Some of my comments were published in the Listening Post from Al-Jazeera, a few years ago.
Whether we like it or not, our students are in touch with what is going on in their lives, on the radio and television, in their parent’s lives and their family’s lives. Our classroom are made of students who come from the entire world, so what happens in one country far away might affect a young model student in ways we may not be aware of. Students bring to class the ideas they hear at home, even if it was not on the curriculum. Those experiences cannot be ignored and many times need to be discussed as they come up in the classroom, even if we did not plan for that. The teacher needs to be aware of what is affecting their class in order to be effective.
My students come from all over the world, including Egypt. I know, when we learn the ancient civilization unit, and we discuss Egypt, current events facing Egypt may come up. The teacher better be prepared to address and discuss these issues in class. The following link is not meant for the student, but for the teacher to be aware of what is happening around the world, for the well being of their students. This episode of the Listening Post discusses the events in Egypt where reporters are being jailed for doing their jobs. Students hear those horrific news in the morning on the radio or from their parents.
If issues are known by the teacher, students feel included. If their experiences are addressed, encouraged and welcomed, it allows students to build a good relationship with the teacher and the rest of the class. It is a source of motivation when their experiences are validated. Encouraging students to take risks and include their experience in the classroom place them more in control of their lives. It builds an opportunity for students to make better decisions instead of feeling like a victim.
Here’s an example of a product after a grade 4 math lesson on patterns that may be healing for some students:
Here’s the code:
https://c.gethopscotch.com/p/ye1gx8aec