Menu
close
Samantha AuerbachI'm glad you brought this up because I thought the same thing when I was listening to the lecture. I like the idea of bringing natural resources and asking your students to find the differences between natural and manmade. This made me think of biomimicry, the idea that innovative solutions to help mankind came from natural existence. For example, shade from a tree drove innovation of the umbrella or ducks webbed feet led to the invention of flippers.
Samantha AuerbachThis is a great connection that I previously did not think about. Your connection made me think of another. When we discuss the US constitution we could compare and contrast it to Shotoku's constitution. The students can also connect those articles to our established class traditions.
Samantha AuerbachDuring our discussion this morning, I found the topic of the spread of buddhism as a religion to be quite interesting. I'll admit, before today I did not know much about buddism and how it came to be. It is fascinating how all religions spread to different geographic areas and to even different cultures and countries. I enjoyed hearing Lori discuss how vastly this religion grew especially since there is no early written record. Through the buddha's teachings and charisma, other cultures and people grew attracted to the ideals, teachings and traditions. It was also able to grow through the idea of transmigration. If a person didn't want to give up their families and ways of life, they could still make offerings to monastry so that they could later be reborn as a monk. Through this ideal, many more people were drawn to the religion and thus created a larger following.
Samantha AuerbachThank you for providing these lectures for us! I really like the idea of using buddhist traditions to drive classroom norms and behavior. I think my 4th grade students would really benefit from adopting these traditions as a way to ensure we can all coexist in our classroom respectfully. It would help keep the children accountable for their behavior and would in turn increase productivity.
Samantha AuerbachHi Cynthia, I agree with you. I had the same thought as I read the articles. They seem to be open to interpretation. How would one be held accountable for their actions if the rules were vague and unspecific?
Samantha AuerbachWhat surprised me about Shotoku's Constitution is how long it is and how undefined it is. I can only relate this back to my classroom. In the beginning of the school year when I set up my classroom and we talk about rules and expectations, we make a class promise. Essentially, it's a class consitution. As a classroom, we come up with our expectations together and sign it. We hold each other accountable to our actions and responsibilities as citizens of 4th grade. However, especially with 4th graders, if the promises are too vague the students do not know how to follow them accurately. Shotoku's articles are extremely detailed, yet they still remain a bit vague. They could even be considered open to interpretation. They reference a heirarchy and expectations to follow, so it is assumed that if they are broken, there are consequences. However, they just seem too vague to hold any participant accountable.
Samantha AuerbachI wanted to come back to this response because after we discussed it in our zoom meeting, I agreed with what we said and felt that my comprehension of the text shifted. I know see it as an imaginary situation. The man saw what he wanted to see. The people just wanted to live their lives close to nature and away from people and the growing world around them. They were Daoists and wanted to be left alone. Perhaps the fisherman was reflecting on the person he wanted to be in this fantasy.
Samantha AuerbachYour response is so well-said, Jessica! You beautifully encapuslated how a Mohist would feel if their family members broke the law. As a fellow Mohist, I agree! There is only so much I can do and I hope they can learn from their mistakes once they have served the appropriate consequence for their actions.
Samantha AuerbachAs a Mohist, if I knew that a family member had broken the law I would be devastated. I believe that there should be grounded moral, ethical, and political order to ensure that concern for all was fair. I treat people based on their relationship to me therefore I would be incredibly upset if a family member broke the law. For if any other person did, I would expect the proper punishment. It doesn't matter who the person is to me.
Samantha AuerbachI feel like this debate could resonate with a lot of students in today's supply and demand scenarios. It's very interesting to read about some of these issues being raised during this time in history. The article allows us a closer look at to how China came to be and the resources they used at such an early time. I agree with the scholars for calling out the government in allowing the greedy to sell their goods for profit, while honest people are making a living off the resources they have available. They argue their position very clearly and fight for the people of their country that work so hard. This is still very relevant in today's society and we see it play out in a lot of aspects of our life. If I taught middle school or high school, I could see a very engaging lesson where students find modern situations where they see the same recourse happening.
Samantha AuerbachWhat a wonderful story. As I was reading it I was feeling so happy for this man who was having a bad day. It seemed to quickly turn around for him and he found this wonderful, abundant valley with so many resources. However, he took that for granted, rightfully so. He was happy to have found such a beautiful place. It conveys a few values. First, that even during a time of sadness, you can find light at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary, it also conveys that you should respect the wishes of others. The people of this village didn't want anyone to find them. They were happy in their solitude and didn't want what was happening in the rest of the country during that time to happen to them. However, the fisherman did not respect their wishes. Another value it conveys is that sometimes we need to be accepting and try new things.
Samantha AuerbachIt is very interesting to learn about a country that was built so closely around philosophies. I enjoyed the comparisons of each philosopher, what it meant to the people of early China, and how it shaped the country into what it is today. Clayton explained each distinct philosophy very well, allowing for a personal connection to develop. This gave me an opportunity to identify which philosophy I agreed with most.
It was also very interesting to see the early technological tools from different geographical areas in China. I found it fascinating how closely the artifacts resembled each other even though they were found in different areas of the country. I also enjoyed the connection between how ornate the tools became as philosphies began to rise.
Samantha AuerbachThe Hundred Schools activity is a great unit that allows students to explore Chinese philosophies and the foundations for which the country was built. It's a great way to get students engaged and empowered to learn about history from so long ago. I would do the same thing we did in our session this afternoon with students, allowing them to pick a school of thought that closely relates to their own personal values. This allows student choice and ownership which is essential for student participation and engagement. If I taught high school I would definitely include this in my curriculum. There are so many extension activities that could also be born from this unit. After the debate, students can do a comparison to modern philosophies. I could also see a cross-curricular opportunity with an English teacher to compare Chinese philosophies to philosophical schools of thought from other countries, cultures, or religions.
Samantha AuerbachI'm really glad the session began with an explanation of the impact of coronavirus, not only on East Asian countries, but also its impact on the rest of the world and the global economy. Sometimes it gets difficult to decipher what is really happening with all of the intense media coverage the coronavirus is receiving. I appreciated the "real" news, the descriptive explanations, and the coverage of how countries governments are handling it.
I also really enjoyed Clayon's presentations. I'll admit, my knowledge about East Asia's history and geography is (was) very limited. I enjoyed learning more about China's size and seeing comparisons to the US. Additionally, how East Asian countries and their geography have contributed to their successes and some of their short comings. I look forward to learning more at the next sessions!
Samantha AuerbachHi Sandra,
I agree with you. Although, some think of the population decline as harmful to our economy and countries, there are also positive impacts of it as well. Just like you mentioned, humans have contributed, and continue to contribute, harm to our planet. Will adding more people ever allow us to at least make a small indent in solving some of our environmental issues? I keep thinking of it as "more people, more problems". I hope we can still save the planet!
