Observations from the Classroom
What follows is pure observation from my daily interactions with my young students (granted, I work in a red state with fairly conservative kids). The students have a reputation for being lazy and whiny (faculty perpetually complain about it - the irony is painful). And that reputation is deserved. However, I still get curious as to what my students actually think. Thus, I tend to bring up debates that are relevant to them and ask them to respond to both sides. A few examples:
- In a recent mock debate in my class, my students did a decent job of arguing for and against drug use in professional sports (Lance Armstrong was a good news hook for them). I was surprised to see how passionate the “against” groups were. Their argument was based on the importance of raw talent and hard work. Of course, the arguments were generalized, and I did have to cut off some screaming at a certain point. But overwhelmingly, my classes voted for being “against” drugs in sports because it ruined the hard work of good athletes.
- I have 7-8 female students (black and white) writing persuasive essays on abortion (usually I ban the topic) this semester - only one is writing from the pro-choice stance. Each of the other females is arguing that the practice is murder.
- I do a project based off of the “Shark Tank” show, where contestants present their business to investors. In groups, my students have to present a formal and well-written business proposal and pitch to the rest of the class while the CEOs ask questions and debate the merits of the company. There is always a class where this project falls flat, but, for the most part, my students love it. The idea of creating a business is fun and energizing for them.
- One of my most informed students asked me about the Electoral College and why we still use it. He then showed me a picture of the red state/blue state map and wondered how we had a new blue president when most of the country was “red.”
Here's the thing: in the last few years, I hear many of students give inherently conservative principles as their ideas, but they absolutely and positively do not connect that with limited government. This group of millennials, for instance, bought the “student loans will disappear” argument for President Obama hook, line, and sinker.
Now, to be sure, this age group is ridiculously uninformed. Everyday I repeat to myself: They just don’t know. They just don’t know. And, I remind myself that it is impossible to compete with the barrage of friends and social media they get.
What to do? I sincerely thought that if I used my platform in the classroom to change my student’s views (not that I could) - I would be worse than a liberal harping on Bush’s “failures” in a classroom. After getting over my nausea from reading next semester’s textbook (oh, the liberalism - it burns. If Ricochet writers took over textbooks, we might have a chance), I may have to rethink my policy. Any thoughts or ideas for bringing conservatism to millennials in the classroom?
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Jan '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Yep -- live it. There's one way to do this, and that's to live it and be awesome. Thread after thread on here is about "HOW DO WE CONVINCE _____ AND EDUCATE THEM?!?!!!111" when the truth is that you create a scenario where someone looks at you, sums you up, and thinks, "He's got the right idea. I'm going to do that, too."
Love those projects, btw.
Jan '12
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Yep -- live it. There's one way to do this, and that's to live it and be awesome.
There's my new motto!
Jan '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
BTC, it's what drives every minute of my day. Really, do a little check every once in a while -- "If someone were observing me right now, what would they think?" and if the answer is something other than, "That's awesome," change it. It develops pretty good habits.
This is the absolute core of why Everyone Including Many of Our Ricochet Thought-Leader Overlords Are Wrong About Politics and Society. Go ahead, folks -- have all the conversations you want with lefties about how Milton Friedman's ideas reign supreme. You'll be right, and it won't matter.
They won't be on board until they look at someone and think, "He's got it right. I'm going to live like that."
Nov '12
Re: Observations from the Classroom
The facts of life are conservative (Margaret Thatcher). Discuss.
And here is a prior list of this discussion:
http://ricochet.com/main-feed/The-Facts-of-Life-Are-Conservative-But-What-Are-They
Also love the idea of showing some Milton Friedman videos... many available on youtube. Thanks for your anecdotal classroom sharing... gave me a glimmer of hope on this increasingly freakish news cycle week.
Dec '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Our founders were the malcontent revolutionaries of their day, not grumpy old white guys. Their ideas were the counterculture to "the man" (who wore the crown.) They were the organizers of not only communities, but of a whole new nation. These are things our youth can relate to and latch onto. Teach the founders as they lived, not as they died.
Edited on November 13, 2012 at 10:56pmNov '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
As much as possible, supplement your textbook with original sources and let those sources speak for themselves as you lecture on and discuss their meaning. If you decide to have your students listen to someone like Milton Friedman, find another lecture or reading in opposition to Friedman. I think that one of the most important points to get across to students is that experts disagree.
May '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
BTConservative:
Now, to be sure, this age group is ridiculously uninformed. Everyday I repeat to myself: They just don’t know. They just don’t know.
A cynic might conclude that's the case with the general electorate.
Nov '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Well, your class sounds interesting... one I think my kids might enjoy. You seem to be teaching them HOW to think, not WHAT to think. Those critical thinking skills, if they stick with the students, should inevitably lead to a conservative outlook. So, well done!
I guess I'd say ask questions that might lead them to immutable truths. A few examples:
Is a religious belief necessary to a free republic? (Leads to Tocqueville.)
Is wealth created, or is there a finite stock of it, the only relevant question about which is how it should be distributed?
Is political self interest somehow nobler than economic self-interest?
What is more generous, to help someone with your own resources or with someone else's?
What is the ad hominem fallacy? (I.e. calling someone a racist, sexist, homophobe is not an argument.)
What is the appeal to authority fallacy? (I.e. saying most mainstream economists agree is not a valid argument.)
Are people smart enough to run their own lives?
Is America really exceptional? (E.g. is it exceptional that America had slavery or that we joined the Brits to stamp it out utterly as an accepted institution in the world?)
Sep '12
Re: Observations from the Classroom
I love the Shark Tank exercise!
Maybe a similar exercise to show why small government is better would be to pick a law, or make up a goofy law, and let one group argue how that law could be used for the common good and another to argue how it could be used against people. The idea being, when the party who agrees with your viewpoint is in charge, you'll like what they do with a law; when the opposing party is in charge, might they not use that same law to do things you don't like? Hopefully it would dawn on them that giving government too much power is not a good idea.
Apr '12
Re: Observations from the Classroom
The Milton Freidman video with how a pencil gets made is a great video and then debate free trade or jobs in other countries. Arguable, the whole pencil could get made in the USA.
The issue is also effective government. The purpose of spending tax payer money is very different from spending your own cash.
so with your Shark Tank example, give monopolu money to the 4 sharks but then add a government fund manager too - Solyndra is an example of a fund from the govt. I work with govt funds and they take forever to release a few million, not like your high roller Barry. They are spending tax payer money so it has to go to specifics.
I think the biggest issue is Stop the Gravy Train. Self explanatory.
The other issue is that we are all in a system. The govt is part of it but should not be all.
The part that gets missed are the small businesses - under $100M. They are needed to grow the next Apple. But they do not have the money to lobby like the huge corporations. So GE ends up with no tax while a small company pays more than GE.
May '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
The subject is?? (Civics, political science, history, debate?)
Outside readings in:
Jan '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
To be honest, I find the "What can we give kids to read so they grow up to be Conservatives?" conversation pretty creepy. That approach simply isn't necessary.
Feb '12
Re: Observations from the Classroom
To borrow from my avatar education is the basis of law and order..
"Indeed, no one in Shinbone seems to understand the meaning of the Declaration of Independence or the importance of a Constitution. The two dominant characters, Doniphon and Valance, seem to believe that the basis of rule is force alone. Ford makes it clear in this scene that it is only because men are equal that the people can be the boss..."
Oct '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
As a teacher, I think one of the most helpful things you can do is to challenge their "presentism"--the belief that the current dispensation is right and inevitable.
Yesterday, I had a discussion with one of my 9th grade students who read Pride and Prejudice with me last year. Flipping her thoughts back to Lydia and Wickham, she asked, "So Lydia and Wickham are stuck in an unhappy marriage for the rest of their lives? Why can't they just split up?"
I explained that it was a mistake to think that our society was better just because we allowed divorce. I pointed out that no-fault divorce laws made it possible for husbands to break off twenty-year marriages with devoted wives just to remarry a younger, prettier woman--in some cases leaving the former wife with no job skills, as she had spent the marriage raising children.
I finished by saying, "I'm not saying that divorce is bad; I'm just saying that every perceived benefit also brings disadvantages. You should try to think about them."
That's my twig against the flood, at least.
Dec '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
I know someone who teaches economics at the local community college. He projects the debt clock and the students' portion of it while he lectures.
Roughly 90% of people are visual learners. We can talk all day long, or we can scare the snot out of them and then see if they're ready to listen.
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Those kids are lucky to have you as their teacher, that's for sure. Wow. Great stuff.
Jan '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Cognitive science disputes the 'visual learning' and 'learning styles' bit. It isn't necessary to cater to a perceived preference to teach effectively.
http://youtu.be/sIv9rz2NTUk
Edited on November 14, 2012 at 12:43amDec '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
I'm not sure what you teach, but any beginning principles of economics prepares the intellect for conservative ideas. So does the history of actual historical events like the American Constitutional Convention and the French Revolution. No indoctrination required!
Jan '11
Re: Observations from the Classroom
+1 to that. These kids are in good shape.
Dec '10
Re: Observations from the Classroom
Matthew K. Tabor: Cognitive science disputes the 'visual learning' and 'learning styles' bit. It isn't necessary to cater to a perceived preference to teach effectively.
http://youtu.be/sIv9rz2NTUk · in 1 minute
Edited in 1 minute
Oh, yeah, I agree. It's a coarse way to talk about what people are capable of (although my daughter is blessed with amazing auditory memory, which helps her immeasurably in the classroom). But, you'd agree that the debt clock is a good visual aid and its implications for students' future prosperity are profound, if not entirely proven, wouldn't you?