Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Another discussion of Patriotism

As I reviewed my post about allegiance to my country, I realized how ungrateful I sounded. I am grateful to live in the country in this country. I am grateful to have the freedoms and liberties that are guaranteed to us by our Constitution. I'm still just frustrated with many of the economic and social disparities in this country. (Thank you, teachergirl, for helping me think more about what I meant)

I try NOT to let my ideologies affect my classroom instruction. I do not share what political party I am affiliated with. When we are having discussions about current issues happening, I am often asked what party I side with. Sometime I joke about "Party of Miss A." (In reality, I'd love to have a monarchy with me as Princess or Queen) Even at the end of the year, my students are left questioning what I believe or my political party. I attempt to argue the perspectives that are not being presented in class. Because I teach World History, I attempt to emphasize looking a events from a global perspective. I want my students to be concerned about what is happening in the World, not just our country or city or state--that would make us isolationists. And our country's past leaders have history of those beliefs.
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What I am concerned about: I watched the democratic debate on CNN. I heard no mention of our public education system. (But my DVR cut off the end of it so I might have missed it) I have yet to watch the republican debate. Have I simply missed it or is our education system not of concern to the potential candidates running for President? With all of this talk about the war, taxes, socialized medicine and immigration, has education been put on the back burner?
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3 DAYS MEAT FREE

2 comments:

Midwest Teacher said...

I think that it's wonderful you're able to keep your personal politics out of the classroom--particularly as a history/social studies teacher. I've stopped by your blog a few times, but finally decided to leave a comment. Can I put a link to you on mine?

Anonymous said...

We have this teacher in my building that is a card-carring democrat and every kid knows it. She has a 6'ft tall card-board cut-out of Bill Clinton. (I must confess, one summer I cut the head off). I have forced her to put up other posters and such from political figures on the right side.... But nothing measures up to the size of Clinton. I knock her down on evaluations each year because of spreading her ideals.