Foundations of Civilization (Grade 9)
Karen Quackenbush
The course and studentsThe school is a progressive private school with highly motivated students, of whom about 85% take advanced college placement courses. There's a great deal of parent support, and the school is noted for hands-on learning (e.g. participating in an archaeological dig). Foundations of Civilization Extended Studies is an honors class of 15 students. The course begins with the Paleolithic period and ends with the Fall of Rome. It also examines modern corollaries to each of these periods. ( e.g. after studying the Fertile Crescent, students would consider origins of modern conflict in the Middle East.)
Why Ishmael?As soon as I read Ishmael I knew it was a book that would be important and useful for both these classes. It's a rich and unique book that teases rather than spoon-feeds and elicits consideration of the limits of our beliefs and life-styles. It's ideal to get students thinking. With my younger Foundation of Civilization students it provided an underlying thread for the study of past and present. In the Political Science seminar, with older students, it was an ideal springboard for more involved analysis of problems we face today.
Class activityPre-assignment: Before I assign any reading in Ishmael I have students collect, review, and analyze images and messages offered in local magazines and newspapers (local rather than national or international because I want them to relate to their own community). They create a collage out of the clippings and consider the priorities and values suggested by the images. The exercise not only prepares students for later discussion of Mother Culture (and reconsideration of their initial interpretations) but also encourages application of the ideas presented in Ishmael to their own upbringing and sense of community. Reading assignments: Students read the entire book before we begin discussion and analysis. I assign one of the 13 sections each night for a couple of weeks and give weekly quizzes. This encourages all to keep up and provides an opportunity for clarifying questions about things that come up in their reading, like terms and metaphors they come across in the text (e.g. Mother Culture, teacher, student, captivity, culture, Takers, Leavers, certain knowledge, peace-keeping laws, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the airman and the craft of civilization, and Bwana). Then, when they've finished reading the book, and are equipped with their notes and questions, we launch into a series of discussions, using the Socratic method.
Sample: Discussion QuestionsI give some background information and examples of the Socratic method and have students point to its use by Ishmael in his dealing with his student.
We did all these things, usually in a group, which triggers more responses.
Critical thinking; problem solving; analysis; political participation; character development.
AssessmentI used quizzes during the reading, and an essay question on Ishmael dealing with cynicism and paralysis that enabled students to relate what they'd learned in the book to their projects.
Student responseThey soaked it up! But even this group of advanced freshmen found the going hard at times because they didn't understand all the references to metaphors and needed more guidance than the older students. They often needed permission to question and still looked to me for answers. (But my group of less-advanced freshmen was very put out that they weren't in on the Ishmael project too, because they heard their friends talking about it all the time!)
Summing upIn future uses, I'll work to get students to to look beyond me as teacher-authority figure, to get them to see that "teacher" equals "leader" rather than someone who sets limits.
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