“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. is a powerful text that many credit as the direct inspiration for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the letter, King outlines the careful decision-making that went into timing his …
In social studies, I’m preparing a unit on The Industrial Revolution–the period of history in which massive changes to the manufacturing process altered the course of human history. The Abraham Lincoln conversation about self-determination would be a great way to …
Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is an primary source to explore the theme of conflict and how human beings deal with it. I could have the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. conversation just before introducing excerpts from Lincoln’s speech as …
I want to teach the Gettysburg Address and I think the Gandhi conversation on sacrifice would be a great conversation to have just before handing out this speech to get the kids appreciating the importance of thinking of others before …
Bruce A. Jacob’s poem “Home Training” talks about how he did not understand the quotes his mother hung up at home, or her “laying on of hands,” or her warning “fence line of red roses” because he didn’t know the …
The George Floyd protests have erupted all over the country and sparked a national debate not only over racism and police brutality, but also about the best way to protest injustice. The Abraham Lincoln conversation on leadership would give students …
Obstacles don’t have to delay progress–as long as careful decision-making is present. This concept is evident in Ronald Reagan’s speech following the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, in which he outlines how America will not let this disaster derail its …
Students approach decision-making in very different ways. Some are very impulsive and see decision-making as something to rush into and are very comfortable making changes on the fly. Others take a cautious approach and carefully consider all options before deciding on a course of action. Each situation demands its own customized strategy and students must reason through the options to select the right one.
School is often the first place where students occupy positions of authority where they are able to direct the efforts of others. Being a good leader and having influence are highly valued. The challenge is figuring out the best way to do it. Some think it’s all about having power and expecting others to obey it. Others lead by moral example. Leadership lessons cultivated at young ages carry into adulthood and form the basis for how to treat other people.
Students are fed the consistent message that they can achieve anything in life if only they just work hard at it. They are in control of their future. But students are also aware of the fact that much of their future is out of their control and that no matter how hard they try, they will never achieve certain things. These two forces– the internal force of their own desires and the external force of the world acting upon them– conspire to shape their life experiences.
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