Introduction and Objectives
Can you imagine what your classroom would look and sound like if students thought about their actions before acting? Would you like to start your school year by having your students think about how they want to be remembered? Think of the kids who consistently forget their homework, miss the trash container, call out, don't clean up supplies, waste materials, come late to class, etc. Do you think they've considered that their peers are evaluating their character based on this behavior? Flash forward to their ten-year high school reunion: Do you think that's how they want to be remembered? Do you think they can run for political office and avoid a peer leaking to the press how untrustworthy they are and cite evidence from their academic years?
This curriculum unit will help students to develop the capacity to define their character (ethos), and you as a teacher can use it to motivate engagement and positive behavior in your classroom so their actions provide evidence of their trustworthiness. The lessons from this curriculum unit support the theme of "exhibiting qualities of responsible citizenship in the classroom, school, and other social environments" (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction [NCDPI] 2006) a second grade social studies standard and will integrate the subjects of reading, writing, and social studies taught in the first semester of the school year. Students will learn how to define their own ethos in the classroom in order for others to recognize them by the character traits they want to portray. They will identify the qualities of the ethos of famous people throughout history and learn how the historical people use their ethos and rhetoric to influence others. After students identify what responsible citizens look like, they will choose an attribute of a responsible citizen to define and write a persuasive speech in order to better internalize how to be responsible citizens themselves as well as motivate others to be responsible citizens.
The study of rhetoric dates back to years B.C.E. (before common era) and lasting contributions are attributed to Gorgias, Plato, Aristotle, and many other orators and philosophers who taught others their craft. The connection that all of these great philosophers made to education was to teach others to value education. They taught their students the art of speaking and arguing, but expected their students to be experts in all subjects in order to be able to speak on any topic. How simple this idea is, but in the context of teaching where pressures of testing and performance are such driving forces, we forget to remind our students, and sometimes ourselves, why they are learning – so they can talk about what they know, so they can argue for something they want.
Students can be a great influence on their peers. Observing a classroom or school setting you can see students mimicking behavior, trends in fashion, literature choices, and academic styles. As a teacher, I utilize students who have a stronger, more influential voice to motivate and encourage other students, and I as well am a persuasive power in the classroom. I want my students to understand their power of persuasion and use it to contribute to being responsible citizens in the school environment, and encourage others through their words and actions to be responsible citizens as well. Although this unit will attend to my classroom and school environment, teachers of older students are encouraged to use the ideas and adapt them to the local and global communities as necessary for their students.
It is important for children to have good role models. As they grow and develop they will have numerous influences on their time and talents and if they are taught as young children what to value as being responsible and respectful, hopefully it will leave an impression on them so they will grow up to be responsible and respectful adults who positively contribute to society. Throughout the unit students will have the opportunity to listen to the speeches of responsible members of society and identify key words or phrases they use, as well as how they speak in order to influence and persuade others. It is also valuable for students to know how they are persuaded in order to know if someone is trying to persuade or coerce them to do something that may not be in their best interest. I may also have them consider a time when someone tried to convince them to do something they shouldn't in order to give the students an example of how words have influence and consequences, both positive and negative.
This unit will enable students to identify themselves as responsible and respectful citizens. Students will be encouraged to practice reciting text and to develop and deliver a speech in order to lay a foundation for public speaking. It will give students the occasion to think about and carefully choose their words and delivery, practice their speech, and stand up in front of peers. I had this opportunity many times when I was younger and because of it I am comfortable talking in front of audiences whereas some of my peers shy away from presenting or speaking in public because of fear. I want my students to have access to an encouraging and supportive environment to deliver their first few speeches so as they develop their intelligence and craft their writing; they are able to articulate their thoughts and ideas to a public audience without great fear.
This curriculum unit is being designed for second graders, and could be modified to be used by other elementary grades. I am a second grade teacher in a self-contained classroom in a large suburban public school in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools district. My school fosters strong parental involvement and participates in the Basic School philosophy which prioritizes "The School as Community, Commitment to Character, Climate for Learning, and Curriculum with Coherence" (Boyer 1995). These priorities promote themed units with integrated connections across the subjects of math, science, social studies, and language arts. They also encourage the use of developing and using relevant and rigorous curriculum for students. The state's Standard Course of Study, prior knowledge of students, observations and assessments inform instruction in the classroom. Student assessments include district mandated quarterly tests in the subjects of reading, writing, and math, self-reflection, portfolios, grade level pre and post unit assessment, formative and summative assessment, and classroom observations. In the classroom and at the school students have access to numerous technologies including computers with internet and instructional software, calculators, overhead and data projectors, TV, VCR/DVD player, CD player, and cassette players. We have a transient student population that averages over 900 students and there is an approximately one to twenty-three teacher to student ratio on my grade level. The student population of my school includes 59.6% African American, 16.5% Caucasian, 11.3% Hispanic, 4.9% Asian, and 6.9% multiracial. 54% of our students meet the state's poverty level. 64.5% of our 2009-2010 students passed the state's end-of-grade test.
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