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Today's class assignment: Paint picket signs
1:04 PM Thu, Jan 31, 2008 | Permalink
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The polls have closed on yesterday's vote. 105 of you weighed in at our poll. 54 thought it was acceptable for students to use class time to make picket signs. |
A Skyline teacher just sent us some pics of students apparently using class time today making picket signs for their teachers to carry at a planned protest tonight. This, of course, is all about the " |
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Comments
Posted by skyline_insider @ 3:46 PM Thu, Jan 31, 2008
I guess that would depend on whether or not the class was discussing the constitution and the legal rights those students have as United States citizens. Sounds like a good chance to take something relevant and make it a learning moment by using higher ordet thinking skills and classroom discussion about what might work, what won't work, and whether or not they should try another avenue of getting their voices heard. So far everything they have done has not. These students didn't walk out at the request of their teachers. Now they are actually living history by taking a stand rather than sitting on the sidelines reading in the history books how others did it.
Posted by theSKY'Sthelimit @ 7:47 AM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
A bit of a correction. These signs were not made "for their teachers". This protest was much more about the students and parents than it ever was about the teachers. Our students planned a walk-out just after our return from the holidays, but we channeled that frustration into more productive avenues. The students wrote hundreds of letters first and now decided that a protest was in order. Our students learned about propaganda, Henry David Thoreau and Civil Disobedience, the working of the School Board, the importance of voting and the list goes on. I can assure you that this has been one of the most powerful teaching moments I've been involved in during my career. Imagine that, not teaching to the TAKS. If you heard any of the impassioned speeches our students gave at the School Board meeting, I think you would have to agree that there was a great deal of higher order thinking involved in this process.
Posted by Ibrahm @ 8:21 AM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
"Is that kosher?"
Don't know, not enough information.
During the sacrifice of the school, will they hang it up by it's heals, cut the nose off and let it bleed out completely before feeding it to the masses?
Posted by raiderpride @ 11:16 AM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
Certainly students should be allowed to excersise their freedom of speech in classes where assignments might include creativity, writing, applied arts, statistics, technology, history, government, language arts, etc. Why would the school or district officials attempt to muzzle their own students? Would that muzzle process be equivalent to hindering their education?
Certainly.
If it's really all about the students, then let them speak and participate in the political process; it belongs to them.
Posted by Dallas_Teacher @ 9:06 PM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
Just a quick fact that might make a difference to those of you voting: the class in which the posters were painted was an ART class. Sheeshh! What is more appropriate than an Art class incorporating Civics, History, and Philosophy? We do not teach in a vacuum. We must, as educators, focus on what is going on in our communities, our countries, our worlds. This is education---at its finest.
Posted by Skyline_insider @ 11:06 PM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
Students are bored with rote memorization. They often don't remember the facts about new concepts because they feel no connection. Motivating a student requires a teacher to make a connection with the student. How do you do that? Find something they are passionate about and tie it in to what you are teaching. Wow, what a concept! Most of the students at Skyline are talking and thinking about the removal of clusters from Skyline. I applaud the teacher who was gifted enough to take the passion of these students and teach them Civics, History, and Philosophy. I'm sure its a lesson they won't soon forget!!!!!!!!
Posted by Kent Fischer @ 11:23 PM Fri, Feb 01, 2008
Dallas_Teacher makes a point. It was an art class. We did not publicize that information because we didn't want to give administrators any clues as to who sent us the pic.
Posted by Blue Sky @ 1:01 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008
Wow. Students THINKING. Students DOING. Teachers LETTING IT HAPPEN.
Reminds me of a good public school I used to attend.
Reminds me of the kind of students I long for in my university classroom, but seldom find thanks to TAKS and such.
Three huge cheers for the teacher who let his or her students use their brains and their talents in a true LESSON rather than hauling out TAKS abojecting 5.blah blah blah.