School apologizes over pro-Nazi essay assignment.
It’s safe to say that “thinking like a Nazi” is not the most sound advice when it comes to assignments in high school, or in any academic institution for that matter.

And as such, a high-school in New York has formally apologized for assigning students homework that tasked them with writing a hypothetical essay on how they were sympathetic to Adolf Hitler’s former regime and that “Jews are evil and the source of our problems.”

The Albany Times Union reports that 10th-grade students at Albany High School were given the assignment as part of a critical thinking exercise where they are challenged to make an “abhorrent argument.”

"You must argue that Jews are evil, and use solid rationale from government propaganda to convince me of your loyalty to the Third Reich!" say the assignment instructions for the five-paragraph essay.

Approximately one-third of the students refused to take part in the exercise. The English teacher who assigned the project has not been identified, and the s chool district has declined to say whether the instructor will face any disciplinary action .

Contrarian thinking is at the root of strong debate skills, but the assignment arguably pushed students out acceptable logical boundaries. And it’s not the only such recent case of questionable homework. In February, another New York school tasked students with formulating a math equation using the whippings given to an African-American slave as the variable .

And in March 2012, a Washington, D.C., teacher was fired after assigning violent math problems to students.

Beyond making the abhorrent argument, students were encouraged to watch and read Nazi party propaganda materials. They were told to imagine their instructor as a Nazi government official who was demanding proof of their loyalty.

"I would apologize to our families," Albany Superintendent Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard told the paper. "I don't believe there was malice or intent to cause any insensitivities to our families of Jewish faith."

Vanden attributed the assignment style to a new Common Core curriculum enacted by the state, which requires more sophisticated writing standards.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/school-apologizes-over-pro-nazi-essay-assignment-180908350.html
A teacher was placed on administrative leave in 2010 when she allowed four students to dress in Ku Klux Klan costumes for a class presentation on American history. Students complained to their parents and a national scandal ensued. A similar story unfolded last year in Las Vegas, except that the teacher wasn't punished.
What do you think? Should teachers animate members of hate groups to show students up close an ugly dimension of human behavior? Or should schools create greater distance between their students and these ideas? Are students and schools mature enough to adopt such teaching methods into a larger curriculum?

I do understand the value of critical thinking and 'devils advocate' type assignments. I wouldnt have the school system touch HISTORICALLY sensitive topics like slavery, nazis, etc,, but I do think they need to continue this type of instruction. The difference I think they should institute is to use CURRENT issues and allow the students to choose one, like abortion, or same sex marriage, or drones,, or some such current political/social issue.


I think I would even have the students write for both sides or the issue they choose. So there is no 'agenda' that can be assumed.

I do understand the value of critical thinking and 'devils advocate' type assignments. I wouldnt have the school system touch HISTORICALLY sensitive topics like slavery, nazis, etc,, but I do think they need to continue this type of instruction. The difference I think they should institute is to use CURRENT issues and allow the students to choose one, like abortion, or same sex marriage, or drones,, or some such current political/social issue.


I think I would even have the students write for both sides or the issue they choose. So there is no 'agenda' that can be assumed.

A properly written essay in philosophy always contains it's own critique of the thesis (a strong argument against the thesis). It's a real pity that kids aren't taught the practice very much in the schools; they would then start producing real critical thinkers, instead of uncritical, compliant "drones" fit for work in "sector 7G" of the <insert industrial corporation name here> "plant."

That said, the devil's advocate position demanded in the assignment given could prove to be a valuable lesson in not only critical thinking, but also, human psychology, "the noble lie", and the recognition of propaganda in general. IMO, I think a researched essay pandering to an imagined(?) Nazi government is a wonderful idea...maybe not as good as a proper philosophical essay, but not bad at all.

I see a growing trend to the opening of young minds in the classroom that I can only classify as a good thing all around. If anyone is horrified by the following video, I'd say they are part of the existing problem that plagues the educational system.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvz0CjtwH2k

The video is a joke, right? I'm not horrified by it, but I think it's stupid, useless, and nothing but an arrogant display. Very few 5-year-olds are ready for this kind of philosophical subtlety.

The video is no less of a joke than the sad reality of the public educational system, which teaches NO critical thinking and gets rid of the teachers who try.

Good morning Duck....I agree with both of your posts....Furthermore, if school administrators, parents and children understood the "meaning" of critical thinking, they would understand the value and necessity of teaching it at every level...It's a shame teachers are being suspended or made to apologize for their efforts...If critical thinking is introduced to 5 year olds, parents and children will be prepared for the controversial subject matter that "must" be presented later if critical thinking courses are to be effective...

IMO, the New York teacher selected a great topic ...It covers social and political bases and presents a near perfect opportunity to put every aspect of critical thinking to work...Judgement of Nazi government based on analysis, evaluation, influence, evidence, various interpretation(s), reasoning, experience...A great way for those students to begin to develop or decide their personal belief and/or future action....And just think of the classroom debate/discussion those essays would have the potential to stimulate!...

very few people understand or have studied the concept of developmental stages in children,,,,unfortunately many who bash the educational system have not taken the time to consider or study developmental stages,,, most 5 year olds are NOT going to grasp philosophy or have any outlet in their day to day life to USE it,,,,and using what we learn is what helps us to retain it,,,,,
which is a SEPERATE Issue from teaching critical thinking which can occur through different APPROACHES at every school level,,,

You're kidding, right?...

CRITICAL THINKING

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ages 2-6

http://www.savvysource.com/kids/g253_critical-thinking_activities


Critical Thinking for Children

Author: Dr. Linda Elder
Publisher: Foundation for Critical Thinking
Copyright: 2006
Pages: 24
Dimensions: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
ISBN (10Digit): 0-944583-29-6
ISBN (13Digit): 978-0-944583-29-6



The essence of critical thinking concepts and tools written in language accessible to children. This mini-guide is designed for K–6 classroom use. It explains basic critical thinking principles to children using cartoon characters. It focuses on the concepts of fairmindedness and selfishness, the elements of reasoning, intellectual standards, and intellectual virtues.

Why A Critical Thinking Mini-Guide For Children?

From a young age, children are capable of learning some of the foundational critical thinking concepts and skills. Though they are largely egocentric, children can nevertheless begin to think about how their behavior affects other people. They can begin to take thinking apart (to focus, for example, on purpose, questions, information, inferences, in thinking). They can begin to apply intellectual standards to their thinking (such as clarity, accuracy, relevance and logicalness). They can begin to develop intellectual virtues (such as intellectual perseverance, intellectual humility, and intellectual integrity).

https://www.criticalthinking.org/store/products/critical-thinking-for-children/161

The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking for Children introduces children to some of the most basic concepts in critical thinking, making these concepts accessible to them through simplified language.

The simplest way to use the guide is to foster student questioning using the model questions throughout the guide. If teachers routinely ask these questions of their children and regularly encourage children to ask these questions of their classmates, they will be pleased with the results. Thinking is question-driven. When children have no questions, they have no motivation to learn, to inquire, to discover. When teachers regularly focus on the questions in The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking for Children, students learn to formulate questions that improve their learning.

Teachers who use the guide may also be interested in obtaining its accompanying Teacher’s Manual. The manual provides suggestions for using The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking for Children and for teaching basic critical thinking concepts. It also contains "Think for Yourself" activities for children to help them internalize critical thinking ideas.

what was I kidding about?

I stated that critical thinking can be taught at all school levels,,,,


but typical 5 year olds are not going to grasp or use 'philisophy'

two different issues,,,

Philosophically speaking, here's a little food for thought...

1. Are Children Capable of Philosophical Thinking?

Jean Piaget's (1933 ) well-known theory of cognitive development suggests that prior to age 11 or 12, most children are not capable of philosophical thinking. This is because,he holds, prior to this time, children are not capable of “thinking about thinking,” the sort of meta-level thinking that characterizes philosophical thinking. This “formal operational” level of cognitive development includes analogical reasoning about relationships, such as: “Bicycle is to handlebars as ship is to rudder, with ”steering mechanism“ being the similar relationship” (Goswami, p. xxi). However, there is a growing body of psychological research suggesting that Piaget's account seriously underestimates children's cognitive abilities (Astington, 1993; Gopnik, et al., 1999; Gopnik, 2009).

Philosopher Gareth Matthews goes further and argues at length that Piaget failed to see the philosophical thinking manifest in the very children he studied. Matthews (1980) provides a number of delightful examples of very young children's philosophical puzzlement. For example:

TIM (about six years), while busily engaged in licking a pot, asked, “Papa, how can we be sure that everything is not a dream?” (p. 1)
JORDAN (five years), going to bed at eight one evening, asked, “If I go to bed at eight and get up at seven in the morning, how do I really know that the little hand of the clock has gone around only once? Do I have to stay up all night to watch it? If I look away even for a short time, maybe the small hand will go around twice.” (p. 3)
One day JOHN EDGAR (four years), who had seen airplanes take off, rise, and gradually disappear into the distance, took his first plane ride. When the plane stopped ascending and the seat-belt sign went out, John Edgar turned to his father and said in a rather relieved, but still puzzled, tone of voice, “Things don't really get smaller up here.” (p. 4)

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/children/#ChiCapPhiThi

Five years olds can grasp Play-Doh, but can they grasp Plato?

May I ask, where are your studies claiming 5 year olds do no have the capability to grasp what they are taught and use critical thought?

Or, is that the same logic as illegals can only pick cotton?

wow people F for reading comprehension,, once more for CLARIFICATION

CRITICAL THINKING can be taught at all stages of edcuational development, with different approaches

the subject of PHILOSOPHY, the terminology and explanations of PHILOSOPHERS,, are not something the typical 5 year olds mind can grasp,,,,

here's what they teach 4rth graders...
http://mingle2.com/topic/show/351919

Hi Leigh,,,

like most words in the english language 'philosophy' can be used in several contexts,, which is why I place it in quotes

the context of philosophy which refers to a search for knowledge, begins at birth by nature of how our brains retain information from our experienes and how we then apply that in our lives,, we have a natural curiosity from birth to seek understanding,,,,

the context of philosophy which refers to a specific Educational topic that reviews philosophers and their theories is not something a 5 year old will have much ability to grasp due to limited experience and cognitive development,,,,let alone to retain as knowledge due to limited opportunity to use that information,,,,

http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/thought-thinking.html

I would still like to see the study that claim was taken from.

I would have to say yes.

Philosophy used to be presented to kids in many different first-reader books.

The Little Red Hen, a book many liberals abhor, is a great example.

A 5 year old can grasp that IF, it is explained and practiced in the classroom.

Hey Harmony ...Now you have me re-reading your posts...and still coming to the same conclusion...IMO, critical thinking should be INTRODUCED to children when they enter the educational system, typically age 5, but often even younger....Not only can they grasp the philosophy of critical thinking, they can find, or be offered, outlets for putting it to use...I also think NOT criticizing an educational system so obviously lacking in certain "key" areas is wrong and I don't understand why you would take issue with anyone doing so...Several months ago I read an article on how poorly U.S. educated college students preformed in areas of critical thinking when compared to their foreign educated classmates....If you're interested, I'll try to find it for you (no promises though)...