Freedom, Independence, Responsibility

     Freedom, Independence, and Responsibility:  my mantra  for the Fourth of July with emphasis on responsibility for the citizens of the United States of America.  The World Cup Uruguayan coach, Oscar Tabarez, this week's quote concerning character taught to his young citizens and winning team, "A young talent should train and prepare for life's challenges, character, and win the World Cup.  Behavior; no fouls, no bad conduct, and whatever happens, no back talk to referees."(Wall Street Journal, July, 2018). Yeah, to another teacher and coach like me.
     Clyde, Clyde, Clyde you missed on all three counts.  The young 12 year old student with the insincere, morally meaningless apologies such as, "Oh, I'm sorry."  (NOT, said I to myself)  Clyde had entered our psyche unit because he had attacked a boy in the final round of a history competition.  Apparently, the other boy had laughed at Clyde when he placed second.  Clyde had run up the aisle and assaulted the boy.  His father had had difficulty pulling him off the other boy.  The final insult to Clyde; his best friend placed first, earning a position on the state team.
     Clyde's psyche report, disjointed thinking impaired Clyde's seeing the 'big picture' as shown on his psychiatric evaluations.  I lamented over visualizing his early childhood.  He showed mixed-hand dominance and significantly impaired fine motor speed coordination for both right and left. (I am guessing, coloring, cutting, and pasting were too childish for him.  There are few substitutes for teaching fine motor skills in the classroom).  Clyde had been 'over-adultized'.  He even insisted on reading Time magazine, although Kid's Time was available. 
     Clyde's parents had instructed him in a 'modernized Puritanical fashion'.  He habitually walked with his neck angled at 45 degrees or more.  They rigidly insisted that he look them in the eye when he was being spoken to; therefore, the inclination of his head to avert a lecture.  Only , in our classroom did he relax his neck.  By the second day the angle of his head improved measurably.  He used me as a 'sounding board' ti bring up topics for discussion his situation without naming names.  He gave his opinion concerning parents that act "too good".  He said, "They made then go to church, made them join, and participate in church functions, even as an accolade".  (Note the confusion with pronouns and acolytes.)  His parents impressed on him that "getting good grades, getting ahead and getting into the best schools".  Goodness, the "getting" for whom?
     Since Clyde and Mark's, another student, viewpoints of society and parental control differed entirely, I began their social study's reading:  America Will BE (1994) Chapter 8 "Life in New England." They were to debate issues concerning children's strict discipline.  They both used decisive arguments for and against:
     Puritan children were being treated like miniature adults,
     Not healthy to work so hard at age six
    Children wonder about things so they need to explore
They are not 'full of sin, as full as a toad in of poison' 
     Spanking might stop laziness but would increase disrespect, (the word respect was prominently in my classroom)
             It is hard to love or honor adults who believe that
     'Better whipped than damned by the devil' - who is the devil anyway?

   Clyde took the Puritan view in the debate since his favorite book was the New Testament. You should have seen the utterly incredulous looks when I asked them to change sides in the debate.  A row almost ensued, but computer time was used as an intervention.  Threats and name-calling were disallowed.  This was not about right or wrong, but strong defense of points of view.  A minuscule beginning had begun for Clyde.
     For the next day's assignment they would discuss, 'Two Views of Nature'  as a Puritan and an Algonquin over putting up fences.  Puritan's (immigrants) fenced in their crops and allowed their pigs and cows to roam freely.  Native Americans fenced in their animals but not their crops. The Puritans' animals were eating the natives crops.
     Educating them was my best defense against losing freedom of expression.  Passion without punching.  Maintaining civil discourse, incivility especially invective to deliberately provoke not allowed. (trolling- Googles word).
     Independent thinking with responsible behaviors.
Two Perspectives, two Perceptions.  Hmmm Immigrants?    
     Happy Fourth of July US of A!

    
    

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