My sister and I loved to "play school" when we were little. We would argue over who got to be the teacher and who was the student. Given that I was four years old and four grades ahead in school, I usually won as the teacher. So today I wanted to share something I do with my students. Every two weeks they get a journal prompt on our class website (message boards). They have to write at least 300 words and respond to another student's post so that it's a kind of ongoing class discussion. Below is the one for the next two weeks. I thought the adult sector would have different answers than the students. Oh, and I won't mark you down if you're under 300 words :)
Read the following quote and respond to it. If you do not understand the quote, use the questions to help guide you. You do not need to answer every question. Remember that you must put forth an original idea of your own, supported by a minimum of three supporting facts, AND respond (respectfully) to something someone else has said in her post. Minimum length 300 words. Posts that do not use standard English or include inappropriate language or content will be removed and receive a grade of NY.
“The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon." -- George Washington
Is the Constitution still effective in today's society? Was it the best it could be in the day it was written? Choose one issue that was controversial at the 1787 Philadelphia convention that you think the framers of the Constitution got wrong. This may be something that was changed with an amendment (like freeing the slaves or giving women the right to vote) or something that has never been changed that you disagree with (like the Electoral college or requirements to hold an office). Explain what they should have done instead and how it might have affected history.
2 comments:
I am going to intentionally ignore your questions as I'm not a student, but I will give an opinion. And, well, making sure my facts are straight is time I just don't want to spend currently.
Isn't it appropriate that George Washington would make such a statement? Didn't he live under the system of taxation without representation? He was one of the men who fought valiantly, brilliantly at times, against the British who ruled without a constant guiding document. For all of the bickering that occurs at the court level and the stomping on the powers invested by the document by the Bush Administration, the Constitution is an amazing document that truly gives power to the electorate. The people decide, albeit indirectly, who is president. The people decided who represents them in Congress--those who hold the power of the purse. Parliament and the king frequently used the colonies for their own gain without thought to those that toiled.
And, we must not forget all that was protected in the Bill of Rights. That is why George Washington would utter those words. It was his pledge to the American people, so young in their unification, that he would not become a tyrant. All the death and disruption of the Revolutionary War would not be wasted if the Constitution was followed. Those who had fought and suffered during the war would have their say in the new government.
Well, at least the land-holding men would. The inequities of our august Constitution were rectified in later years when former slaves and women were given the right to vote. In light of the recent events at Virginia Tech, perhaps the right to bear arms has been taken to the extreme. Still we should not abandon the Constitution. It was written after men had to take up arms against their oppressors.
You get an HP (high performance, and the highest rating under our assessment system :)
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