Elections
On the eve of our national election, I find that I am calmer and more circumspect than I would have anticipated. Part of it might just be I'm so darn tired, but another part is because of my job. It is certainly challenging all the time, but there's something amazing about the moment that true understanding just clicks with a child. They get it. They're interesting, they're hooked, they're invested.
I've been seeing a lot of that with our study of this election, and about the election process. They're pumped, excited and absorbing any bit of news or information they can get their hands on. Before they left today (they get the day off tomorrow), we did a little pep-rally style cheer about voting, "Are your parents going to vote?" "Yeah!" "Are your aunts and uncles going to vote?" "Yeah!" "Are your grandmas and grandpas going to vote?" "YEAH!" "Then happy Election Day!" And off they went chanting, "Vote vote vote," down the hallway.
No matter what happens tomorrow, it's not like our only hope of an African-American president, or progressive approaches to our concerns, will have lived or died with the day. This election has not just absorbed adults, who will be next in line to lead the country. It has also caught the imaginations of kids, and these kids are going to grow up really, truly, honestly believing that they can be President of the United States. That is an amazing gift.
I've been seeing a lot of that with our study of this election, and about the election process. They're pumped, excited and absorbing any bit of news or information they can get their hands on. Before they left today (they get the day off tomorrow), we did a little pep-rally style cheer about voting, "Are your parents going to vote?" "Yeah!" "Are your aunts and uncles going to vote?" "Yeah!" "Are your grandmas and grandpas going to vote?" "YEAH!" "Then happy Election Day!" And off they went chanting, "Vote vote vote," down the hallway.
No matter what happens tomorrow, it's not like our only hope of an African-American president, or progressive approaches to our concerns, will have lived or died with the day. This election has not just absorbed adults, who will be next in line to lead the country. It has also caught the imaginations of kids, and these kids are going to grow up really, truly, honestly believing that they can be President of the United States. That is an amazing gift.