Re: [Channel-talkcivics] Making Civics Real

Elyse, your classes sound extremely interesting. Your school is lucky to have you as well! And I'm sure your students are benefiting from the critical thinking skills you are building. Do you teach only 8th graders now? If so, sounds as if you have some good colleagues collaborating with you. Where is the Museum of Tolerance?
Lynn

>>> <Efroehlich1@aol.com> 08/20/07 8:24 PM >>>
I start in the 6th grade to try and introduce that type of critical
thinking. In the 6th grade we watch "Super Size Me", look at the information
"propaganda" McDonald's uses and then the students have to defend, "the government
should/ or should not regulate the fast food industry." There are varying
levels of success, but it's a start. The 7th grade, now does the violence in
the media to prepare them for the 8th grade (I did that the first year I taught
8th grade, this was only my 2nd year) and then the 8th grade last year did
the Andrea Yates trial, basically "testing" the McNaughten rule of the
insanity defense. I'm not sure where we will go next year because we work together
on finding something that holds their interest, but has an academic
component. I'm so lucky that my school "understands" my teaching philosophy and I'm
not scrutinized for test results. Consequently, each day can switch at a
moments notice, depending on what I feel the students need or express an interest
in. Last year after visiting the Museum of Tolerance the kids became
intrigued w/ the idea of child labor...that's where we went. Each day is an
adventure.
Elyse

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Received on Tue Aug 21 15:47:13 2007