Yesterday I talked about something I learned from Howard Zinn that I use in the classroom, everyday. It’s not being neutral. Neutrality is the worst thing that you can do to a curriculum, but it’s also the easiest thing you can do. Being neutral is comfortable. Being neutral is nice. Being neutral is also as boring as this season’s episodes of The Simpsons.

How to be a non-neutral teacher?

Being a non-neutral teacher means that you’ve got to do a few things. First, you have to build trust with your kids. Lots and lots of trust. If you’re a neutral teacher it takes nothing to say “my opinion doesn’t matter” or “I don’t want to talk about that”. That’s easy. And it sucks. Second, you have to encourage dissent. If you’re non-neutral, and you’re going to express your opinions then you’re going to have to build an atmosphere were students can express theirs and that they know if their opinion is different from yours that it’s okay. That it’s safe. More than that. That it’s expected. Finally, bring yourself to your class. You know, that human part. That’s going to help a lot with that whole “not being neutral” thing.

Why be a non-neutral teacher?

Neutrality is a false pretense and your kids know this. You’re not neutral. You know you’re not neutral and acting like you don’t have an opinion will only lead to one thing, your students actually not having an opinion. If nothing else, I want my kids to walk away from my class knowing how they feel about whatever it is we discussed. I want them to know how I feel. I’m not doing this because I’m all touchy-feely and I care about that crap. I’m doing it because if you have an opinion about something you’re going to spend some time thinking about it and that’s what I’m really after. Getting my kids to think about what they believe about the world around them. I can’t imagine anyway to get students to do this with out modeling it.

My wife said that someone else said:

It’s not hatred that kills people, it’s indifference.Take That, Proper Citations

Thank you, Howard.

In Other News

Is there any way, any way at all, that this applies to being an administrator?

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