Inspiration?

I don’t know if this is true or not, but supposedly, the President is addressing all school children on Sept 8th (when most go back to school). This in itself does not annoy me. The President could (although I find it unnessessary) give a little pep talk to kids coming off a lazy summer to sort of help them get back to business, to focus on schoolwork and stress the importance of a good education and how that turns them into productive members of the economy/society blah blah blah. BUT to provide a lesson plan that accompanies this little pep talk? Ask students to draw pictures and take notes of “key phrases” during the speech? Create projects? (Here’s the suggested lesson plan: http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.doc ) (I only did the K-6 link). Don’t get me wrong, I think its important for kids to understand the political process, know that its important to help serve the community, know how elected officials are elected and how they implement the jobs they are elected to do. Maybe if we teach them early and keep them engaged, they will grow up with a stronger sense of patriotism and duty which is not a bad thing considering most young people couldn’t care less. But with kids this age (actually with kids of any age) the teaching of politics needs to be done in a neutral way. Opinions form one way or another via influences and interests or sometimes events. It really bugs me that Obama is making a speech to kids and judging from the material on the lesson plan, the thinking is “oh, I’m going to be the one to inspire these kids to do better in school from the things I say and the things I ask them to do; and in order to make sure that its me that does it, here’s a lesson plan for the rest of the day; discuss!”. Its important to go to school, to learn as much as you can, to ask questions, to get involved, to broaden your horizons, to be exposed to different people, to learn about different cultures and backgrounds, to be informed about current events…no matter what the President says or does or who he is. Just doesn’t seem like that is the message he’s trying to convey. I don’t know.

My son goes to a private school, so I’m not sure if they will be partaking in this little exercise and maybe it won’t be as bad as it seems, and maybe some teachers will just toss that lesson plan inthe circular file but I’m just annoyed anyway.