Right now I am teaching technology. That isn’t stopping me from teaching social studies though. Every day starts the same in my class. First a quote. Then an opener based on the National Day calendar. The quotes generally come from historical figures. Sometimes focused around Black History Month or similar events but almost always about a life lesson I believe is important.
It has been interesting. I always start with, do you know… and ask if they know who the source of a quote is. Sadly, yesterday’s quote was from Thomas Jefferson, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” When asked if they knew who Thomas Jefferson was one class did not. I got guesses about whether he was an actor or author but no president, no principal author of the declaration of independence, no historical cues at all. That tells me this is important work.
I have introduced the kids to things they would not have otherwise been exposed to. Some of the more difficult views of Martin Luther King Jr. The historical figures of Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa. The guiding principles of people like George Washington Carver. Every quote comes with perspective of who the person was which makes most quotes more meaningful.
It is wonderful because the kids love them and when I have, on rare occasion, been busy in the morning and forgot to grab a quote, my first period class will not let me go on till we find one together. Today was one of those days, I was busy making videos for students that have missed class due to sports or quarantine and forgot to get a quote in my daily plan slides. First period came up with the quote. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it is a memory.” It was the quote I needed to hear today. This week’s memories are always difficult. It is the week of my mother’s birthday. The anniversary of her death, mother’s day and the anniversary of a beloved dog’s (Thor) death. The facebook memories this week are hard. However, when I heard today’s quote. It made me marvel at the picture that had popped up earlier in the week. That serendipitous moment on the beach with my mother where she noticed the first (of now many) tattoos that I had gotten. That moment, that I did not realize the significance of that is now a fond memory.
It seems maybe, the students may be helping the teacher too.
The Embed Educator 