http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/opinion/17kristof.html

Giving…This is the time of year and season when there is much conversation about charity.There are more and more examples of ways to give, corporations who sponsor giving campaigns and fundraisers and other events related to “giving” or “giving back.” Some gather coats, socks, pajamas, toys, funds and so on. When we participate in these anonomous gestures, we never look into anyone ‘s eyes.What does that mean? What do your students think of these campaigns and gestures?And… to your students…What is this notion of giving that moves us so much , propels us to share our limited resources at times? What is the fundamental , organic and unmistakable drive to preserve our selves and how does it at last cross over into an understanding that we are part of something; we are not “THE “ something.  Why do some students make that bridge and others, not? What are the circumstances that either support this or diminish it?In the Americans Who Tell the Truth series individuals gave their lives in some cases, for instance, to make someone else’s life better. Some gave their freedom and went to prison, some gave their time and sacrificed time with family and friends for others; all gave something. A few of the truth tellers also find themselves in that old category of “helping” that we often think of at this time of year. With their unique relationships to individuals in their midst, they instruct us about this type of help in a way that can and should be shared with students.Lily Yeh is a strong figure who stands out for many reasons. Her biography is worth in depth exploration by students and her work even more important. The essential nature of Lily can be summed up in this story about her. I recall once that she wrote to me and told me that she had received several thousand dollars to pay for a return trip to a village in Rwanda where she and other artists had accomplished quite a bit of shared work with the villagers in reconstructing the area after the 1994 genocide that had occurred there. She then explained that now that the village was near independent operation after years of collaboration , she would not return but rather, would turn the money over for micro loans for the women who were starting various businesses.Read more about Lily’s work at her organization’s website: barefootartists.org In this story , as in the entire process, Lily is focused solely on the “other.” She is clear that funds and funding must come from sources that are not also doing harm ; she is clear that the direction of the project is in the spirit of the people with whom she is working. She is clear that it is them and not her who know what is to be done and if not, she will use her art to heal and help them find their way to the next step. She is clear that the earth be honored and the future be a priority. Immediate needs are not met at the expense of the generations to come. She honors all that is there and strives to find the source for her own usefulness. She acknowledges the times when she is not useful in the setting and does not impose herself. This is a step worth discussion by your students. What is the need? Who and what will be useful?Look at her work with students and help them understand guiding principles we can use to examine our own need to “help” to “give.”What are the questions we must ask ourselves?And then, those to whom we “give” – who are they? what do they want for themselves? how can our own needs be sorted out from theirs and what are the gaps we must close?What role are women and children playing? What voices are heard? Where are the people of color? Who is most impacted?I would contend the most impacted should rightfully have the  voice most attended to. What do students think about that?What is a contribution? what is a contributor? a donor? Who are they? What have they done in the world other than this “charitable” act? Who is benefitting from this charity?Does our own need to feel needed and important make it  necessary to be part of this “giving” or …do we understand that a gift can be offered and then accepted or NOT?What is a gift? At age  five, my  nephew once told me on the occasion of his birthday that a “real gift” is when a famous hockey player you love has the same birthday as you. His grin completely swallowed his face as he explained this to me.He also told me at age three that “even if God is small, the footprints of God would still be HUGE; bigger than anything we’ve ever seen.”Now, that is  a gift.Also true is that some very small deeds have left large footprints on the future of our children. What is my footprint going to look like? Or will it have so much impact and be so   respectful that it no longer remains? Will it be so transformational that it is no longer necessary?  Start a new conversation about giving, charity and good will.Imagine what could happen with new answers to those questions.

As I have written many, many times here and no doubt , shall write again, teaching the truth about our country’s history without blaming and /or shaming but rather, understanding, might remain the most important task in our schools. It is only through this understanding and compassion that we will grow citizens who can confront what’s wrong and implement what is right.This week Teaching for Change and Rethinking Schools announced a new website for the Zinn Education Project. It includes everything you would expect to have available for teachers at no cost.More important, it is there for anyone to review and  celebrate the individuals from our history, who have stood without regard for their own wellbeing, for justice.The distinguishing feature of this project and Americans Who Tell the Truth, is that though some are now well known figures, none began that way and even more are still not faces we instantly recognize or names we associate with specific movements. These little known stories now become part of the conversation thanks to this incredible collection of voices. Additionally, the History Channel has aired a program called “The People Speak“ which is a rich visual dramatic portrayal of Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History.” 

Exploring Howard Zinn’s biography,

 quote and personal statement about his work’s beginnings  from the Americans Who Tell the Truth series will give students a glimpse into this extraordinary man’s life and how, by making other stories possible, he gives us a glorious platform from which to teach. 

Truth teller Bill McKibben writes beautifully here about the nature of change and the relationship of political legislation of change to the climate change issue and question. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mckibben/why-politics-as-usual-may_b_382013.htmlOlder students can and should understand the realities of climate change not only in scientific terms but in what the choices of their activism around it can be.What is important is not to what degree they are active as much as their activity being intentional and informed. In this article McKibben helps us look at why this issue is different than others and very nicely sets up a basis for conversation about many other areas students care about both locally and globally.Students can read this article and create a graphic representation of what McKibben discusses: issues that are remedied over time in small steps and those that require sweeping legislation to effect dramatic , immediate change such as the voting rights for women or other civil liberties guaranteed by the constitution. They can look historically at the way change occurs politically and begin to make determinations of their own , again, not just about climate change but in other areas they might care about or be impacted by. The Center for Health Equity in Louisville Ky. had students create videos regarding their family’s relationship to health care , for example. In the videos students told their “truths” and offered proposed solutions. In this project, students could determine , via proposed outcomes, what small steps would assist their families initially if the large sweeping step of single payer health care could not be reached legislatively.Each truth teller in the Americans Who Tell the Truth series had to look repeatedly at how to impact change.Have students choose someone from the series and identify the steps , including obstacles , along the way and in the case of those no longer living, where did their journey lead them and us?

YES! Magazine is listed in our resources as a must for classroom resources.Each issue is packed with incredible resources for students, primarily in the form of individuals and organizations with whom they might connect, identify or wish to explore further. In this issue they devote articles to climate change and in general, energy resources.Given that this is the season for many students to confront the need to heat their homes, it is a good time to have them explore websites that help them realize how much of their energy is supplied by coal, for a start.Looking at how coal is mined and where, its impact on the surrounding areas would be a second consideration.Looking at alternatives to coal, etc would be something to research and what options they have.

http://www.truthout.org/1206092Ellen Goodman writes a great article about her experience as a journalist and her own disappointment in the way “facts” are perceived. Students will need to be more astute than ever and more able and willing to ask ” How do you know that?”What strategies to your students have for discerning the truth? Ask them to think about this not only in relation to the media but in their own relationships.How do they know who to trust?

Two suggestions for looking at the conversation related to Afghanistan:Read Kristof’s information related to the economics and have students look closely at what this means.http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/troops-in-afghanistan-and-a-sinking-feeling/ “Or think of education. There are about 75 million to 100 million primary school age children who are not in school. It would cost $16 billion to get all of them in school — and yet that’s unimaginable. But in contrast to the Afghan spending, it might have a last impact on the security of the world.” Another important resource for teachers is the work of Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn documented in the book ” Half the Sky.” Students will likely find the stories of accomplishment very inspiring and might be suprised to see the difference in the outcome.When asking students to reexamine or investigate what they “know” about a topic, here’s a simple four-step process to help students go through that is essentially based in higher order cognition and Bloom’s Taxonomy.Start by having them write down and share what they believe is true. Use images, videos, writing prompts to help them articulate what they believe. In this case- what do they believe about Afghanistan? Why do they believe we are there with a military presence?Who is benefitting from our presence there? How do they know these things ? What are their resources for information?Next, have them experience and work with valid and clear information without bias and imposition of values. Have them research our country’s relationship to the problem , in this case, Afghanistan, historically and present them with stories of real people from the area or living with the issue. ( Three Cups of Tea, also an excellent source for this issue- see previous blog).Now , wind back around to what they originally thought and have them actually go through these one by one and perhaps create a visual representation of what they thought they knew and what they learned.Last, most important, have them diagram, write about or somehow present what has happened to their thinking. Was it changed? If so, how? If not, why not?  What did they learn? How will it impact how they process information in the future? This is perhaps the most important step. Generalizing in education is something we often don’t have “time” for because we are test driven or pushed by covering curricula.But if we can allow for this essential step, we will be educating for thinking , in which case, we really will leave no child behind. As we look ahead to the review of that law, let’s look repeatedly at the words: no child left behind. How are children left behind when we escalate war?

Help students further understand Aghanistan via the story of Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and most recently, Stones into Schools. Mortenson’s story is one that students all over the country have related well to and his work has inspired action on the part of teachers and schools. Americans Who Tell the Truth seeks to share the compassionate and courageous actions of citizens and every truth teller in the series represents that in the choices each made.Students who study lives of such individuals can start to understand their own unique ability to participate. From this participation can come the realization that what each of us does, matters. Mr. Mortenson has helped citizens here better grasp the needs and problems of Afghanistan. He helps us know what life in the villages is really like, who really holds power and allows students to destroy myths that the media might have perpetuated.However, I believe something even more important is here for students in this story.Greg Mortenson made a promise and kept it. At great personal financial risk, he managed to return to build the school that he said he would. And when he asked what was needed and wanted , it was simply: school.Have students read the age appropriate version of his story and participate in some way! And allow them to begin the study writing down what they believe is true about Afghanistan. When they finish , have group conversation about what ended up being true and untrue and why. When students encounter information that contradicts their own beliefs, we must help them redesign their intellectual “boxes” to make room for a new vision. Use the images shown in this video to spark comments and help students express what they believe is true about the photographs and what they suggest to them about what Mr. Mortenson experienced. There are several quotes from Mr. Mortenson in the video , what do students think about them and why is it true that if you “educate a boy , you educate an individual, but if you educate a girl, you educate a whole community.”In general, why does Mr. Mortenson emphasize the education of girls? The answer to this is an important understanding that our students might not have yet.

“ It costs $1,000,000 to fund one soldier in Afghanistan. That same $1,000,000 can be used to create 25 civilian jobs at home here in the U.S. That’s $40,000 per job!” Congressman Dennis KucinichA truth teller, rightly tells us what else the money for the escalation of war could be doing.  To view his discussion of the escalation of troops and what this takes away from us as a people….http://kucinich.us/ Allow students to go to this website and view the varied interviews from mainstream media. Have them make comparisons about the way the message and interview are received and conducted. Which of the interviews helps them most and why? Which of the interviews is conducted in a way that is helpful? In matters such as this, students must have skills developed to discern what’s salient, what’s actionable and what is true.  

Dennis Kucinich

 Students and teachers returned from the holiday with a number of things facing us this week.  Attention to the war in Afghanistan must be paid and it is now more important than ever, given the President’s decision, that our students understand this area of the world and the varied relationships to it. Truth tellers have been and now will escalate their own objection to increasing military involvement in Afghanistan. Medea Benjamin , co-founder,  Code Pink Women for Peace, has been very vocal and active both in objections to Iraq and to  the size and scope of our committment to war in general, including other conflicts such as Israel and Palestine.  Their focus related to Afghanistan , is on the impact war has on women and children.   A very good resource for students in understanding the impact of war on women and children is the Feminist Peace Network, founded by Lucinda Marshall.Cindy Sheehan, a mother whose son, Casey , was killed in Iraq, has led a very active and relentless campaign to hold leaders accountable for the truth about reasons for going to war.Holding governments accountable for this activity is perhaps, the most essential component.  Unending pressure should be placed for these answers.Helen Thomas, a journalist, has also pressed for truth in relation to the government action and escalation of war. These are very necessary things for students to understand.In helping students, it might be very challenging for them to relate to what it is like to live in a war zone. I would recommend the film ”Meeting Resistance” to all teachers as a very good portrayal of what it is like to live with the wars we are currently waging. Film makers Steve Connor and Molly Bingham were able to interview at length in the areas of Iraq and during the time of her journalistic work about the war. The website contains excellent educational material including a timeline that would be very useful in the classroom.  Ms. Bingham was arrested, held and then , released. Her story is an important one and represents what is best in our country: the willingness to risk one’s own life to learn the truth.While interviewed about the film by truth teller , Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, she told the story of that arrest: http://www.democracynow.org/2007/10/18/meeting_resistance_new_doc_follows_iraqis Other vocal truth tellers involved in a leadership role against the wars are Col. Ann Wright and Coleen Rowley. Any and all of their writing on the topics will be especially relevant due to their own history and direct contact with the Bush administration and the lead up to the Iraq war. Ann Wright speaks out on CNN and after her own experience in the region states emphatically: Don’t escalate a failing war. Coleen Rowley writes here: We are not afraid….http://www.huffingtonpost.com/coleen-rowley/we-are-not-afraid–last-n_b_378809.html