Tomorrow, members of the Los Angeles teachers’ union, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) will be starting work an hour late to protest proposed state budget cuts to education. With education funding tied largely to property values in California, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. On the table, if not today then in the near future, is the firing of probationary teachers, increases in class sizes, and cuts to teacher salaries.
For elementary teachers participating in the job action and wondering how to explain what they are doing to their students, I recommend the book, Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type
Whether teachers are right or wrong, the lesson for students can be that sometimes it’s important to peacefully stand up for what you believe in.
What a good piece of place-based or maybe project-based learning. It uses the language and a structure that is more easily understood. I love that book, but have never thought of reading it in that way. Way to keep that mind a rolling!
P.S. Come to Kansas, we have curriculum tech job open!
Living in a ‘right to work’ state, which means we can’t strike, it never occurred to me to use this book in this way. I love the book and have read it with kids frequently. Now, I’m thrilled to have a new way to use it!
Steven and Jen,
I’m glad you like the idea. I should have given credit to Antioch University where I taught and worked for awhile. Someone there suggested it, though I can’t remember exactly who.
This is one of my all time favorite books! I have never thought about this book in that context however. I love how you used this book to introduce topics such as Martin Luther King Jr. I will have to keep this in mind. I couldn’t think of a better way to explain a complicated topic to kids than through a book! 🙂