Category: Unit 2

     The author James Baldwin touches on many issues and cites examples revolving around  all over the world and not just America. In his quote he states “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.”. Baldwin’s statement cites that the world is larger than the America we live in and that there is a large world out there, therefore you should use it all to your advantage. This statement about the world being larger is a powerful reminder to look beyond our own limited perspectives. It means acknowledging that there is a vastness to the world that extends beyond our individual experiences. It’s about recognizing the diversity of people, cultures, and ideas that exist beyond our immediate surroundings. By embracing this idea, I open myself up to new knowledge, empathy, and understanding. It encourages me to step outside my comfort zones and engage with the richness and complexity of the world around me. There is this idea being portrayed that there is more to the world than meets the eye. It’s about expanding my perspectives and understanding that there are diverse experiences and perspectives beyond my own. One thing other particular thing he states that touches me is “ The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not. To ask questions of the universe, and then learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity.”. I think that it’s a really good statement and highly important since it helps me to examine and learn more about the complexities of human experiences, particularly those that differ from my personal experience. In other words this includes understanding different cultures, education, histories, and perspectives to foster empathy and promote a more inclusive society. We can become more compassionate and help build a more inclusive society. In the end It’s all about embracing diversity and celebrating the richness of human experiences. I believe it’s never too late to gather this information and learn, we are in the age of learning and learning about as many different things as possible is beautiful. Although we did not have the opportunity of learning all these things in school the world is large so the possibilities are endless. 

In “A Talk to Teachers” by James Baldwin the writer talks about how “American history is longer, larger, more varied, 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”. What James Baldwin is referring to this quote is that we should be learning and expanding our knowledge. We live in a world that is huge and a lot to learn from. Our world is always evolving and changing. We should learn more about our world history, as big as the world itself. He recommends that things should be taught that are going to teach you something in life. Baldwin’s stressing point is that as educators it is their responsibility to teach our younger generation about our history/world. Giving them the knowledge they need to be successful in life. Helping them how you can choose the right career for you. James Baldwin believes that teachers are not teaching students things that they should know.  Something I found really true is when he said, “It would seem to me that when a child is born, if I’m the child’s parent, it is my obligation and my high duty to civilize that child”. As a parent you should be the one teaching your child moral rights. Making sure he’s following the right path. Something I feel school should focus more on is teaching moral rights good vs evil. I feel like nowaday not many kids know about our world history, the only things we learn is the same thing every year for example 9-11, Ww2, slavery, and some important people that made an impact on our world. I feel like our knowledge doesn’t really improve or expand unless you as a person take the step to learn more about our world. In school we are just taught to do this and that and you figure out what you want to do in your future.