Monday:
READ AND ANNOTATE: “A Talk to Teachers” by James Baldwin.
WRITE:  Blog Post (at least 300 words) In “A Talk to Teachers,” James Baldwin writes: Â
I would try to make [the student] know that just as American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it, so is the world larger, more daring, more beautiful and more terrible, but principally larger – and that it belongs to him. I would teach him that he doesn’t have to be bound by the expediencies of any given administration, any given policy, any given morality; that he has the right and the necessity to examine everything.
First of all, what do you think of what James Baldwin was saying? What do you think he means when he says “the world is larger?”
Secondly, what do you think you have the “necessity” to examine, or the obligation to learn more about? To put it another way: what do you wish had been taught to you in school that wasn’t? Why do you want to know about these topics?
Post your writing as a comment to this post on OpenLab.
Wednesday:
READ AND ANNOTATE the Declaration of Independence.
LISTEN AND TAKES NOTES ON to the Declaration of Independence.
READ AND ANNOTATE The Declaration of Independence Annotated by Randy Barnett.
WRITE: Think about The Declaration of Independence in modern terms. Write a paragraph explaining how the arguments in this founding document are relevant to you and relate to issues that affect you, your family, and/or your community in the 21st century. If you feel the document is completely irrelevant to your life, explain your reasoning. Post your reflection here on OpenLab as a comment.
I think when James Baldwin talks about “the world is larger”. I think what he is trying to say is that there’s a lot of things that we are not thought about in American history that maybe us as students should know about because it is just as important as anything else in history and that we should examine everything.
Something I wish they would teach us in school is how to fill out your taxes and become more familiar with it, I think we should know about this topic because it is something that us as an adult should know because everyone has to do it in their own lives.
If I could choose what the students should be taught. I would choose to include world history as a mandatory class because the history that is taught in the United States is only about the United States, even though the country is built by immigrants from various countries. James Baldovin meant the same thing when he stated that “the world is larger”, he meant that we need to expand our own horizons. Expanding one’s horizons is important, especially in history. Mistakes that were committed in the past can be prevented in the present. Learning about different cultures and nations can help with that, but the U.S. is only taught from the perspective of the United States. The world is larger than the United States so many perspectives get left out in favor of the United States. One of the greatest examples is WW2, the win was claimed by everyone but the USSR, and the country that sacrificed the most for the win was left out. The same example is that black people were left out in the history of the United States, even though they are the group that contributed a lot. Also, I would encourage the students to explore more on their own. Because in the future no one is going to force the student to learn, it’s up to the student to learn or not to.
James Baldwin is saying that students should be curious thinkers. They should like to question things, think for themselves, and not just accept what they’re told without thinking about it. Students need to use their brains, analyze information, and form their own opinions rather than just following what everyone else is doing. Also what Baldwin is saying about “the world is larger.” Is that the world is big and has a lot of different things in it, and that they should go out, explore, and learn about different races, cultures, etc. Two things that I need to explore and learn about the Philippines’ national heroes and what they did to be recognized as national heroes, and also understanding different cultures and perspectives. This is important because people can learn how diverse other backgrounds and lives are. This should be emphasized more in school because it helps students be open-minded and respectful.
i think when james baldwin says “the world is larger” he’s referring to the fact that these so much more to the world then it’s history, there’s more to life then the past. i wish in school i was taught both sides of history, not just the side that the government approved for us students to learn about because now that i’m getting older i’m starting to realize there’s more to those one sided stories that us students have yet to uncover or even learn about because the information is being withheld from us.
First of all, James Baldwin was trying to say how the education system, or the whole America in general, works differently for a certain amount of the population. The first few paragraphs just have you locked in and questioning why things are the way they are. The way some kids determine their future depends on what their family history is. Also talks about how some families have got to work harder than others just to make a living. He talks about some families living on the edge, how they look around each corner and over their shoulder just for their safety. Now when he says “the world is larger”, he means that there’s a bigger world around you than what you’re seeing. You have got to think of the bigger picture than whatever you’re staring at, that the world is bigger than yourself and you’ve got to think about others’ well-being. Secondly, something I wish I had been taught in school was how this city was built, and still being built, by people from different ethnicities. As in how each house, restaurant, building, and skyscraper was not just built by simple White Americans. It should be emphasized more that this city runs on people from around the world. This should be taught in schools more often for the students to know that everything around them comes from different ethnicities around the world and to be more grateful that thanks to them, they have what they have. This can also relate to James Baldwin’s “the world is larger” line. The world is larger than you know, there is more out there than just the city you’re in. More to explore and meet people all from different ethnicities, how their culture has provided us with whatever we have had before, now, and what we will have in the future.
James Baldwin was saying that teachers have responsibilities in shaping students minds and impact their words and actions can have on young minds. When James Baldwin says “the world is larger” he meant that education shouldn’t be limited to one sided view of the world. However, he suggests students should be taught with multiple views to help them understand perspectives. I wish schools taught about critical thinking as well as problem solving. Critical thinking is important to learn would help students articulate ideas clearly which helps in real life situations. As well as problem solving skills enable individuals to make informed and rational decisions.
Baldwin is so on point here. Schools basically force feed kids a version of reality that’s all surface level, just enough to pass the next test, you know? But real learning is about finding your identity and understanding where you fit into the bigger world. I agree that education should push us out of our comfort zones to think critically about society, culture, everything. When he says “the world is larger,” I think Baldwin’s saying there’s so much complexity that we never get exposed to. Schools present everything so simply, when really humanity contains multitudes, as the saying goes. Education should blow your mind with how vast the world is, how unique each human experience can be. But instead, schools try to box kids into these neat little categories that have nothing to do with who they really are inside.Personally, I get bummed thinking about all I wasn’t taught that I should’ve been. Like real talk about LGBTQ history and rights, which barely ven came up at my school. Or honestly examining how systems of power impact people’s lives, rather than just accepting the status quo. I wish I’d learned to question things from a social justice perspective way earlier, you know? I’m trying to learn more now because I don’t think we ever stop needing more education. There are always new perspectives that can expand how we see the world and understand others. Baldwin was so real for calling out schools for avoiding the hard stuff. I want to keep pushing myself to learn, especially by listening topeople from different backgrounds who challenge the predered narrative. That’s how we grow. For me, education is an ongoing journey of trying to understand the human mind to the fullest extent possible.
First when James Baldwin mentioned teaching the students that “the world is larger” simply meant that students can see a new world when they engage in different experiences or cultures and ideas. It suggests students see themselves how the world is, rather than believing what others tell them about. Secondly, I would love to learn more about other cultures’ history. History classes in the United States mainly focused on the US the same goes for other regions. When we only learn the perspective of the US, our cognition would be left in the US. By learning about other countries’ or regions’ perspectives we can broaden our perspective of the world. Examples may include World War 1 and 2. There were many heroes and villains in each different region, and many of these were left out when we were learning in our history classes. If we can learn about different countries’ cultures we can have less bias.
I think when James Baldwin is saying that we need to be more open to things in the world. I also believe that he wants us to think in a more broader point of view. I think that school should teach kids more valuable things like making money and starting business instead of teaching the same things over and over again. I would want to learn these things because these are things that kids need to know how to do when they get into the real world. Instead the schools teach the students the same things over and over again. They don’t teach kids to survive or be independent, they teach kids to work for people and to have to rely on someone for help. They don’t help kids prepare instead they scare kids to go to more school rather than to be more independent. I also feel like students should learn financial education so that they can become more responsible with money and how to make good money decisions. Students should learn these topics because then they will be able to make better decisions like ways to make more money off of what they already have. If schools would just teach kids these methods they would be able to invest more money and learn how to save because at this point if you look at the younger generation they spend money on whatever. If they had a class to teach them how to make more money people would not have to have low income jobs and the overall economy would increase.
I believe James Baldwin is saying that the education system of the US that is in place is too restrictive in the information that students are able to obtain. The education given is designed to limit a person’s mind to be easily fooled and led about. “American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it”. Even the information about one’s own home is limited to paint a false image so that it is seen in a positive light.
When Baldwin says “the world is larger”, he means that a person/student has so much to learn outside of what they have been taught/shown.
What I wish I had been taught in school was how to prepare for the future, and by future, I mean everyday tasks that every person goes through. Basic taxes, understanding how to manage our own money better than we do today, and how to write proper resumes. Everything a person needs to know to be able to live in this current society without having to start by catching up.
The Declaration of Independence affects everyone as it dictates the principles by which the government functions. One of the most important principles is that “all men are created equal”. This principle affects everyone as no person wants to be treated worse than another person based on something they cannot control. Taking back the power from the government is truly important because if the power is not used properly many people can suffer from it and taking it back is a good prevention of it.
In modern terms, the Declaration of Independence contradicts itself today. Back then, Britain was the one making lives worse for “the people” while keeping itself wealthy. Today, the US took its place as the government looking to make a profit off of everyone, no matter what. Political leaders of the US continue to grow their wealth while more than half of the country struggles to make ends meet.
The Declaration of Independence is how we citizens are created equal and have our natural rights that no man can take away. Also, the government is there to serve the people and if the people aren’t satisfied with the government, they shall change the government inside out. This is relevant to me because I and everyone I know and love are the People, and if there is a government threatening our natural rights, well I would like for it to change inside-out and to serve the/our/your/my people Properly this time. None of us shall feel threatened by this government who believes they are some tyrant, we shall be free and treated equal, each and everyone of us.
The Declaration of Independence is relevant to me and my loved ones because it reminds people that everyone is made equally. It also grants people individual rights and freedom and self determination which serves to be inspiration for modern society. The declaration of independence also gives the people the right to overthrow the government if they are denying people these basic rights. Even Though the declaration of independence was created a long time ago it still shows people that at the end of the day you can express yourself and be treated as equal and that you can shape your own destiny.
In “A Talk to Teachers” the author reveals that in American society you are only taught one side. Not necessarily one side but you are usually educated on half of the story. The person educating you most likely doesn’t know the other half of the story either because society did not educate them as well or they withhold the other half for personal reasons. For example, schools and society educate you that Christphor Columbas is a hero who discovered America, even having a whole day to celebrate him and his accomplishments. However, the other half of the story illustrates that he is in fact more a villain than hero. Most importantly, Christopher Columbas didn’t discover America because evidently people have been living their way before he arrived. Also, during his journey he came in contact with native people living on Caribbean islands and decided to enslave them. Not only did he enslave them but he committed various horrendous acts to men, women and children on the island. In America you only learn the pleasant side of history and when James Baldwin stated “American history is longer, larger, more various, more beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it” this is certainly something he can be talking about.
What James Balwdin means when he says “the world is larger” is that America isn’t everything. The changes you want to make or the things you want to learn cannot only be changed or learned in America but around the world. America is only a small fraction of this world so the things you do and the ideas you think of must be world changing. Aim high and achieve high is what I believe James Baldwin meant when he said “the world belongs to you”. A necessity of information I deserve to have or learn more about is the history of my ancestors. In school you are barely taught about black history. As an African American I should learn more about the history of black people. They should teach you about all of the black activists and leaders who helped change America, why they became activists and why America needed changes in the first place.
The Declaration of Independence is still relevant to me in modern times. It represents that everyone in America is equal, regardless of your gender, race, disabilities or religion. Everyone has equal rights, equal opportunities, and should be treated fairly. Furthermore, it implies that in America your dreams can come true. You have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Even in the 21st century people from all over the world are traveling to America in hopes of obtaining a great life and achieving great things. The Declaration of Independence motivates people to accomplish their aspirations which makes everyone work harder and therefore creates a strong and succeeding country. Additionally, it gives its citizens safety over the government. If the government is making or breaching new laws and policies, basically destroying the country, the people have a right to overthrow the government and establish a more improved one. The Declaration of Independence is significant to this nation and will continue to be so for many generations to come.
The Declaration of Independence is relevant because it’s the founding document of the United States of America. This gave everyone their rights, like liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Also gave people rule, if leaders aren’t doing good, the people have the right to speak up. This is still relevant and still affects how people can discuss how government works, the rights everyone should have, what people can do to make their community better, and how things should be fair and square. This affected the whole world as the Declaration of Independence can be a guide on how countries should treat their citizens.
The Declaration of Independence remains relevant even in the 21st century. While its purpose at first was to break away from a government; It provided individual rights and equality to the people. Its ideas influenced the development of democracy. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” This quote created an equal citizenry and self-governance. It is right for the people to abolish or alter any form of destructive government. Its ideas were referenced in debates or discussions about the government even in today’s. Jefferson’s ideas influenced people around the world to fight for freedom and rights.
First of all, what do you think of what James Baldwin was saying? What do you think he means when he says “the world is larger?”
i think that James Baldwin means when he says “the world is larger” that there are btter things to explore or more things to travel. he is also saying that when we learn it should be non-stop and we should learn everyday. we learn everyday something new even something about ourselves.
Secondly, what do you think you have the “necessity” to examine, or the obligation to learn more about? To put it another way: what do you wish had been taught to you in school that wasn’t? Why do you want to know about these top
we should learn these topics because when we do we will get into making better decisions and daiily life goals and such as like ways to make money off of anything in any possible way. If any school could by any means possible teach kids these any of these important ways in life like in high school then us students would be able to invest more money for our future or in collage and learn how to save for our future because in this generation we live in now people like me speand money in anything espically when we dont need it.
i think that James Baldwin means when he says “the world is larger” that there are btter things to explore or more things to travel. he is also saying that when we learn it should be non-stop and we should learn everyday. we learn everyday something new even something about ourselves.
we should learn these topics because when we do we will get into making better decisions and daiily life goals and such as like ways to make money off of anything in any possible way. If any school could by any means possible teach kids these any of these important ways in life like in high school then us students would be able to invest more money for our future or in collage and learn how to save for our future because in this generation we live in now people like me speand money in anything espically when we dont need it.