The Daily News

1   I love America.

2   I consider myself to be one of the most patriotic people walking around.

3   I like the good side. I like what used to be the Constitution.

4   I enjoy the Fourth of July, with all its hoop-la.

5   But I am also  openly critical of the dark side of its history: the witch hunts, the slavery, the racisim, the political assassinations, the imperialism, etc.

6   I've also been quite vigilant over the years of the false patriotism streaming out of so many mouths. It has gotten to the point that if you say the slightest thing criticizing America, people turn and look at you funny. I just look right back. I'm wearing red-white-and blue today, just to prove I'm a patriot. Take that.  But I'm also going to always criticize things that seem a bit too jingoistic.

7   For example, after 9/11 happened, there was a major sense of national pride. Within minutes, the Bush administration put down its copy of My Pet Goat and immediately saw to it that the Patriot Act be instituted and installed.

8   The purpose of the Patriot Act was to make it easier to find and round up terrorists.

9   What REALLY happened with the Patriot Act is the setting afire of our Bill of Rights. It is now legal for the government to do unreasonable searches on anybody, setting afire the Fourth Amendment.

10  They may now jail anyone indefinitely without a trial, setting afire our Sixth Amendment.

11   They may legally monitor political or religious groups even if they are not suspected of any criminal activity. Good-bye to our once sacred First Amendment.

12   They may monitor attorney/client privacy in federal prisons and even deny lawyers to people.

13   That's just a cursory look at that act, which is purportedly there to save us from terrorists.

14   They may monitor the DN, but I don't really care. I assume they already have.

15    It's nice being a nobody.

16    Anyway, what brought all of this up was that yesterday we were told that beginning Monday, they will be doing the Pledge of Allegiance over our morning Daily Bulletin.

17    As most of you might remember, each morning there is a Daily Bulletin read over the loudspeakers at school. The Daily Bulletin is to let students and staff know what is going on around the school.

18   Evidently some lady was outraged that we weren't following the Ed Code, which stipulates that the Pledge must be presented at some time during the day. Did you know that? There is no requirement that people stop and do say the Pledge, but it must be presented at some time during the school day. It is evidently in the Ed Code.

19   I'm not even going to bother looking that one up, because it is probably true.

20   As a teacher, this puts me in a strange position. The students usually come in, listen to and quietly socialize during the bulletin. I try to quiet them, but it's just human nature to walk in and chat with friends. I keep it pretty low, and proctor it with a few shushes.

21  Now they want the Pledge read at the end of the bulletin, so that tardy students can be patriotic as well.

22   I remember being appalled the first time I heard God Bless America being instituted at baseball games. First, why does God bless us over anybody else? Second, it has absolutely nothing to do with baseball, even though baseball has its share of patriotism. But God Bless America has nothing to do with the traditions in baseball.

23  It drives me crazy. I really don't think that God, if he or she even exists, roots for any particular team.

24   The other day, I was watching football with my Dad. I told him how I'm really tired of Mike Singletary and his stupid wooden cross he wears. I said, "Hey Dad, do you really think God roots for football teams?"

25   His answer: "For years I thought he rooted for Dallas."

26   Haha, some fun. My Dad rocks.

27   Anyway, to me, I should have a right to say these things. The brainwashing of America in the past ten years is absolutely stunning to me.

28   So beginning Monday, what do I do? Do I stop my class from chatting and say, "All rise for the Pledge!"?  I'll stand up and pledge, but it almost feels like we now HAVE to.

29    So teachers in a way HAVE to so that we are serving as good role models. If I command my class to do the Pledge each day, what happens to the student who refuses?  I know the student has that right, because this is America, and that is exactly why I LOVE America.

30   But I can't help feeling that some teachers are going to think it is mandatory, and will send students to the office for not pledging. We have teachers who would do that.

31   Anybody else see anything wrong with that picture?

32   Even though the student is completely protected, it can still elicit "willful disobedience", which is an easy referral. But what if the student is sincere, and the teacher unreasonable?

33   Why even bring up the issue? We have never done the Pledge in high school. It's like suddenly doing God Bless America at a baseball game.

34    Why does an entire school have to change its morning routine because of one parent who has too much time on her hands?

35    I stop short of making any comments about the Tea Party, but it certainly smacks of it.

36   Oh, I'll tell the students that I would appreciate it if they say the Pledge, but I feel I'm being forced to do something that is not only uncomfortable, but ridiculous. It's not grammar school. The students know by now whether they are patriotic or not. I'll always stand at meetings and pledge. But every morning? In a high school? Puh-LEEZE.

37   Take your Patriot Act and shove it up your ass.

38   I still consider myself one of the most patriotic people walking around. I have the right to criticize. I have the right to write this. You have the right to disagree.

39   But with this little Nazi step happening in public schools, I see either students shrugging it off, or I see it working its way into a huge issue.

40   I will become frightened the moment it becomes mandatory.

41   I'm thinking of teaching my students the song "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" from Cabaret.

42   Or perhaps showing Cabaret.

43   I'm tired. This kept me up.

44    I hope you are as outraged as I.

45    Anyway, that's the news from the American educational front. That's the news from one of the country's proudest patriots.

46    Peace, and I mean that.

~H~

www.xanga.com/bharrington

 The Daily News

1   Greece is the word.

2   Ah, I love this time of the year!

3   It is this time of the year that I blow the dust off all my Ancient Greek stuff, and bring mythology and the Odyssey into the lives of my students.

4   Opa!

5   I begin with teaching the word, "Opa!" which is simply something that one shouts out when feeling good, or when enjoying life to the fullest.

6   I play music from ancient Greece for my students, teach them about The Iliad and The Odyssey, teach them nautical terms, and how we as a seemingly democratic culture owe so much to that amazing Age in world history.

7   It's great fun. I come home and cook Greek dishes, listen to Greek music, wear a toga, and watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

8   Okay, I'm not THAT nuts. I know teachers who are, but they have nappy hair and they smell odd. So nah,

9   I keep it pretty cool, honestly. No toga.

10  We do vocab, which I do each week. I have them get in groups each Tuesday to put vocabulary sentences on the whiteboard. While they do that, I always play ancient Greek music. The groups have names like The Kool Aid Kidz, The Geniuses, OSM, OSMER, and OSMEST (awesome, awesomer, and awesomest!). It's great fun, and they use multi-colored markers to write the sentences and draw funny pics on the board.

11  While they do that, I always say, "While you guys do that, I'm going to play some music from Greece." And I'll play some classic called "Aphrodite's Hymn", or "Ode to Zeus" or something on You Tube. I have some nice speakers, so there is a full sound as they enjoy putting the sentences up.

12   They enjoy Tuesdays because there is almost a competition to see who can write the craftiest sentences. Entire stories begin to emerge and the class bonds almost as young authors. It is SO fun, and easy on me. At times it gets a bit routine, but most times, it's a nice time to socialize, relax, and learn.

13   I also hang pieces of paper above the whiteboard, papers which say things like "OPA!", or "Greece is the Word". I have a sketch of the Parthenon displayed as well.

14   When I need quiet, I shout, "On the count of three, tell the person next to you, 'OPA!' " Technically, this usually works, because when we are not in this unit, I usually say, "On the the count of three, tell the person next to you, 'S-h-h-h...' " which works most times. Students like consistency, so it's familiar and comfortable.

15   But it's still school, so it can border on boredom if done too often.

16   Yesterday, however, I changed it up. They have a test on the Golden Age of Greece today, so I scared them a bit with that, and with what will be on the test. I let them study notes for a stint, so that when we switched to Tuesday vocab sentences on the board, they were more than happy to advance to the whiteboard.

17   I usually have around ten to fifteen kids at the board writing while the remaining students either study or socialize at their desks. I play music from Greece during this time, and then we reconvene to study the sentences and see the correct way to use words. It's always relaxing, and great fun.

18   Yesterday I added a slight twist, which I did last year as well. When they advanced to the board, I said, "I'm going to play some music from Greece," which most just blew off because I purposely have made it the same old schtick.

19   Timing is everything in education, so I delayed a second, and then played the opening music from Grease. You know, Grease is the Word and all.

20   It doesn't take long for the marking pens to drop, and for others to look at me. I ignore the stares, put my glasses down to the tip of my nose, and point to the exact center of the whiteboard, where I have a paper with Greek-style writing that says, "Greece is the word!"

21   I deliberately say nothing else, and very routinely change to the next song, which is "Summer Nights".  Since it takes about three songs for them to finish the sentences, I finish off with "You're the One That I Want".

22  Kids start dancing, singing, and enjoying, especially those who were brought up with that music in their homes.

23   GREAT fun, and when the song is over, we go over the fabulous writing on the board. I just ask if the word has been used correctly. I time it down to the last two minutes, collect their homework, and as they line up to leave, I play "We Go Together", which is a classic. They dance out of the room, and I smile.

24   That was yesterday's lesson, and it worked famously in all classes.

25   Today they have the severity of a test on the Golden Age of Greece, complete with Cleisthenes, Themisticles, Pericles, and Socrates, and any other guy in a toga whose name ends in -es.

26   I LOVED yesterday and thought I'd share it with you.

27   Next year I might have them do sentences with a Greek theme. Who knows? I might even sacrifice a lamb out at the stadium.

28   Nah.

29   Just kidding.

30    AnywayZ, that was the day yesterday. GREAT fun, GREAT music, and good times. We stepped out of the ghost unit at Halloween right into a unit on legends. Along the way, lots of learning and fun. It had been getting a tad dull, so yesterday brought fun back into the fold.

31   I love teaching. It gets OSMER every year!

32   Just thought I'd share.

33   Have a wonderful Wednesday everybody.

34   Shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yip pity dip de boom.

35    Peace.

~H~

www.xanga.com/bharrington