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Jessica NgBoth Confucianism and the 17 AC stress the concept of having one soverign ruler who is considered the highest authority and an example of benevolence to all. Ideas about status and hierarchy are also present in both, stressing a social order in order to maintain harmony. To me, Article 7 ("Every man has his own work. Do not let the spheres of duty be confused.") seems like an attempt to preserve power for those who have it.
Jessica NgMy parents have lost their moral uniformity with our social order. Judgement of their actions and their consequences should not be left to me, nor to the people they wronged. This would indeed lead to chaos. Only our wise, benevolent officials can carry out Heaven's Will and evaluate what must be done in order to maintain social order. May my parents learn from this and strive to only attain good consequences hereafter!
Jessica NgReading about and listening to the lecture section about the Grand Canal, I can't help but marvel at the technology and ingenuity present so long ago. I think this particular part of Tang history lends itself very well to earth and physical science for upper elementary through high school students. I would pose the essential question, "How can we make water flow uphill/against gravity?" and, through the scientific process, allow students to construct their own experiments using a set of materials I provide. I poked around online and found this video:
I would show it at the end of students' trials (and errors), and have them make comparisons between the video's example and their own inventions.
Jessica NgUnlike most folk tales and fables, which are relatively straightforward and have a simple message by the end, The Peach Blossom Spring lends itself to many different themes and lessons, depending on the reader and social context.
For one, I believe it can be a cautionary tale about greed and honesty. The fisherman was given a glimpse of paradise, but he broke his promise and thus no one could find it again. It reminds me of the story of Eurydice, and how Orpheus couldn't obey one simple command, thus losing his wife forever. In the version of Peach Blossom Spring my mom once told me, the people who went to look for it never returned - yikes!
I think there is also an embedded message about the possibilities that can be achieved through working together. There is no mention of a religion or government telling these villagers what to do. Each person seems to live humbly and plays their role in making their little society work.
Reading between the lines: the fact that the people's ancestors created this village in their attempt to escape war speaks to their status as refugees. The trauma they experienced was motivation to leave and seek better conditions. It's a lesson in resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving.
Jessica NgHi Esther. What a great theme for your class. You are so fortunate that your school is in such a central location, with easy access to Downtown pockets of Los Angeles that have high concentrations of historical and cultural establishments. I used to teach at a charter school downtown, and we often walked or took the subway to visit Olvera Street, Santa Monica beach, and other places to use them as outdoor classrooms.
Jessica NgIf I were a high school teacher, this unit has the potential to be very engaging and topical. A fun, relatable opening activity might be to create a survey that questions students about their interests and then assigns them to the different philosophies/schools, much like the Sorting Hat does in the Harry Potter series. Of course, there might need to be some maneuvering or planning on the my part to make sure students are divided as equally as possible.
I'm not a fan of assigning screentime, but if students will be on their technology anyway, an extension activity (for extra credit?) might be for them to apply their philosophies and practices to a world-building game such as Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdon... or code their own!
Jessica NgReading Robinson's "Schools in South Korea," I couldn't help wondering about the impact on the quality of education in the elementary schools. Surely, each child is receiving dramatically more attention and individualized support from their teacher, but what about their social emotional learning? Many communities in South Korea are already quite homogeneous; how do teachers make sure their pupils are exposed to different ideas and perspectives in such an environment (or am I projecting my own cultural values when I ask these questions)?
Maybe I'm completely mistaken and need further information on this topic, but the views expressed by Musk and Ma in Coonan's "Global Population" are concerning because they focus so much on business and politics. Their companies' success depends on consumption, so naturally they want more consumers. However, population growth on Earth up until now has already had dramatically detrimental effects on climate, resources, and the environment; continuous population growth is simply not ecologically possible. Wouldn’t it be great if the problem of population decline motivated innovators like Musk and Ma to find environmentally responsible solutions instead?
Jessica NgHello, everyone. My name is Jessica Ng (pronouncec "ing") and I currently teach ETK at Carthay in Mid-City. This is my 4th year teaching, though I have a number of years of experience teaching in an early education center previous to moving to elementary. I am a native Angelena who loves to travel and visit at least one new place every year. By night, I sing Eastern European folk music and practice aerial arts. Looking forward to finding out ways to teach this topic to my littles.
