I am what I learn

A link to the U.S. Department of Education's site provided the fodder for this first entry from the southern-flyover lands.

As of 5:30 p.m. (CT) pdf files were available of follow up activities to President Obama's forthcoming speech to the nations' school kids. There are pdf files in age-delineated groups, but I would beg to differ with the "Teaching Ambassador Fellows," who wrote these plans, as to what Kindergarteners can write about.

I am highlighting the lesson plans for the 7th-12th graders; children that are capable of writing and asking deeper questions. Children that can figure out why a speech ostensibly about "staying in school," does not contain the word "stay" at all in the follow up lesson plans. ("School" is contained once.) Perhaps that will be covered in the speech. What is covered in the lesson plans sounds like a lot of work for teachers:

Teachers may post in large print around the classroom notable quotes excerpted from President Obama’s speeches on education.

...Based on these excerpts, what can we infer that the president believes is important in order to be educationally successful?

Granted, schools down here in the South have been in session since 8/10. Maybe teachers have had time to make these posters. I think not.

Before the speech begins, activities and questions are suggested for teachers to utilize.

“Why does President Obama want to speak with us today?”“How will he inspire us?”“How will he challenge us?”“What might he say?”“Do you remember any other historic moments when the president spoke to the nation?” “What was the impact?” After brainstorming answers to these questions, students could create a “cause-and-effect” graphic organizer.  

Here is a "cause-and-effect" experiment:

1. Does assuming a speech will be inspiring, make it inspiring?

2. After two weeks time, ask students what they remember about the speech and how it is changing their life.

The troubling content of the lesson plans is the focus on someone other than the students. In polite conversation focusing on your own name and accomplishments ("Obama" 12 times, "P/president" 15 times, "he" 5 times) seems a little gratutious. In a lesson plan, it smacks of indoctrination, but it is called, "listening with purpose."

In closing, it will be useful to see the "cause-and-effect" of this speech on the drop-out rate.

Ironically, "I Am What I Learn" is the name of the new video contest the U.S. Department of Education is promoting for students 13 and up (details will be announced 9/8). This notice appears on the bottom of the lesson plans. We, as a country, are what we learn. If we learn to think about ourselves first, we grow up to be selfish. If we learn to see how our personal choices can impact our families, and community we will be able to see beyond the end of the month or the election cycle.