http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/09/29-1I read this article today with a heavy heart. I wonder what you will feel as a teacher.I know I am supposed to be uplifted by the spirit of these South African children who have risen up for an education that honors them. Rather, I read this article and realize that heartbreak of our own recent President’s message to children about their education.If only it was true that we were going to do something for them. My own students have this question for the president. When are these promises of things to come, actually coming?

Marian Wright Edelman has been mentioned before here. Here’s her portrait and her latest call to action on behalf of children. I wonder how our older students feel about the approaching years when they will face health care concerns. I know the college age students I am lucky to talk with about these concerns have very significant fears about their futures in regard to this.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/a-childs-race-against-a-d_b_301715.html

 Derrick Jensen from the Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait series is featured in  great funny video that could inspire your students to create other versions of their favorite movies/comics,etc. Enjoy.

Lucinda Marshall,  a Louisville citizen and founder of the Feminist Peace Network has posted this on her blog today. What an incredible conversation children could have about this. What are dolls/toys for ? Who markets them? Who creates them? Who benefits from their sales? What corporation owns the company that made these dolls? Does a homeless doll create awareness and help real homeless girls and boys? What is homelessness? How do people become homeless?This is RICH ( no pun) with possibility! http://www.feministpeacenetwork.org/2009/09/28/american-girls-homeless-doll-retails-for-95-can-you-buy-that-with-food-stamps/This website is always a good resource!

Here, Ms. Maathai introduces the notion of resources and conflict. This is an essential component of our interactions on every level that our students should understand at a very profound and personal level. The exerpt here is only 3 minutes- perfect for an introductory viewing and journal entry for the day.

It might surprise your students to know how far ahead many places on the CONTINENT of Africa are related to the environment due to the work of this woman! I would focus much of the conversation about her on the extraordinary  courage it took to do even the simplest thing in her world. For some background information: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-saviour-of-africa—a_b_301353.htmlThese are two of my favorite quotes from her to discuss with students:”There comes a time when all of humanity is called to a shift in consciousness.” Wangari Maathai”It is a little more than a planting of trees. It is a planting of ideas.” Wangari MaathaiFor follow up: What is the shift she’s talking about? What ideas would your students plant?If you have more time to devote, be sure to let students see this documentary:

We need to remember how cut off from this beauty he speaks of our students are and what this could be doing to them….How can we find ways to bring this back into our students’ lives?

 http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/history/This evening’s first installment of Ken Burns series about our National Parks began with a compelling history of the National Parks.I am pleased to report to teachers that the history is told truthfully and does not shy away from the politics of the relationship of the Native peoples displacement, including Chief Joseph’s relationship to the lands.  It also is very honest about the ongoing battle for retention of land vs. commercialism and the resulting politics involved at the federal government level. All of this , of course, is extremely relevant today for classroom use.This first episode  focuses  largely on the life of John Muir.Included in the story were five portraits from the Americans Who Tell the Truth series. John Muir, Terry Tempest Williams ( who is interviewed), Chief Joseph, Abraham Lincoln and Henry David Thoreau.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/25/nobel_peace_laureate_wangari_maathai_if

This speaks for itself. Don’t let students miss this!