Sep 09 2009
Teachable moment
Pre-Ramble: So, I am totally tardy in weighing in on President Obama’s message to the nation’s schoolchildren yesterday. The thing is, I am actually so stunned by the reaction of those who object to the president’s speech to students, even more so of those who object to the president addressing students at all, that I can barely pull my thoughts together.
In his speech, President Obama draws upon personal experiences and makes the case for the role of education in a successful life.
He highlights education as the great equalizer and speaks to the challenges faced by young people in a media culture that often presents an unrealistic view of the world and can serve as a distraction from the knowledge, skills, habits and attitudes which would advance the likelihood of a successful future in it.
The truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And, you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.”
What parent doesn’t want their child to hear that message? What parent doesn’t want their child to work hard and stay in school? What parent would rather take their child OUT OF SCHOOL, than have them listen to the president of the United States give an18 minute pep talk around the importance of education and personal responsibility? (Are they as vigilant about what their kids are listening to the other 1,422 minutes in a day?) What parent doesn’t want their child to hear new ideas; ideas that might be counter to the ones that they hear at home? What parent/American citizen doesn’t want their child to be more engaged in what is going on in their community, country and world?
Parents who don’t want their children to listen to the president talk about the value of education are, at the very least, missing a teachable moment — an opportunity to talk to their kids about the things that matter to them, to share their own perspectives on issues and invite their children to think for themselves about the things that are happening around them.
The Take-Away: The more I think about it, the more I want my child to listen to that speech twice.
Subscribe to our Feed
The speach was well done and had good advice for the children. He cut out the parts that people objected to, as too political. Bush 1 gave a similar good speach and the Dem’s were so upset they had an congressional investigation. So much for politics as usual.
Well done Kathie. I agree with everything you said-especially the part about parents worrying about what their kids are doing the other 1422 minutes in a day.(like what they are watching on tv or what video game they are playing)
No worries Mom, I listened to the whole speech and then we discussed it in one of my classes :>