the best laid plans

Monday, Monday. I never know what you will bring.

This morning in 2nd hour my supervisor came to observe me. I wasn't crazy about this idea as 2nd hour is my 'guinea pig' class and normally I can adjust things that maybe didn't work so well. Today, however, I was glad that she came during 2nd hour.

2nd hour went swimmingly. She had great things to say (turns out I have a great 'teacher presence' and give good directions yada, yada). Yes, we didn't get as far as I expected to but that's OK. I simply adjusted/pushed back the week's plans in my mind and everything was just cheery. We would finish the physical map in class tomorrow instead of having it as homework. No big deal.

Too bad 2nd hour is a bunch of zombies! Enter 4th and 5th hour who take twice as long to accomplish the same things, talk twice as much, and ask irrelevant questions/make irrelevant observations. I should have seen it coming. I should have known. I should have stopped it in its tracks.

Instead I found, during our discussion of what a political map is, that half of 5th hour doesn't seem to know what BORDERS are. Yes, those things that mark the boundaries of states or countries. Let me illustrate the wide range of knowledge in this class.

Ms. P: I like to remember that politicians draw political maps. Because borders are man made. Some man sitting in an office at some point in history decided that 'yes, I think it's a good idea to make a little thing jut out of the top of the made up country of Jordan in this region I refer to as the Middle East.' (Note: this was not the only way I described it, I even used images to illustrate)

Student 1: (again..we are off topic) How many countries are in the world?

Ms. P: I have no idea. It changes relatively quickly, people are still fighting wars and redrawing borders in places like Africa.

Student 2: Did you know that Morocco still today has a disputed border? Morocco and Southern Morocco are shown on the map as having a disputed border.

Ms. P: Thank you, Student 2, I did know that. It is a very interesting story but I just don't have time to go into it right now.

Student 3: So, like, how do you know that a border is there? 'Cuz I went to Kansas City this summer and all of a sudden there was just a sign that said 'Kansas City.'

Ms. P: When you are in the U.S. there is almost always a sign when you cross into another state that says you are there.

Student 4: So, like, um....I have a question. ::blank stare::

Ms. P: So, like, um....ask it.

Student 4: Well, like, if you're in Mexico and then, um you're in the U.S. is it just like a thing that says 'border'

Ms. P: Yes there is a big red line, that we draw on the ground with permanent marker so that everyone knows were EVERY SINGLE BORDER IN THE WORLD IS!

For the record, I didn't say that last part out loud. And you think this is good? Wait for it....

::Ms. P pulls down the map of the U.S. in the front of the room.::

Ms. P: Ok, let's bring this closer to home so that maybe we can understand it better. We live almost right on the border of Nebraska and Iowa. Part of the borders of Iowa are natural. See how it is surrounded by the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers? (students nod in agreement) Ok, when Iowa became a state they decided that these 2 rivers would be the eastern and western boundaries. Now, there was a big debate about where the northern and southern borders would be. Some old, pale, males (old white guys...you know, the ones who used to write history) thought that it should go all the way up here into present-day Minnesota. But they argued a little bit and then finally decided that they would draw these 2 almost-straight lines and just decided that's where the border was. Is everyone with me? (they nod...) Ok, that is where the man-made borders come in handy. Today, if you drive on the interstate and cross into another state you see a sign. That was not always the case. The border of Mexico ::points to the Rio Grande:: is partially made up of a natural border. It was partially decided by old, pale, males after fighting a war and signing treaties. There is a fence on part of it, yes.

.....After all of this I think that I have successfully established what a border is, and that although on a political map the are drawn on (in black or red or whatever color) that in reality, there are not LINES IN THE DIRT that show a border.

Student 5: So, um, like..when you're in Nebraska, like here in Omaha, down by the river there is this thing...that juts up...and like one side of it is on this side and one side of it is in Iowa, and, like, it goes over the river...

Student 6: A BRIDGE? (thank you, Student 6...Student 5, what the heck??? seriously??)

Student 5: Yeah, like, you walk to one side of it and it says "Welcome to Iowa" and then, like, you turn around and it says "Welcome to Nebraska." I don't get it.

::insert Ms. P losing HER FREAKING MIND!!::

This is as far as we got in 5th hour. We were supposed to have started the map of SW Asia by the end of class. Yeah, right.

Right before the bell rang, after we finished the talk about the borders of Nebraska and Iowa I got this from in the crowd...

Student 7: IS THAT REALLY THE SHAPE OF NEBRASKA?

Yes, it has been the shape of Nebraska since 1867 when Nebraska became a state. Are you telling me that in 7 years of school you have never been shown a map of the state of Nebraska?

Such is the state of social studies education. I told my CT on Friday, and another SS teacher today that it saddens me that SS education is so ignored in the U.S. However, the day that I will become concerned is the day when everyone else is concerned. What do you mean, you might be wondering.

Let me explain. The day that the rest of the country starts to realize that our youth need a better understanding of history, government, geography, and civic responsibility is the day that we are all doomed. That, my friends, is the day that we see the students of today voting for elected officials who can't tell the difference between their ass and the dark side of the moon. Then, and only then, will the rest of the nation realize they made a big mistake.

Anyone who studies history can already see the trend happening. Don't let anyone fool you. Histories repeat themselves. Oh, they might come repackaged in a new way and with shiny, frilly semantics to cover up their true meaning...but they come back.

My CT asked me if I had seen the movie Idiocracy. I have. She said, (this was after my first week or so of teaching) "That movie is funny, unless you're a teacher. Then you realize it's reality."

If you haven't seen it, google it.