How am I supposed to be excited to teach Govt. and that Gov is by the people for the people

[demtenjeep]

when right now we know that is all a fucking joke?

[RKP5637]

1. Extremely difficult IMO. The kids will think you're a liar. n/t

[Else You Are Mad]

2. Well, according to Trump....

You should only teach God and not government.

[demtenjeep]

3. it is a semester class and usually I absolutely LOVE it

We have had mock trials

We have written bills and debated them

we have made children's Gov books to help for understanding

I absolutely used to LOVE it

how do I teach it now?

Do I say "this is the way it is "SUPPOSED" to work?

[bettyellen]

4. Well you could focus on how they are stakeholders and need to figure out how to support

Solutions to strengthen the govt. maybe compare and contrast to how the "system worked" during the Watergate era via All the President's Men?

[FakeNoose]

5. Teach your class the US Constitution

...then ask them what they've seen recently that violates it.

You'll have some lively discussions, I guarantee it.

[demtenjeep]

7. that is actually a great idea

thank you

[kimbutgar]

6. Whenever I teach government now I think the same thing.

I work as a sub teacher and had a 5th grade class recently and it was so hard reading to them and discussing how our government is supposed to work. The fifth graders knew more about how government works than the current president.

Everyday I get whiplash how our goevernment has gone from a functioning one to a disaster.

[demtenjeep]

8. I usually tell them they need to pay attention because they will be voting for the next pres

but is that even true?

I also use the registering for the draft at 18



This last spring, all I had to do was keep live news on and show them the MOAB or the horrible speeches

Last fall, I showed them Michelle Obama's rock me to the core speech. Most of my students wanted her to be the next pres.

My principal was very okay with me exposing them to all of that as long as I didn't "preach" my liberalism. She too was very against trump.

from Aug-Oct I joked with the kids that the nation would be stupid enough to vote for an idiot reality nut. Boy was I wrong. I also told them that if blotus won I would move to Jamaica. When I got sick the week of the elections and was gone until March the students really did think I had moved.

When I came back we all cried together.

I had students ask me if there were any nations that did not engage in missiles or war because they wanted to move there.

[Weekend Warrior]

9. You are in a wonderful position. It's not a joke.

Teach them the structure of our government. Give them the basics. Your time with them will be limited so get them the basic construct. Give them a mental outline of the constitution.

[demtenjeep]

10. I am damn good at teaching and Govt was my passion. I believed in it

but it is going to be so very hard to teach them the constitution when the president is so delusional and uses the constitution for his diarrhea

[Amaryllis]

11. What age are they? THere have been a lot of good articles and even books on how to talk to children

about Trump; I have paid only slight attention because I am not working with children currently but from what I have read, there is some really good stuff that could lead to great discussions. ONe thing I read said to talk to them about how there are a lot of good people working to make things better. SEnator Wyden's aide told me not to lose hope because there are a lot of reallly good people working on this. You have to leave them with hope...maybe teach them about resistance. Show them photos of the marches with kids carrying signs...the airport protests. People standing up for those being targeted.

Talk to them about respecting diverse beliefs. Give them examples of people choosing love over hate, like these below, and discuss what makes some people choose one and some the other:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/muslim-man-stood-blindfolded-centre-13106174
This Muslim man stood blindfolded in the centre of Manchester offering hugs after the Arena attack

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-jewish-muslim-fathers-viral-photo-met-20170131-story.html
The story behind the viral photo of Muslim and Jewish children protesting at O'Hare

IF you start looking now, you could find a lot by the time your class starts. I could think of more if i knew the ages you are working with . It won't be easy, but it could lead to a lot of rich discussion.

[demtenjeep]

12. 8-12. I know how to teach-i know how to find things. I don't know how to hide my heart

I don't know how to instill passion for a subject matter that since blotus I have lost faith in the process.


I guess I draw from the 8 years of greatness and example that we had under the wonderful President Obama.

I can use qualifiers like "this is how it is supposed to work" and ask them how they think it is working right now............