Message from zarooum

[Anonymous]

Since I have finished teaching my unit on Ancient China, I am starting to reflect on what worked best. One of my favorite lessons was inspired by Dube's "Encounters" method of teaching. In order to make the three philosophies of Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism seem real to my 6th graders, I taught each lesson using an environment reflecting the respective philosophy.

For Confuciansim, students arranged their chairs in small circles and a student representing an elder stood above each group as the wise mentor who led the instruction. Students showed their elders great respect. bowed to them and thanked them for teaching them.

The next day for Daoism, students could sit anywhere they liked--most chose the floor or on top of desks. They were allowed to study anyway they liked and to demonstrate what they learned in creative ways.

On the last day, students were ushered into the classroom to desks in rigid rows an arm length's apart. They were ordered not to look the teacher in the eye and to study the material on legalism silently on their own. Any student who disobeyed was exiled to stand in the back of the room. The kids loved it and when asked to write an essay on the three philsophies they really came through.

Attached is the writing prompt I used as an assessment.

Linda