<marquee behavior=alternate><font size=5><p align=center><font color=firebrick>Passing The Torch</marquee></font size=5></font color=firebrick>
"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."</font size=4>
-Martin Luther King Jr.
A flame of hatred has been passed for generations. To this point no generation has ever been able to completely extinguish it. However, if we imagined for a moment that for the next few generations hatred could not be passed on. If this were to happen, it might lead to hatred’s demise and to a better world. As teachers, we must focus our efforts on teaching future generations to extinguish that hatred, educating them to accept cultural differences. The fact is, that as a teacher, I am educating the future. It is possible that one day a student of mine could become the President of The United States, or an ambassador to another country, or even a mom or dad. If I were able to give that student an understanding and respect towards other cultures, perhaps they could pass on that understanding and respect and create a domino effect for all whom they encounter in their lives.
If our world’s history was represented by a blackboard, the amount of information in any given school textbook would look like a small dot on that vast board. It is important as a history teacher to make sure that my students understand this fact. More importantly, it is my duty as a history teacher to make sure that my students understand that people of all races, genders, and religions have added to every page in every history book. It is unfortunate that more students are not aware of the past. It is even more unfortunate that accomplishments made by non-Caucasian humans throughout history seem to be overlooked by most school textbooks. As a history teacher, I must make sure that my students do not overlook those important contributions to our history. I must also be able to provide the best and most recent information possible. I am determined to go further than the textbook and to strive to make sure that my students learn the importance of cultural diversity throughout history. By finding material that helps my students realize the importance of all men and women of any color or race throughout history, I feel I can show them that importance. While a school textbook can open a door to the past, I will find material that opens floodgates to even more in the past.
In addition to learning about the past, it is even more important for my students to understand the present. They must also become aware of the changes that have been made throughout the course of time. Stereotypes have burdened humans since the beginning of time. As a teacher, I must not be afraid to bring the misunderstanding of others to light. While stereotypes have held many back, some in history have been pushed harder to overcome them and to succeed in a world in which many felt they could not succeed. It is important for my students to understand the stereotypes that they or their classmates might someday encounter. If they are made aware of these differences, it is hopeful that they someday might overlook another’s differences. It is also hopeful that they someday might pass on this information. I feel that if humans are to ever conquer hatred, we must face it head on and not be afraid to confront this evil.
History is a living entity that is ever-changing, therefore, a student must be able to visually see the past, not just open a book and read about it. My classroom will be ever-changing, much like our world. Creating a classroom that will open my students’ eyes and minds to times and places their imaginations can only dream about is key in my goal of teaching. My classroom walls will be collaged with pictures, stories, and maps of times that we will be learning about. The walls will also be decorated this way so that if eyes do wander, they will not wander far from their studies. I will make sure not to forget those that history has forgotten on my walls. I will include figures from every walk of life. My students must understand that while their textbook might not talk about a person, it does not mean that person did not change the future. I will include stories and pictures of those who some have forgotten in history. By giving my students the understanding of who has affected our future, I hope that they will be able to understand that every culture adds to our past and will add to our future.
There is not a day that goes by that an event occurs that changes someone’s life. Every day a page is added to the history books of the future. As a teacher who will teach those future books, I must make sure my students understand the importance of history and the importance of the people who have shaped it. I must also make sure that my students realize the importance of every human in history. Whether white, black, Asian, Hispanic, woman, or man, so many have made such significant strides in their generations. While this will be a difficult task, I feel that teaching my students to understand all people is my most important responsibility. After all, the students I teach will someday pass the torch to future generations, and I am hopeful that the tolerance and understanding they learn in my classroom will be passed along with it.
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