I'm worried that students will take their obedient place in society and look to become successful cogs in the wheel - let the wheel spin them around as it wants without taking a look at what they're doing. I'm concerned that students not become passive acceptors of the official doctrine that's handed down to them from the White House, the media, textbooks, teachers and preachers"
--Howard Zinn
Sometimes, I worry about the college students that come through my classes – particularly the students in my teacher preparation classes.
They are, for the most part, eager to do a good job and to get another round of As to add to their transcripts. If I ask them to read a chapter and answer some factual questions, they seem happy to do it – relieved, almost, that the assignment is so clear and easy to follow.
But sometimes, when the questions are more open-ended – when I ask them to express their opinions, to draw off a previous experience they have had, or to consider a viewpoint different from their own – they shut down.
Often, they seem afraid to take that first step – to say something or write something that might not be “right.” I worry that this is a growing problem – not just in our classrooms but in society as a whole. We are afraid to think, content, instead, to accept the “official doctrine” that Zinn references.
I am wondering if this is something that other educators see in their classrooms – or that is seen in other places, including our churches, community centers and businesses. What do you think?
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