After asking students to jot down their learning for the week I discovered common theme we see to have stumbled upon. Summing all of the responses curated on the white board, students have learned about the importance of shared leadership. We've learned that if there is one dominate voice to tell other how they should live their lives it becomes nearly impossible to counter their ideas.
In our study we are reading a choice of the following dystopian novels: 1984, Brave New World, The Kite Runner, or The Handmaid's Tale. Each novel depicts a world out of balance - be it with too much government, science, religion, or self-importance.
Each of us enjoys living the lives we choose and in order to reach most of the varying views of the world compromise needs to be made. A world that alienates others is bound to cause tension. Case in point - our current presidential administration. Tempers a flaring across the nation because of isolating and alienating tensions being created in the highest office in the land.
Fortunately we are able to resist, if we choose, whereas those citizens in our novels selections are not able to resist at all. When citizens are not able to speak for what they believe the world should be they inevitably become oppressed. Oppression, over time, leads to rebellion. Rebellion leads to revolution. Unless, of course, it is squashed by those in power. Those willing to do anything to maintain their power. When this happens atrocities are created. So it goes.
In our study we are reading a choice of the following dystopian novels: 1984, Brave New World, The Kite Runner, or The Handmaid's Tale. Each novel depicts a world out of balance - be it with too much government, science, religion, or self-importance.
Each of us enjoys living the lives we choose and in order to reach most of the varying views of the world compromise needs to be made. A world that alienates others is bound to cause tension. Case in point - our current presidential administration. Tempers a flaring across the nation because of isolating and alienating tensions being created in the highest office in the land.
Fortunately we are able to resist, if we choose, whereas those citizens in our novels selections are not able to resist at all. When citizens are not able to speak for what they believe the world should be they inevitably become oppressed. Oppression, over time, leads to rebellion. Rebellion leads to revolution. Unless, of course, it is squashed by those in power. Those willing to do anything to maintain their power. When this happens atrocities are created. So it goes.