Politics w/ Mr. D

OK--here we go!  For you Seniors, this is old stuff.  Juniors - read on.  Pay attention to the directions on posting your comments.  This first post of mine is a little long in order to give the instructions for this blog for the whole year.

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WHAT, exactly, IS the role of the teacher?  Are teachers supposed to be neutral in their presentations, or should they try to convince students to think like they themselves think?  CAN teachers be neutral?  SHOULD they be?  Do parents at ECA want teachers to be neutral?  How about parents of public-school children?  What about YOU?

Teachers have always wrestled with these questions.  Of course, they don't always agree.  In this essay, author and economist Thomas Sowell calls some teachers to task first for "indoctrinating" students, and later in the article for evading their responsibility.   You'll need a dictionary handy to look up words like "antithesis" and "inducement" - or open a browser tab to dictionary.com and look them up there.

Sowell presents at least three main points.  Write them down as you read the article the first time, then go back and read it slowly, stopping after he makes a point to deliberate within yourself: "do i agree or disagree with him, or what exactly DO i think?"  Write down some thoughts, using your computer's word processor.  Then read on and stop after a couple more paragraphs, again writing your thoughts.  When you are done, in light of all you've read and thought about, ask yourself, "what IS the primary job of a teacher?"  Jot down your thoughts.  Remember the video clips and discussion in class Wednesday as you formulate your ideas.  What would Jesus do in a school classroom?  After all, He was rightly called a Teacher!

Now go take a break if you like, for some hot chocolate -- or even save your work and let these thoughts mellow in your mind for a day or two.  Then come back and organize your thoughts into a good response (like 8-10 sentences, a paragraph or two) and post them to this blog. 

GENERAL BLOG RULES AND EXTRA CREDIT:  A blog is a discussion - when you read the article, you also need to read your classmates' comments.  Think about what they have said - and respond to their thoughts as well.  EXTRA CREDIT when you respond to each others' comments.  You can post comments more than once - the first time to respond to the article, then again a sentence or two to respond to another student, and again to defend your views if someone disagrees!  If you are first with a well-thought response, that earns extra credit, plus more if you comment again in order to engage in this converstation. I DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSIONS, except to clarify something or make an observation, etc.  This is YOUR conversation!  but i'm privy to it.   

LASTLY: Be POLITE and KIND - listen, change your mind if you believe you've been wrong, but STAND FIRM if you believe you are right!  Being polite isn't so much WHAT you say as HOW you say it!

NOTE THAT YOU COMMENTS DO NOT IMMEDIATELY APPEAR.  I have to approve each and every post -- that way i can keep other people outof our online discussions.  HOWEVER, i DO let outsiders coment AFTER i read and approve their posts.  This includes alumni as well as complete strangers.

IF your parents have reservations about any of this, they need to call me at school or my home, or email me.  YOUR RESPONSE IS DUE BY MIDNIGHT THURSSDAY, OCTOBER 15th!

P.S. (Wednesday) REMINDER - write 8-10 sentences to fully explain in detail what you think and why, to address Sowell's and your classmates comments, to give a FULL opinion, not just a short comment.  To do less is to receive less than an A.  Secnd posts are encouraged.