So there's a unit on social issues in my friend's 4th grader's class. The big project they do at the end of the unit is: "Pick a social issue that you feel is important and create a representation of your stance on the issue."

Should educators be steering kids away from the issues of medical marijuana and gay marriage? What about gun control? They are 10.

"unit on social issues in my friend's 4th grader's class"

Math? Nah.
Reading? Hah.
Writing? Feh.


"Social issues project" for 10 year olds? Yeah, that's education, baby!

W....T.....F....?

(as an aside - are teachers so fucking stupid as to believe that kids - not their parents - "do" the various time wasters, er, "projects"?)

You're not exactly helping to educate your children either if you're doing their projects for them. No wonder kids these days act so entitled, their parents are spoiling them!

"your children"

Mine did things like "math" and "algebra", and skated by on "projects". As a result they scored in the 90+ percentile on their math SATs and earned degrees in "science", and now have these things called "jobs", at which they earn "money".

All the while their classmates who did "projects" and went on to earn "arts" degrees now serve overpriced coffee at starpukes, while their parents bitch about how much $$$ they threw down the shitter.

Heartwarming tale, no?

Politically Correct Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So there's a unit on social issues in my friend's
> 4th grader's class. The big project they do at the
> end of the unit is: "Pick a social issue that you
> feel is important and create a representation of
> your stance on the issue."
>
> Should educators be steering kids away from the
> issues of medical marijuana and gay marriage? What
> about gun control? They are 10.

If one of my kids had been given an assignment on those issues in the fourth grade I would have been throwing a tantrum at the next school board meeting.

The kid would not be given an issue, they would be choosing one, based on what they want to address in the current society. So if one kid has gay parents, should that kid not be able to talk about that social issue? So the question is more "Do the kids have the right to address those social issues?"

I can only imagine the inane conversations when it comes to Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman, or peace in the Middle East.

Politically Correct Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The kid would not be given an issue, they would be
> choosing one, based on what they want to address
> in the current society. So if one kid has gay
> parents, should that kid not be able to talk about
> that social issue? So the question is more "Do the
> kids have the right to address those social
> issues?"

So they're pressured to choose one that's politically correct?

So the question is more "Do the teachers have the right to waste educational time on a bunch of bullshit that won't mean a thing to those kids' Chinese masters?"

FIFY

NotPoliticallyCorrect Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Politically Correct Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The kid would not be given an issue, they would
> be
> > choosing one, based on what they want to
> address
> > in the current society. So if one kid has gay
> > parents, should that kid not be able to talk
> about
> > that social issue? So the question is more "Do
> the
> > kids have the right to address those social
> > issues?"
>
> So they're pressured to choose one that's
> politically correct?


That is what I am seeing. Sounds like the teachers are being forced to limit the issues kids can bring up.

These are the kind of exercises that get kids thinking. The only reason you object to this assignment is because you think it might touch on what you consider to be taboo 'social issues'. I don't know how teachers don't blow their brains out having to deal with parents like you.

Math Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "your children"
>
> Mine did things like "math" and "algebra", and
> skated by on "projects". As a result they scored
> in the 90+ percentile on their math SATs and
> earned degrees in "science", and now have these
> things called "jobs", at which they earn "money".
>
> All the while their classmates who did "projects"
> and went on to earn "arts" degrees now serve
> overpriced coffee at starpukes, while their
> parents bitch about how much $$$ they threw down
> the shitter.
>
> Heartwarming tale, no?

More like utter BS. The kids who do well in math are usually the same kids who do well on social studies or English projects. It is called BEING A GOOD STUDENT. Maybe a 16 year old who is a good student would think "Hey I can blow this off because it isn't something I'll ever need to know" but few 10 year olds think that way.

What bothers me about the OP's question is how many 4th graders are thinking about issues such as legalization of pot or gay marriage? Are these kids being steered to their projects by their teachers or by their parents?

If that's your idea of "thinking", then yes,I'll have another iced tea.

Kids now do well in engrish? Good to know...

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Math Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "your children"
> >
> > Mine did things like "math" and "algebra", and
> > skated by on "projects". As a result they
> scored
> > in the 90+ percentile on their math SATs and
> > earned degrees in "science", and now have these
> > things called "jobs", at which they earn
> "money".
> >
> > All the while their classmates who did
> "projects"
> > and went on to earn "arts" degrees now serve
> > overpriced coffee at starpukes, while their
> > parents bitch about how much $$$ they threw
> down
> > the shitter.
> >
> > Heartwarming tale, no?
>
> More like utter BS. The kids who do well in math
> are usually the same kids who do well on social
> studies or English projects. It is called BEING A
> GOOD STUDENT. Maybe a 16 year old who is a good
> student would think "Hey I can blow this off
> because it isn't something I'll ever need to know"
> but few 10 year olds think that way.
>
> What bothers me about the OP's question is how
> many 4th graders are thinking about issues such as
> legalization of pot or gay marriage? Are these
> kids being steered to their projects by their
> teachers or by their parents?


The assignment is a summative assessment following the Civil Rights movement. These 4th graders have learned all about Virginia history including slavery, War, and all the other radical changes through history.

What the children are learning is that in history, just as in the civil rights movement, people must rise to action to drive social change. SO the students for the project are to pick their own social issue.

THe news bombard weed, gay marriage, school shootings...kids are far more aware than people give them credit for. They also are insanely adept at finding information on the internet.

only if i get to write the material, bill 10x the real price, and fill it with political attacks to warp the mind of the child into being afraid of gov

then it's "ok"

no. maybe the art teacher will let you.

it's not in the list of applied sciences

is it farming? on. elecrical? no. music theory? no. 0

ok well turn that in in ADDITION to doing your homework

you'll get an extra credit point

Either they should not do a project on social issues in 4th grade OR they have to allow the topics mentioned. To teach young students that school censorship is ok would be the worst lesson of all.