Oh, no....not politics!! YES, we are going to go there this time. This issue in Puerto Rico has still not been resolved and guess what...all of YOU will most likely be making this decision in the future!
Read this article from the PR Daily Sun and respond by answering some of these questions. You MUST refer to the article in your comment so that we all know that you have read it! For example... "I thought it was crazy how the political candidate from Idaho thought Puerto Rico was a COUNTRY, and didn't even care!!!" or "I know what they mean about the passport question, people asked me that when I went to the states..."
Have you had a similar experience to Dayra Rivera's? If so, exlain...
What do you think about other peoples' knowledge (or lack thereof) of Puerto Rico?
Does Puerto Rico's political status confuse you? How? What about the social status? Is PR more American or more Puerto Rican? Explain...
The BIG question: What do you think PR should do...become a state, become independent, stay the same, other?? Explain...
Share this article with your parents or other family members. What do they think?
Any other reactions, thoughts, questions, opinions that you have to this issue...
You should also start responding to your classmates' comments. Remember, this is a DISCUSSION with the whole class, not just with yourself. For example, "I really agree with ______ because _____." Or "I see the point that _____ is making, but I disagree because ________." As always, BE RESPECTFUL!!
There is an ongoing project in response to the recent teen suicides called the "It Gets Better Project." Here is a message about it:
Hey,
Have you seen all the YouTube videos about how it gets better?
Dan Savage the writer started it, but now there's over a thousand videos, including ones by TV stars and politicians like Tim Gunn, Kathy Griffin, and Hillary Clinton.
They're actually part of the It Gets Better Project, started to help teenagers who are being bullied for being gay. Young people who are gay, lesbian, bi or trans can share stories from their lives and watch other people's stories for hope and inspiration.
If you want to add your story, it's easy to do on the site. If you don't, there's a bunch of other stuff you can do too:
- Video Archive: Every It Gets Better video in one place.
- The IGBP Pledge: Take the pledge and show your support.
- Share Your Story: Tell your story in your own words.
- Help and Resources: Services for young people who need help.
- Contribute: Your donations will support teen suicide prevention.
This is such a cool project that I really wanted you to know about it. I hope you visit the site!
http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/hope
Thanks!
One of the most recent supporters is President Obama. Watch the message here:
(The video is at the end, I am being a good teacher and making you read the blog first! =P)
"Guess what, we are going a trip. And NO, you do not get to say 'No, I'd rather not go,' and NO you may not choose where you are going, and now you need to shut your mouths and do what I say."
Sound fun? Didn't think so. Neither did my students when I announced this in class. The simultaneous reponse of "QUÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ???" [WHAAAAAAAT???] echoed throughout the room amidst looks of disbelief and stifled giggles.
I gave each student 6 small pieces of paper, and asked them to write down their most important possessions on each paper. The prized possessions ranged from "my dog," "my ipod," "my family," "my education," and even "my life."
I started barking orders to students - "Take your possessions, and get inside the orange lines!" "Be Quiet!" "Squish closer!" I tried not to giggle myself as I watched the students struggle to fit inside the rectangle laid out on the floor, while still making sure the activity remained G-rated.
I began describing scenarios and asking students to choose which possessions they would give up, one by one, as I forced them to leave their beloved items behind. I yanked the papers out of their hands, shredded them up and littered them over the floor and the students, stuffed them in the trash can (recycling bin, actually, I couldn't bare to let it go to complete waste!), and even crumpled them up and dramatically stomped on them (I got some scared and confused looks after that one).
Finally, our simulated slave trade ship reached the shores of the America's and the emotions started to ring high. Students started realizing that their only remaining possessions were "mom," "dad," "God," "my little sister," etc. I actually had some students refuse to give up their last possessions and declared that they were willing to sacrifice themselves for their family members. This started to get a little scary as an educator, as no teacher wants their lesson to inspire an urge to give up one's life, but this really spoke to the sincerity of the historical event.
During our reflection, we touched on such issues as making sacrifices for yourself and others, the will to survive, racial discrimination, and cultural differences to name a few. Puerto Rican students have an extremely interesting perspective on racial relations as they usually come from racially mixed families themselves. In fact, my students have a rather hard time understanding the U.S.'s race issues because most of them have relatives who are light skinned, dark skinnned, and everywhere in between. As one of my students (with golden-hued skin) put it last year, "I can't make fun of black people because my Grandpa is black." My students have countless stories like this and they all seem to agree that Puerto Rico is an inspiration to what the U.S. could be in the future.
I will in no way pretend that this activity can help anyone come even to fully understanding the meaning of becoming a slave, but I felt it was a great way to introduce the Slave Trade experience to my students, especially those who have not had this tragic event drilled into their heads since early childhood. My students now have an idea of the weight that this heartbreaking event in history.
Teen bullying, cyber-bullying, teen suicides....these topics have been all over the news lately and we can't avoid talking about it. I have posted three stories below. Please take a look at all of them, then respond to this post with a thoughtful response. Here are some suggestion questions:
How did you feel when reading/watching these stories and why do you feel this way?
Describe a time when you or someone you know has been bullied or affected by bullying.
How do you think technology (ie. facebook, video chat, youtube, instant messaging, etc.) has changed or affected bullying? Has it made bullying easier or harder? Or not affected bullying at all? Explain your thoughts...
What can be done to stop bullying, and cyber bullying in particular?
Video clip about Tyler Clementi, a college freshman who took his own life after being cyber bullied. You will not believe what his roommate and roommate's friend did to him:
Another story about a recent teen suicide due to bullying:
