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?"
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2 comments:
"Know thyself" Socrates, a great teacher whom has had a profound effect on the way i view teach, speaks of an incredibly important philosophy with these two words. It is my belief that one cannot achieve great things until one can identify a goal. Individuals are capable of incredible feats but not until we focus. The greatest journey is one in which we constantly search for meaning in our lives. This very search is the essence of knowing thyself. But how do we find this person? You are already found. There is no real need to search, only a need to listen and grow stronger. Listen to yourself and the stories of others find ways in which you can better understand who you already are and where you can go. This i believe is what education is there to do. If i were in a American Studies class, my passion would focus on learning how others have tripped and struggled so I could spend more time succeeding in my short life. To learn the stories of real Americans is to learn from the past and how to adapt to an environment.
I hope all sophomores take advantage of the limited time to learn about the mistakes of others so you can build from it. The identity of Americans has been built on the fact that we came from a place of struggle and found success. These successes must be passed down or we must start all over again. Know thy history and you will know thyself.
Well stated Mr. Brasof.
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