Discussing Politics in The Classroom: It’s An Honor To Be A Teacher

Thursday/Friday November 5-6:

I could not stay asleep. I woke at midnight thinking I needed to hear again what our President said tonight. It is now 2 am and I have listened to his statement again and again, and sampled the media reaction to it. In six hours I will be standing in front of a small group of high schoolers and I need to be able to help them through this mind-boggling moment! All day long, tomorrow, I think I will need to “sound out” and respond to, the needs of young people in this hour of need.

It reminds me of that day in September in 2001 when when I stood “there” and did the same: tried to explain the meaning and significance of it. Well, really, I was just trying to get us all through an unbelievable event in as sane a manner as possible. Here I am again, and I’m ready, more ready than before.

I am honored to be in this position, but scared by its gravity. Many high schoolers are fragile creatures, and all need to practice adulthood. High school is adult practice; how to be one, and “what will it hold for me?”, they are wondering. I want to be —tomorrow— the teacher that I would have wanted to have when I was in H.S. You don’t get teachers that rise to that occasion all the time.

What it comes to is, Our President Has Betrayed America. Not all students are going to believe that, or even care. Tomorrow I will “check in with” the feelings and thoughts of each class. 2020 has been a butt kicker. Students already don’t know what to think and don’t know what to say. They just sit quietly; they do not talk! Tomorrow is time to talk and share and pull together.

Wish me luck. It will go fine, I’m good at this. I have had a lot of practice. It is an honor to be a teacher. High schoolers are and can be remarkable creatures, especially when give some decent guidance.

Time to get some sleep. A big day ahead for all of us!