Teaching

[tfb]

I'm in teachers' college right now and am about to start going to a school for practise, so I'd like to hear what you have to say about education.

How can I help the kids (grades 4-10) become revolutionaries? Or, you know, at least help them achieve class-consciousness. :o

What do you think I should do about "classroom-management" (punishment)?

I suppose I should read Pedagogy of the Oppressed?

[Broletariat]

First of all, don't get yourself fired for trying to organise students.

And that's all I have to say because that's seriously fucking important.

[Leftsolidarity]

First of all, don't get yourself fired for trying to organise students.

And that's all I have to say because that's seriously fucking important.

Cynicism sucks bro.

I don't personally know and maybe I could reply better when I'm not exhausted but I think you should definitely do your best.

[Veovis]

Turn kids into revolutionaries? That's a little overly ambitious, and might get you in trouble if you're not careful.

I'd just focus on promoting collectivist rather than individualist ethics, and if you teach history, make sure you teach those things most high school textbooks don't mention. You know what I mean.

[PC LOAD LETTER]

Any teacher here in the US reaching that far outside of the mainstream is seriously risking dismissal. I know you're in Canada, but it can't be that different ...

I suppose if you teach history you can provide a factual account of communist theory instead of the typical "Communism bad! Dictators! Evil! Marx is the devil! Doesn't work, look at the USSR!!" shit that is thrown around.

[Broletariat]

Cynicism sucks bro.

So does Capitalism and the world around us.


I don't personally know and maybe I could reply better when I'm not exhausted but I think you should definitely do your best.

I think you should 1. hold your job. If you're not a teacher you can't do shit anyway (with respect to this particular question). 2. influence kids.

Notice 1 has extreme precedence over 2, meaning that you gotta be real careful with 2 since it could cause 1 to fall through.

[Leftsolidarity]

So does Capitalism and the world around us.





Doesn't mean we have too



I think you should 1. hold your job. If you're not a teacher you can't do shit anyway (with respect to this particular question). 2. influence kids.

Notice 1 has extreme precedence over 2, meaning that you gotta be real careful with 2 since it could cause 1 to fall through.

Yeah, watch for your job but I disagree with your attitude.

[tfb]

OK, so I guess I won't have the kids arrest and execute the principal. :(

[PC LOAD LETTER]

OK, so I guess I won't have the kids arrest and execute the principal. :(
Such an action would be counterproductive to achieving your goal.

Go for the superintendent instead.

[Le Socialiste]

I intend to go into teaching as well, and I've always wondered how best to balance my leftism with the reality of the classroom and education system. It's undoubtedly a thin line to walk on, so be careful. Depending on the subject(s) you'd teach (such as history) you could provide examples that go beyond the typical 'This is Marx. He created Communism, an inherently oppressive and authoritarian system of governance. The Russians tried it and failed. That's why Capitalism remains the best economic system...ever. I know this, because that's what I'm basically mandated to say.' :rolleyes:

Either way, I wish you the best of luck. I'll probably be finding myself in a similar boat in the distant future, and it's nice to see another comrade asking questions I often ask myself.

[tfb]

Thanks, and good luck to you too!

Unfortunately I won't get to talk about Marx and communism (at least not directly), because the only history covered in the years I'd be teaching is medieval times and some of Canadian history. I think that, w/r/t interesting stuff, I'll mostly just be able to talk about feudalism and colonialism. I haven't read the whole curriculum yet, though, so there might be some other good things.

I think my main goal in teaching social studies (and in other things) will be to try to tone down all the ridiculous nationalism. It's just as bad as it seems to be in the US, and maybe even a little worse on account of Canada's feelings of being inferior to the US and having to compete with it.

[Sputnik_1]

I was lucky enough to have a really communist teacher at high school, but it was in Italy where principal probably wouldn't even give a fuck if we were taught how to kill silently. He never really tried to force anything on us, he was just open-minded and expressed his political opinions in a way that wasn't at all invasive.
I think that would be a perfectly balanced attitude. Inspire kids with your enthusiasm and passion without being too preachy.

Good luck!

[PC LOAD LETTER]

Thanks, and good luck to you too!

Unfortunately I won't get to talk about Marx and communism (at least not directly), because the only history covered in the years I'd be teaching is medieval times and some of Canadian history. I think that, w/r/t interesting stuff, I'll mostly just be able to talk about feudalism and colonialism. I haven't read the whole curriculum yet, though, so there might be some other good things.

I think my main goal in teaching social studies (and in other things) will be to try to tone down all the ridiculous nationalism. It's just as bad as it seems to be in the US, and maybe even a little worse on account of Canada's feelings of being inferior to the US and having to compete with it.
You could touch on 1649 and the Diggers. That fits into the Medieval times to Colonialism timeline.

[EvilRedGuy]

There is nothing wrong to indoctrinate children to Communism, just do it. The capitalists are already doing it right now, schools are mass-producing propaganda machines of capitalism.

[Zealot]

There is nothing wrong to indoctrinate children to Communism, just do it. The capitalists are already doing it right now, schools are mass-producing propaganda machines of capitalism.
And risk losing his job? Anyway...

If you're only able to teach medieval history, then put an anti-imperialist slant on it and try to relate it to modern imperialism in a subtle way. Encourage them to question what you say and maybe incite a debate between the students themselves, that's what I liked at school :thumbup1:

[maskerade]

i had a pretty cool social science teacher in 9th grade; when we walked into the room there would be a question written on the board, usually quite provocative, and everyone had to write an answer in their notebook for the first 5 minutes and then the question would be discussed for 10 minutes afterwards. Didn't necessarily have anything to do with what we were learning.

You could do something like that, and just use quite provocative questions. And then use it to voice an opinion. Good luck!

[tfb]

That's a great idea. We have to do a little introductory activity at the beginning of each class, so that would be perfect.

[#FF0000]

Teach kids the material. Teach them to think.

[Iron Felix]

OP reminds me of the Friends of the ABC from Hugo's Les Miserables.

[EvilRedGuy]

And risk losing his job? Anyway...

If you're only able to teach medieval history, then put an anti-imperialist slant on it and try to relate it to modern imperialism in a subtle way. Encourage them to question what you say and maybe incite a debate between the students themselves, that's what I liked at school :thumbup1:


Not if you are absolutely sure you will lose your job.