Journal and Discussion: Resource Book Readings

Although you are encouraged to read the full resource book, for the purposes of this brief workshop, we will concentrate on three readings. These readings give educators some more options on ways of addressing themes of participation, democracy and choice-making with your students.

Please read at least one of the following three readings and then respond to the questions, below, in your journal:

1. "Reading 4: My Country 'Tis of Thee" (p. 20). This reading is about the world famous black opera singer, Marian Anderson, and the controversy surrounding her famous concert on April 9, 1939, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
    
2. "Reading 5: From Sympathy to Action" (p. 28). This reading begins with a piece by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof who summarizes the challenges of motivating people to take action during a humanitarian crisis. The reading then tells the powerful story of Nicholas Winton, an ordinary citizen whose choice to take action on the behalf of strangers saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish children in the late 1930s.
    
3. "Reading 9: Not in Our Town" (p. 67). This revised reading accompanies the Not in Our Town section of the exhibition. It presents the story of one community's inspiring response to hate crimes, and provides multiple perspectives from the citizens of Billings, Montana.

After you have completed the reading(s), please respond to the following questions in your journal and then copy and paste these responses onto the discussion board:

• How does this reading change, complicate, or reinforce your understanding of participation? (Please use specific examples from the reading.)

• In Session 3 we looked at the four stories of the exhibit and in this session we have looked at the Resource Book. How might you use this reading(s) in your classroom? What specific themes, issues and connections presented in the readings do you think might resonate with your students?

Please make sure you have checked the "mark as read" box at the top of this page. Then continue to the discussion board.