#TeacherMyth Challenge

Just before school started, I was in a twitter chat where this image was produced

I took this challenge to heart.  How much do we know about our students? We are with them for days..weeks...months... and in some cases years.  Yet with that knowledge, how much do we know about our students?  We know how fast they can complete math facts... We know how many words per minute they can read... We know that they have trouble behaving in class.

But what do you know about the students themselves?  What music do they like?  What sports do they play?  How do you build upon that knowledge?

To start the year I had students complete a google form.  Our sixth graders are in a 1:1 Macbook program with Google accounts.  Many of them have never used a laptop before so teaching them how to check email, respond to a form, or even open chrome is a period-long event.  Students answered a two-paged form.  The first page had basic information such as their locker number, their advisor's name, their birthday, and how many years they've been at Marburn Academy.

Page two asked for some different information.  It included questions about their birthday, their favorite books, movies, singer or song, and "What actor / actress / movie character would play you in your life movie?"

I'm excited for when students start archery

This gives me, if nothing else, a starting point of conversations with my students. I love having this information in the back of my head as I play some of my first three days of school activities.

It has been great to be able to talk to students during class and unstructured times about their interests and get to know them better.  I have learned so much about my students.  In my sixth grade classes I have someone that

• makes her own usable mermaid tails
• has played soccer for years
• is a farmer and made a tractor out of donuts and candy
• is an Irish Step Dancer
• is a hip hop dancer
• loves playing card games, especially Dominion
• has the nickname "Iguana" when she plays basketball

I'm still working on learning more about all of my students, and don't think I'll have 3 authentic items for each of my students, but just by accepting the challenge I am way further ahead of where I would have been!  For those of you just starting school, I hope to hear how you are getting to know your students.  For those that started a bit ago, it isn't too late!  Find out something new about your students today!

History is Many Things, but it is Generally NOT Glitter and Unicorns

I hope everyone (that is those that live and celebrate in the States) had a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

As the leftovers were being cleaned up, I was reflecting on the year as well as the holiday itself - specifically how it is portrayed in schools.  My daughter is in elementary school and as such she did the typical Thanksgiving celebrations - turkey word searches and decorated pictures of pilgrims.  However, it made me think of something my colleague mentioned this month.

My middle school recently returned from a 4 day trip to Washington D.C.  It was a fantastic expedition during which we visited so many amazing and historical places.  Our students did an amazing job, pushing 13 hour days, over 10 miles of walking, and absorbing as much information as their minds would allow.

We were also part of a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington

The trip also showed our social studies teachers one of the problems with teaching history in American schools.  The focus on curriculum is not where it needs to be.  Students in 7th grade should have a solid understanding about the workings of the US government - the branches, the balance of power, the role of each branch.

She believes that elementary school students should not be directly taught 'history.'   History is NOT glitter and unicorns.  History is dirty.  Many of the topics are not appropriate for younger students due to their graphic nature.  Events are rarely black and white - good or bad.  Unfortunately elementary school students are not (nor should they be) exposed to this, and so they are raised with a strong cultural bias.

Ask younger grade school students about Columbus and they can tell you all sorts of "facts." He sailed the ocean blue in 1492, he found America, he proved the world was round, he traded with the Indians.  Then the pilgrims came, had a rough go of it, made friends with the Indians, who helped them survive before they vanished in the woodlands.

How we teach it

Unfortunately, many of those 'facts' are not true, and the ones that are are very much open to debate and perspective.  Elementary schools paint a pretty picture of colonization because, appropriately, the truth of how Columbus treated natives shouldn't be presented to 7 year old children.

And that is the problem.  We are teaching our younger children incorrect history, giving them part (specifically an anglo-american part) of an intricate story, and sending them on their way... and then middle or high school teachers have to be the 'bad guys' and 're-teach' students.  We have to explain that there have been multiple genocides, not just the one in Germany, and one occurred on the land on which we are currently teaching.  And when we bring this up, teachers are met with anger and disgust from both students and parents.

What isn't mentioned

The question she brought up was why not teach government and other objective topics in grade school.  Let's get students into middle school already knowing the different branches of government, the major historical documents, and how the Constitution is arrange.  Teach them about the electoral college.  Teach them about the different branches and their respective responsibilities.  Have them understand the difference between a democracy and a republic.

I certainly don't have a perfect answer - truth be told this is outside of my area of expertise.  But she did bring up some great points and I'm curious what other educators thing about this opinion.