At what point do my personal opinions get in the way of my students' learning?
Part of teaching history, especially when you get into the present, is navigating complex political issues. Everything from race and sexism to ISIS and our China policy is on the table for discussion. It is inevitable that some students will ask where you fall on particular issues, especially if that's what's being seen on TV or discussed around the dinner table.
Sharing some of yourself with your students is a good thing. The dialogue is what is important. It's one of the best ways to show you are a real human being instead of a human shaped textbook.
Here's the problem. So many of our students are either not paying attention, or don't know how, to the facts of the issues discussed in our classes. Presumably, we know the facts and have formed opinions around them. Some of our kids hear the teacher opinion and then process that as fact. That is to say that for many of our students, "Teacher said" = FACT, which couldn't be further from the truth or the intention of the opinion in the first place.
I don't want my personal opinions to stunt the growth or discourage the exploration of my students, but I like injecting personal feelings and opinions as a seed for discussion.
By the way, the same thing happens with adults with news shows and people that discuss education, politics, current events, etc.
What are some of the ways other folks do this?
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Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - April Week 5
Sharing some of yourself with your students is a good thing. The dialogue is what is important. It's one of the best ways to show you are a real human being instead of a human shaped textbook.
Here's the problem. So many of our students are either not paying attention, or don't know how, to the facts of the issues discussed in our classes. Presumably, we know the facts and have formed opinions around them. Some of our kids hear the teacher opinion and then process that as fact. That is to say that for many of our students, "Teacher said" = FACT, which couldn't be further from the truth or the intention of the opinion in the first place.
I don't want my personal opinions to stunt the growth or discourage the exploration of my students, but I like injecting personal feelings and opinions as a seed for discussion.
By the way, the same thing happens with adults with news shows and people that discuss education, politics, current events, etc.
What are some of the ways other folks do this?
Follow us on Facebook; Twitter; iTunes; Soundcloud; Stitcher
Related Articles:
Dallas Students connecting to material
Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - April Week 5
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