feb. 28: geography/demography

[Anonymous]

The information given was eye-opening. I was familiar with some of the basic stats, but using comparisons really brought the enormous differences home. I will eagerly adopt this strategy in my classroom when I am discussing water, air, and ground pollution in my Environmental Studies class. I'm already thinking about using these comparisons in conjunction with a comparative analysis of old and contemporary poetry and stories I want to use to teach about recurring themes in literature which is the topic for our third periodic assessment.

There's no question about the importance of teaching East Asia to my students. The three discussed reasons, interconnectedness, young democracies, and trade, will be vital to their existance, a motivation many of my colleagues are finally buying into.[Edit by="mseeger on Feb 28, 2:18:31 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

We have to stop being so egocentric and stop teaching our students that the United States is the center of the Universe and Speaking English is the only think they need to know to be aware of who they are, who are they sorounded by and how different and similar they/we are are from each other. Learning and teaching about other peoples and cultures contribute to be tolerante and understanding each other.

[Anonymous]

I like to do this before we start any new unit. I think its useful and important, but I think that it's a lot harder to get younger students interested in how much it really affects what we are about to learn.

I also feel that the comparsion to something that we can relate to is probably one of the greatest strategies to use when teaching geography. If I were to compare China, India, or any other nation to something that students have prior knowledge of, I think it would be more effective.

Kudos, Mr. Lee

[Anonymous]

This morning’s session was packed with information, and I must admit that I am a bit overwhelmed. Though daunting, the content of this course will surely be useful. Among all the comparisons that we heard about this morning, what stands out is the contrast between North and South Korea. The image of the Korean Peninsula at night is striking. The complexity of this region is staggering. Moreover, all of the concepts that will be explored in this seminar are highly relevant. The key will be convincing our teenagers how important East Asia will become in their lives.

[Anonymous]

The demonstration with a few of us standing on the newspaper could be used in my classroom easily. And my students would probably even enjoy it.

I think the overlapping map of Japan/US East Coast is a good way to introduce geography. The side-by-side of Korea and California too. Not only are both those countries more densely populated in overall area than CA/USA, but it's made all the more incredible by the fact that so much of both of the Asian countries are uninhabitable and uncultivatable (mountain/forest).

[Anonymous]

Students need to see the relevance of the impact of B.R.I.C. nations such as China on our economy. They also need to understand the magnitude of the influence of China's population
on our U.S. economy, culture, and business.
Thus, one of the ways to accomplish this is to begin by comparing the size of countries
such as China and Korea to the size of California. In doing so, students can be introduced to
East Asian geography.

[Anonymous]

I know that certain parts of Asia is crowded, but what I did not know was the ratio of people per square foot. I think I can integrate this into my ratio unit in math. It is also interesting to find out some parts of China have few people there.

I am looking forward to the next meeting....

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed the population density info and demographic info as well. I can see using these as lead-ins for essay writing or research-based writing. Factoids are a great way to initiate class discusions. Students need to understand that the world stretches beyond their backyards.

[Anonymous]

I've taught sixth and seventh grade history and English for nine years and it is my experience that students do not come to middle school with a good understanding of geography. Students aren't reading outside the classroom. There is a lack of knowledge of concepts. It is hard to talk about states and countries when they don't understand the concept of political as in a political map or to discuss landforms, rivers and elevation when they don't know what physical geography is. I find myself teaching geography everyday so that my students have better access to the historical curriculum.

[Anonymous]

The newspaper standing thing is perfect for middle school students. It gets them out of their seats and demonstarting something for themselves that that can really remember. It worked for me to invision how crowded it can get on a subway in Tokyo.

[Anonymous]

The early, pre-dynasty, period of China is completely foreign to me. It is fascinating exploring how a society develops. The formation of religion is especially interesting to me. It seems to coincide with the organization of humans into groups in all practically all instances. Examining the four philosophies will be interesting as well. Man, we are a curious species!

[Anonymous]

I am privledged to be a part of this seminar. It is refreshing to
hear that most of the students in our seminar admit to their own ignorance of
Chinese, Japanes, and Korean history. I should know since I am one of them!
Fortunately, we seem to all have a thirst for knowledge about all aspects of East Asian
culture, which is why we endure a seven hour class on a Saturday!
I have already begun to read one article and I am looking forward to
reading in depth information for each class assignment.

[Anonymous]

The relevance of the geography of North Korea is especially useful with today's current events. I have tried to discuss w/my students N.Korea's attempts to obtain nuclear power/weapons. I even showed the picture Clay had shown us w/N.Korea's limited energy (night time N.Korea). I however, did not connect the two. Very useful information I can share w/my students indeed!

[Anonymous]

The other day in my A.P. European History class we were discussing the Cold War and the conflict between capitalism and communism in terms of both ideology and practice, and I was able to use the map of North and South Korea at night as an example of this. We discussed the Korean War as one of the proxy wars "fought" by the superpowers and the economic results of the armistice for both sides. The photo made it the point abundantly clear, and the students mention that example now as we are reviewing the Cold War for the upcoming test.

[Anonymous]

As a teacher of 9th and 10th graders, I feel it is ever important to teach with a multicultural perspective. The vast majority of my students are either African American or Hispanic/Latino. Like most people, my students appreciate learning about things that relate to their cultural backgrounds. To accommodate their tastes, I have tried to supplement the textbook readings with articles and stories that pertain to the backgrounds of these students.

In the future, I will do my best broaden their tastes by exposing them to readings, cultures, and civilizations that are foreign to them. This will teach them to accept others, and they will gain a vital appreciation for views that are different from those they are used to. But most of all, I think that the study of any culture that is new to a person ultimately leaves them with a sense of unity among all human beings because they will learn to value the new cultures and peoples that they study.

The study of East Asia is greatly limited compared to the study of other regions, but I will make sure it has a place in my classroom from now on.

[Author]

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