teaching

May 14, 2009 17:39

So today, discussion of Pygmalion transmuted into discussion the legal benefits of marriage and the existence of common law marriage, which evolved into a discussion of gay marriage.

As a teacher, I am not allowed to express my opinion about political matters. This is true for all teachers in all schools, but particularly true for my political view ( Read more... )

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orangepaas May 15 2009, 04:42:41 UTC
Good for you -- it seems like there is not enough emphasis put on people forming an opinion based on facts, and really "owning it", so to speak. Hopefully that statement will stay with them the rest of their lives!

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ipsin May 15 2009, 06:53:38 UTC
Part of "college prep" is preparing to deal with professors who have opinions, and to have, defend and adapt your own. Sounds like you did an awesome job, given the hand you were dealt. Do you think this sort of rule serves the student by making the teacher ostensibly neutral, or that it's a hindrance to learning?

I took lots of "serious" history courses in high school, and there was always an event horizon, beyond which history didn't exist. It seemed to peter out some time after World War II, which was disappointing.

Hey, the Vietnam war. It happened around when I was born. What happened and why? Oh, hey, there's a hot potato we're not getting into. Wouldn't that make for interesting conversations with the parents? I think that's exactly what they're trying to avoid ( ... )

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doafy May 15 2009, 22:20:28 UTC
I think keeping one's own political views out of the classroom is important. As a teacher, you're already in a position of power, and it's easy to lord that power over the students. Making political views obvious discourages original thought because the students become afraid of contradicting the teacher ( ... )

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