So I spent yesterday teaching 4th grade. I've been with this class several times and have always enjoyed my days with them. They are a good group of 9- and 10-year-olds, if not an excessively chatty and antsy bunch.
During reading class we were grading their workbook page, which had to do with a story they'd read the day before about the famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson.
These kids have no frame of reference for the significance of Jackie Robinson's inclusion in the major leagues (he was the first African American to play major league baseball, playing when Jim Crow laws were still on the books across the country and Civil Rights was roughly 20 years away).
To help them put the story in historical context, I told them about what life was like during the pre-Civil Rights era. What I know is what I've learned from watching documentaries and reading about early-to-mid-20th century American history.
"Mrs. M.," asked one student, "were you around when this happened?"
What?
"Uh, no." I replied. "I'm not that old."
During reading class we were grading their workbook page, which had to do with a story they'd read the day before about the famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson.
These kids have no frame of reference for the significance of Jackie Robinson's inclusion in the major leagues (he was the first African American to play major league baseball, playing when Jim Crow laws were still on the books across the country and Civil Rights was roughly 20 years away).
To help them put the story in historical context, I told them about what life was like during the pre-Civil Rights era. What I know is what I've learned from watching documentaries and reading about early-to-mid-20th century American history.
"Mrs. M.," asked one student, "were you around when this happened?"
What?
"Uh, no." I replied. "I'm not that old."
3 comments:
When I was a substitute teacher, fourth grade was my favorite class. I'm hoping that when I get my teacher's certificate, I'll be lucky enough to have my own 4th grade classroom.
I asked my daughter how old she is the other day and she proudly said "Two." I asked her how old mommy is she simply said "old." Thanks kid.
Hey, I stumbled upon your facebook profile. As it turns out we are both friends with Trista. Technology has rendered Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon obsolete.
There was a magician at the thing we went to tonight who was probbly in his late 40s and TB was complaining that he wasn't as good as that guy. I told him the guy was a lot older and had been practicing longer and he would be good when got older too. TB said "do I have to be old like that guy?" Well you have to be OLDER. "How old, he had to have been almost 30" Uh, not quite kid :)
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