dream family with house, two cars and two children that I and my brother may choose to focus on different goals such as living in community and working less so we can work in the community garden and volunteering.
Me: I am impressed that you realize that it is because of what your parents have achieved that you can explore other options.
Tom: My parents grew up very poor and thought that The American Dream meant to live in the suburbs and have your own house and enough money to pay bills and get my siblings and I what we wanted. They now are thinking of moving to the city but are surprised that it is so expensive. We are looking.
Me: Why the city Tom?
Tom: It seems like all our neighbors and my parents spend much of their time commuting to work and back and never feel like a part of the community. They are tired a lot of the time.
Susie: My two moms talked about thinking as soon as they were able to marry and be accepted in our neighborhood everything would be perfect, but they are still feeling as if too much of their time is spent away from home and just doing chores. We are also looking at some sort of community close to work.
Ann: Both of my parents work at home but they still feel isolated.
Paul: We were talking to some cousins when we visited our grandparents and they just want what they think everyone else had or wanted. They hope the new president can get them high paying jobs in coal mines and steel mills again. Our family thinks that family and community is more important but my parents pointed out that they can make really good money if they choose.
Me: Ahh! So enters the matter of choice. It may be different if we can have something and reject it than it is if we cannot have it. Paul your parents seems to be saying that.
Paul: Yes, if Sam and I want to go to college and make a big salary and have a big house we probably can, but I want to do something which means something.
Me: Such as what Paul.
Paul: I don’t know Uncle Jim but I am not sure more stuff is that important. I want to feel as if what I do counts.
Me: That is very admirable Paul.
Ann: My family and I hate all the violence. We want to do something to make the world less violent. I am not sure what that is.
Me: Once again, I am very impressed that all of you and your families have such interesting and serious discussions about such issues and still are trying to listen to others who want the old dream or what they thought was the old dream. Seems like we could discuss this for a long time.
Tom and Abdul will you pass out some more cookies.
For next week how about you and our families talk about what it means to have a spiritual goal. Instead of thinking about The American Dream think about a spiritual goal or ask if your American Dream is a spiritual goal. You and your families might have to define what you mean by spiritual.
Me: Ann, pease pass out the assignment to everyone. Have a wonderful week everyone.
Class: Goodbye Mr. Jim.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written December 6, 2016
“American Dream”
There has been much talk during the recent presidential election campaign in the United States of making “America” great again or making “The American Dream” possible again. The assignment for the students and their families the week between classes was to discuss what the phrase “The American Dream” means to them and if that differs from what it meant to their parents when they were in eighth grade. I am very eager to hear what they have to say. I hear the student arriving now.
Me: Good morning Class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: It does seem as if you and the first graders look forward to the cookies. Yes, I brought cookies. Will and Amena, please pass them out.
(They quickly do so. One can hear much smacking of lips.)
Me: Who wants to start?
Will: Mr. Jim, when my parent were young they were excited about getting a good education and having a life which was easier for their children.
Me: Easier in what way?
Will: Even though there was less racism than when they had been born, there was a lot of hope and fear. Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed a couple of years before they were born and there was still a lot of fear. They wanted a quiet, safe life but one that Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud of. When we were talking this weekend they say that American Dream meant something different for them than it did for their white friends.
Me: Yes, that makes a lot of sense.
Abdul: My family and I talked about what it was like coming to the United States. They were very grateful and what did they say? I wrote it down. Here it is, “We were very grateful and hopeful. We wanted all our kids to have an equal chance to become who they wanted to be.”
Me: Did they say any more about that?
Abdul: Yes. Mom wanted my sisters to be free to be good Muslims but also to have the dreams they wanted.
Amena: My parents wanted the same but they were confused by everyone using America when there are many American countries. That is still confusing.
Me: Yes, I think it confuses many but I also think it has become such a common term for the United States that no one pays much attention. How is your dream different than that of your parents Amena?
Amena: We talked about the fact that because they look like the dream family with house, two cars and two children that I and my brother may choose to focus on different goals such as living in community and working less so we can work in the community garden and volunteering.
Me: I am impressed that you realize that it is because of what your parents have achieved that you can explore other options.
Tom: My parents grew up very poor and thought that The American Dream meant to live in the suburbs and have your own house and enough money to pay bills and get my siblings and I what we wanted. They now are thinking of moving to the city but are surprised that it is so expensive. We are looking.
Me: Why the city Tom?
Tom: It seems like all our neighbors and my parents spend much of their time commuting to work and back and never feel like a part of the community. They are tired a lot of the time.
Susie: My two moms talked about thinking as soon as they were able to marry and be accepted in our neighborhood everything would be perfect, but they are still feeling as if too much of their time is spent away from home and just doing chores. We are also looking at some sort of community close to work.
Ann: Both of my parents work at home but they still feel isolated.
Paul: We were talking to some cousins when we visited our grandparents and they just want what they think everyone else had or wanted. They hope the new president can get them high paying jobs in coal mines and steel mills again. Our family thinks that family and community is more important but my parents pointed out that they can make really good money if they choose.
Me: Ahh! So enters the matter of choice. It may be different if we can have something and reject it than it is if we cannot have it. Paul your parents seems to be saying that.
Paul: Yes, if Sam and I want to go to college and make a big salary and have a big house we probably can, but I want to do something which means something.
Me: Such as what Paul.
Paul: I don’t know Uncle Jim but I am not sure more stuff is that important. I want to feel as if what I do counts.
Me: That is very admirable Paul.
Ann: My family and I hate all the violence. We want to do something to make the world less violent. I am not sure what that is.
Me: Once again, I am very impressed that all of you and your families have such interesting and serious discussions about such issues and still are trying to listen to others who want the old dream or what they thought was the old dream. Seems like we could discuss this for a long time.
Tom and Abdul will you pass out some more cookies.
For next week how about you and our families talk about what it means to have a spiritual goal. Instead of thinking about The American Dream think about a spiritual goal or ask if your American Dream is a spiritual goal. You and your families might have to define what you mean by spiritual.
Me: Ann, pease pass out the assignment to everyone. Have a wonderful week everyone.
Class: Goodbye Mr. Jim.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written December 6, 2016
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