E Pluribus Unum

As we begin our second year at Constitution High School, we will experience great change. The school population will double in size, the largest percentage change we will ever experience. I anticipate a year of endless possibilities in which our school community defines itself. We have an amazing opportunity to determine the qualities and characteristics of the Constitution High School community. We will answer the question: What does it mean to be a member of Constitution High School?

In American Studies, we will examine how Americans defined themselves. We will continuously try to answer the questions: Who is American? How have Americans identified themselves over time? What does it mean to be an American?

Remember the question posed by Freedom Rising at the National Constitution Center: Who are "We the People"?

IDENTITY

This is one of the major themes for our course, along with CONFLICT and COMPROMISE.

How do you define yourself? Who are you?

As a Freshman at Boston College, I will always remember an important point stressed by Father Casey in his Introduction to Philosophy course. He asked us to answer the question: Who are you? As I sat there repeatedly asking myself "who am I?", he then stressed, "You are not what you think you are. You are not what you say you are. You are not what others say about you. You are ... only what you do. Your actions define who you are. So think about what you have done. Do your actions match your thoughts?"

This simple exercise has had a profound affect on my perception of who I am and how I define myself to this day.

The most powerful learning experiences are those that connect directly to our lives. As we study American History and Literature, it is vitally important that we connect our lives to the lives of people in the past. A strong link is in identity. We all bring our unique personalities and experiences to class (E Pluribus). Together, we will create not only a powerful learning experience but also a strong, vibrant learning community as we define Constitution High School (Unum).

We will use the E Pluribus Unum Project at a resource for defining what it means to be American. Check out the link to the project. Explore the resources. Read evidence of the changing ways in which Americans have identified themselves. Throughout, ask yourself, "Who am I?"

Welcome to American Studies!

Dear Students,

This blog page will be dedicated to our class. Throughout the year, I will post weekly reflections about my experiences as the teacher of our American Studies class. It is my goal to create an atmosphere in which students are rigorously challenged, actively engaged, and continuously excited about their learning.

As this is my first year teaching this course, I think it is very important to regularly reflect about my teaching. To do this I will post a reflection at the end of each week and include questions, comments, and concerns about the upcoming week. This blog will be available to students, parents, and other faculty. Together we can make this an incredible learning experience.

- Mr. Ackerman