"And so I ask, 'Those who are smartest and work hardest go furthest?' Who's kidding whom? When students begin school in such different systems, the odds are set for them. President Kennedy once said that he hoped a person's chance to become president was not determined on the day he was baptized (referring to the fact that some said a Catholic would never become president). I'd like to hope that a child's expectations are not determined on the day she or he enters kindergarten, but it would be foolish to entertain such a hope unless there are some drastic changes made" (25).
I asked them, "What is Finn saying?" and "How does it relate to our reading and discussions?" This is what they came up with...
Wow!! Brit, this is awesome....you are taking the time with your sixth graders to discuss things that some high school teachers wouldn't. I feel like this is what a transforming intellectual teacher would do, making literacy dangerous. There will be no stopping these kids if they are beginning to have this discussion now :)
ReplyDeleteWow! That's amazing. I might try the same experiment with my high school students...thanks for sharing! It makes them think about class in a way that they might not have before!
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