Exploiting Children to Promote Leftist Fairy Tales [Video] – TILJournal
This past week has been a loud reminder of how adamant the Left is about forcing everyone to listen to their unreasonable and insane demands in just about any area. What took place at the 2019 United Nations Climate Summit in New York City was an attempt at emotional blackmail to force western nations to submit to the Leftist Climate Change horde using a mentally disabled young girl.
The Left is adept at this tactic of exploiting children as drones to justify radical and destructive responses to any of a number of their causes such as gun ‘control’ and illegal immigration. The bottom line of these efforts is a simple and blatant grab at political gain regardless of the truth of their narrative or the human damage which would result from doing anything they propose!
The latest example of Leftist using children for their ends starred 16-year-old Swedish social media sensation, Greta Thunberg. Her performance at the U.N. was highly emotional and generated much controversy, though it was also notable for the lack of facts, as is typical of all advocacy for the fairy tale of “man-made climate change.”
‘Man-made Climate Change’ is a Destructive Fairy Tale
According to dictionary.com, the phrase “fairy tale” has two primary meanings.
1. a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.
2. an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief
“Man-made climate change,” fits definition number two precisely. It is full of incredible and misleading statements of ‘evidence’ to provide a misleading account to prop up the incredible belief.
The incredible belief is that somehow man can effect and, in fact, has significantly effected the climate of the planet in a decidedly negative direction. Moreover, it is such a severe negative direction that the destruction of humanity and the worldwide ecosystem is imminent and therefore drastic action must be taken to stop and reverse humanity’s course of progress thus far in order to reverse the “climate crisis.”
All of that is simply false. All of the observable scientific evidence completely refutes this Leftist fairy tale, beginning with the very misleading statement that 97% of scientists agree about man-made climate change.
This journal has recorded previously the fallacies and evil intentions of the MMCC (man-made climate change) fable. However, since that time other evidence has come forth about the real cause of global climate change, courtesy of NASA via an excellent piece at Natural News.
It turns out that the actual driver of changes in the earth’s climate has nothing to do with any human activity. It has instead everything to do with the planet’s ever-changing distance from and axial position relative to the sun.
In the year 2000, NASA did publish information on its Earth Observatory website about the Milankovitch Climate Theory, revealing that the planet is, in fact, changing due to extraneous factors that have absolutely nothing to do with human activity.
Milankovich was a Serbian astrophysicist who proposed the theory that global climate change is due primarily to the influence of the sun on the earth as the orbit and axial tilt of the globe changes. NASA observed that variations in both the distance from the sun and the tilt of the planet’s axis are the cause for climate variations on earth over fifty years ago, confirming Milankovitch’s theory.
It was the year 1958, to be precise, when NASA first observed that changes in the solar orbit of the earth, along with alterations to the earth’s axial tilt, are both responsible for what climate scientists today have dubbed as “warming” (or “cooling,” depending on their agenda). In no way, shape, or form are humans warming or cooling the planet by driving SUVs or eating beef…
Images acquired by NASA December 21, 2010 – September 20, 2011
Of course, in 1958 there was no fairy tale “climate crisis” afoot, and NASA’s observations were likely thought of at the time as interesting evidence of scientific common sense. By the time the “global warming” myth, which morphed into “climate change,” took hold a quarter-century later, it was no longer politically correct to cheer for anything other than MMCC in much of the scientific community.
In spite of this, further confirmation of Milankovitch’s theory would come in 1976 and 1982.
…in 1976, a study published in the journal Science confirmed that Milankovitch’s theory is, in fact, accurate, and that it does correspond to various periods of climate change that have occurred throughout history. In 1982, six years after this study was published, the National Research Council of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences adopted Milankovitch’s theory as truth, declaring that:
Perhaps the pressure of others continuing to support and confirm that the sun is actually the overwhelming factor in the earth’s changing climate moved NASA to finally publish its findings in 2000, as was noted above. However, in the 19 years since this information has yet to become widely known, having been drowned out amid the frenetic hand-wringing and screeching of the Left’s “climate change” PC police.
The 2018 mid-term elections in America brought into Congress a crop of youngsters from the Left who whole-heartedly embrace the MMCC fairy tale. So much so that their most popular member, AOC slapped together and presented the “Green New Deal” proposal which would literally devastate America and take the rest of western civilization down with it.
Children Exploited as Intellectual Human Shields for the Left
The Leftist agenda is not piloted by people who are ignorant of the emotional effects of a child crying out for help, even if it reaches the level of shaming adults for not helping alleviate the child’s supposed ‘suffering.’ Consequently, they are not averse to grooming a child for this purpose ahead of time, as happened in the case of Greta Thunberg.
As was pointed out in the video, Thunberg was not simply another average 16-year-old girl. She was rife with anxiety and mental disability and had previously suffered an eating disorder.
For the advocates of MMCC, Greta Thunberg was not a fragile child but rather an intellectual human shield produced to forward a political agenda. Since Leftists cannot credibly dispute the facts against MMCC, they put forth a child sacrifice to silence the critics.
It doesn’t seem to matter to her parents and the other adults who have enabled her fame and ultimately this performance before the U.N. that Thunberg has a brittle psyche which could be further damaged by all of this. A hint of the damage already done to this girl was revealed in her presentation to the U.N.
She directed her speech to the adults at the U.N. and says at one point that they, “have stolen my dreams and my childhood,” because of their refusal to act against MMCC. I believe that her dreams and childhood have indeed been stolen but stolen by her parents and other Leftists around her.
Pediatrician Meg Meeker clarifies precisely what this means when she writes,
The 16-year-girl from Sweden went before the U.N. and reprimanded adults in the audience for their part in ruining her life — not because she had extensive knowledge of the subject, but because she was very good at parroting her parents’ and teachers’ beliefs. Adults essentially threw this girl under the bus in order to advance a political agenda. …As a pediatrician who has a seen hundreds of kids struggle with anxiety and depression at alarmingly high rates, young Greta’s address further fueled kids’ feelings that they should be anxious, too. After all, their futures have been destroyed — she told them that. Our job as adults is to quell our children’s fears — not to allow their anxiety to be worsened.
The Left was using Thunberg for one cause, political gain for a prized issue, regardless of the fiction MMCC truly is, or the harm Thunberg would suffer. Nor is this the only issue where such tactics are employed with regard to children.
There are numerous examples of children used as intellectual human shields concerning illegal immigration, gun control and “transgender rights.” The “transgender tights” movement, in particular, has taken this to extreme levels with parents promoting the idea that toddlers can decide whether they are male or female for themselves and then can take steps to engage in a dangerous “transition” process.
“Greg claims their five-year-old son is ‘adamant she is a girl,’ citing the boy’s affinity for dressing up as a princess from the popular Disney film “Frozen.” ‘They say it’s cruel we let her wear a dress but is it not more cruel to do nothing when you’ve got a kid who’s so adamant she’s a girl she’s ripping her hair off and banging her head off the walls?’ said Greg.”
What seems obvious is that this child of only five years has imagined he wants to become a girl and the ‘parents’ have never discouraged this, in fact, they have only encouraged and strengthened his nascent resolve.
Much like MMCC, the “transgender rights” movement is embracing a fairy tale. Moreover, as with MMCC, this Leftist cause is shown to be a fairy tale by scientific evidence, i.e. the basic genetics of human beings.
However, in keeping with the methodology of the Left, neither these causes or any other they attempt to advance is focused on solving the problems they have manufactured. They are instead laser-focused on giving more power to the government and turning these ‘problems’ over to them.
The dangers of this are apparent to conservatives, which is why there is staunch opposition to giving such power to the government. We know that fundamentally, as government authority increases, individual liberty decreases, and that must be vigorously opposed or more children and our civilization itself will suffer irreparable damage.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience Ephesians 5:6 [ESV]
Featured and Top Image courtesy of Tim Dennell’s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 1 courtesy of South Carolina State Library’s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 2 courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center‘s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 3 courtesy of Louis Reynolds’ Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Categories: Analysis, Commentary, Culture, Opinion, Politics, Science
Tags: Child Abuse, Climate Change, Green New Deal, Greta Thunberg
October 1, 2019 • 2:49 pm
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She is such a bad actress and so melodramatic that it made her show even more of a farce. The Left is just getting so pathetic! It’s really sad. They will not listen to anything that refutes their agenda, and especially not facts or statistics. All I can say is God help us!
October 2, 2019 • 2:07 am
Yes, she is a bad actress. But I also agree with Bill Whittle in the video that she believes the substance of the performance. Two observations from Thunberg’s speech. When I first heard it I really knew almost nothing about her. So, when she said to the U.N. that “you turn to us (meaning her generation) for hope!” I thought, ‘I don’t recall asking you for hope or aid in any way, or any of your generation or anyone else because there’s no crisis here!’ Second, did you notice that she was reading her script in between the sentences during her outburst? Sure makes it seem like this was read from the card and not a spontaneous bit of outrage. It also makes me wish that her parents had been ‘taken out behind the woodshed’ by their parents, as we used to say. LORD help us indeed!
October 2, 2019 • 8:15 am
Yep. I had never heard of her before this either. Then she was being interviewed later, but had no script, and she couldn’t even make a coherent statement and could not respond to the questions asked. What a farce.
October 1, 2019 • 3:06 pm
She has a page on IMDb.com. Twitter has been posting that Church of Sweden swears she is the “successor to Jesus Christ”. If it weren’t blasphemous it would be laughable. Leftists are scary.
October 2, 2019 • 2:19 am
Leftists are very scary. Their beliefs merit mocking, yet they must not be dismissed lightly. Leftism must be relentlessly opposed at every turn and in every arena because it destroys whatever it touches. Yet there are people among their ranks that can be reached, as the #walkaway movement is showing, and the conservative black community has been exploding in recent years in support of President Trump! I believe God is orchestrating this moment when America has the opportunity to crush the Leftist agenda for years to come if we re-elect President Trump. It will take all our prayers and effort to ensure that, and I hope and pray we do.
October 10, 2019 • 5:13 am
Ya children should not be exploited for political purposes. But its difficult the gauge whether they protesting under free will or have been manipulated. Climate change is a serious issue
October 10, 2019 • 6:33 am
Thank you for your comment. Climate change is not in dispute. It is Man Made Climate change that is the fairy tale narrative being pushed as if it were real. It is not, as I hope I showed adequately here.
December 12, 2019 • 4:42 pm
The level of real information and discussions is anemic. Our young people are not learning real constructive thinking. They don’t know how to consider, reflect, and are not motivated to real research with the understanding of how to differentiate between real and rhetoric. Parents who home school, teach the curriculum well, but also have discussions and teach them to think for themselves “see” disinformation and understand real answers.
December 11, 2019 • 5:46 pm
I hope more people read my site. It’s difficult explaining to people about understanding and thinking for yourself. I think the reason it’s difficult is because we all see things through our own eyes, which is the only way to see, but realization is required which happens when it happens. I can explain to two people the importance of understanding. One person nods their head, the other suddenly has a smile. One understands me on an intellectual level, the other “sees” it.
I was fortunate in my youth. I had a natural filter which I didn’t realize at the time. If I heard something, my mind questioned the truth of it. Like when my 6th grade teacher explained gravity with a bucket of water swinging. I knew there was something amiss in her explanations. And when I told my sister something I came to understand. She wouldn’t accept it unless I identified the source of information.
You see, she and I were very different. She believed in sources. My thought is who are the sources and what makes them experts. Weren’t experts, at one time, people like you and me? Didn’t they have to search and think for themselves? And who decided they were the ones in the know. And why cannot a child know something without citing a source?
As a teacher, I have endeavored to teach the curriculum, but also provide supplementary lessons and projects. In this way, I’m extending the materials, encouraging them to apply their understanding, hoping to open their minds to their own understanding. In this way, I’m encouraging them to think for themselves, respectfully and honestly.
So, at times, we have discussions and debates. One person believes this, another counters. Why do you believe this? Why do you think otherwise? And in this, calmly and thoughtfully, they begin to realize their own minds and understanding.
For instance, when two students are having problems with each other, when time avails, I wait until they are calm and I have given instruction. Then, I might ask them to write their position. Later, perhaps at recess, I ask them to share with the other what they believe. In this way, in a state of calmness (Calmness being the key.), they explain how each sees the same circumstances. He did this. She said this. And so on. And sometimes, they tell me they’ve handled the situation on their own. Good.
There is an important purpose in this. In calmness, they become aware of their own faults in the altercations, disagreements, or problem. They also come to understand the other person also sees things differently, and that communication was lacking, which led to the problems. Then, they both have to realize solutions. I encourage them to come to their own solutions. In this way, they see they have the answers, but also that the teacher now knows the issues and will bring them back together if they don’t follow their own conclusions. If they’re not honest about handling the situation, they will have to answer to me.
This state of mind works in education as well. When kids/teens learn that understanding is the key, and teachers support this, learning is far faster. I don’t teach to their intellect. I teach to their understanding. As I teach math or anything else, I’m looking in their eyes, and over time, have found I can track with what’s going on in them, adjust my teaching to match their thinking. Oh, you don’t understand that. Let’s try it this way.
Yes, this also works in the case of climate change. I leave that to them and their parents. But what I try to do is explain, read, and research what makes the planet tick, all that’s involved (which is far more than we know), and open their minds to all that’s involved that we can discuss: temperature variances, internal heating, terrain, population changes, the sun, and much, much more. Then, I ask them if they choose, to research and learn more and more about our planet and solar system. Those kids and teens who take on this challenge are encouraged to share with the class. My hopes is to open their minds to realize some haven’t really thought in the past, some don’t understand, and that there is so much more to learn. So learn. Research. And think for yourself. Then, and only then, might we find real answers. Don’t allow yourself to believe or think anything just because others do.
Exploiting Children to Promote Leftist Fairy Tales [Video] — TILJournal – raze
Exploiting Children to Promote Leftist Fairy Tales [Video] – TILJournal
This past week has been a loud reminder of how adamant the Left is about forcing everyone to listen to their unreasonable and insane demands in just about any area. What took place at the 2019 United Nations Climate Summit in New York City was an attempt at emotional blackmail to force western nations to submit to the Leftist Climate Change horde using a mentally disabled young girl.
The Left is adept at this tactic of exploiting children as drones to justify radical and destructive responses to any of a number of their causes such as gun ‘control’ and illegal immigration. The bottom line of these efforts is a simple and blatant grab at political gain regardless of the truth of their narrative or the human damage which would result from doing anything they propose!
The latest example of Leftist using children for their ends starred 16-year-old Swedish social media sensation, Greta Thunberg. Her performance at the U.N. was highly emotional and generated much controversy, though it was also notable for the lack of facts, as is typical of all advocacy for the fairy tale of “man-made climate change.”
‘Man-made Climate Change’ is a Destructive Fairy Tale
According to dictionary.com, the phrase “fairy tale” has two primary meanings.
1. a story, usually for children, about elves, hobgoblins, dragons, fairies, or other magical creatures.
2. an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief
“Man-made climate change,” fits definition number two precisely. It is full of incredible and misleading statements of ‘evidence’ to provide a misleading account to prop up the incredible belief.
The incredible belief is that somehow man can effect and, in fact, has significantly effected the climate of the planet in a decidedly negative direction. Moreover, it is such a severe negative direction that the destruction of humanity and the worldwide ecosystem is imminent and therefore drastic action must be taken to stop and reverse humanity’s course of progress thus far in order to reverse the “climate crisis.”
All of that is simply false. All of the observable scientific evidence completely refutes this Leftist fairy tale, beginning with the very misleading statement that 97% of scientists agree about man-made climate change.
This journal has recorded previously the fallacies and evil intentions of the MMCC (man-made climate change) fable. However, since that time other evidence has come forth about the real cause of global climate change, courtesy of NASA via an excellent piece at Natural News.
It turns out that the actual driver of changes in the earth’s climate has nothing to do with any human activity. It has instead everything to do with the planet’s ever-changing distance from and axial position relative to the sun.
In the year 2000, NASA did publish information on its Earth Observatory website about the Milankovitch Climate Theory, revealing that the planet is, in fact, changing due to extraneous factors that have absolutely nothing to do with human activity.
Milankovich was a Serbian astrophysicist who proposed the theory that global climate change is due primarily to the influence of the sun on the earth as the orbit and axial tilt of the globe changes. NASA observed that variations in both the distance from the sun and the tilt of the planet’s axis are the cause for climate variations on earth over fifty years ago, confirming Milankovitch’s theory.
It was the year 1958, to be precise, when NASA first observed that changes in the solar orbit of the earth, along with alterations to the earth’s axial tilt, are both responsible for what climate scientists today have dubbed as “warming” (or “cooling,” depending on their agenda). In no way, shape, or form are humans warming or cooling the planet by driving SUVs or eating beef…
Images acquired by NASA December 21, 2010 – September 20, 2011
Of course, in 1958 there was no fairy tale “climate crisis” afoot, and NASA’s observations were likely thought of at the time as interesting evidence of scientific common sense. By the time the “global warming” myth, which morphed into “climate change,” took hold a quarter-century later, it was no longer politically correct to cheer for anything other than MMCC in much of the scientific community.
In spite of this, further confirmation of Milankovitch’s theory would come in 1976 and 1982.
…in 1976, a study published in the journal Science confirmed that Milankovitch’s theory is, in fact, accurate, and that it does correspond to various periods of climate change that have occurred throughout history. In 1982, six years after this study was published, the National Research Council of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences adopted Milankovitch’s theory as truth, declaring that:
Perhaps the pressure of others continuing to support and confirm that the sun is actually the overwhelming factor in the earth’s changing climate moved NASA to finally publish its findings in 2000, as was noted above. However, in the 19 years since this information has yet to become widely known, having been drowned out amid the frenetic hand-wringing and screeching of the Left’s “climate change” PC police.
The 2018 mid-term elections in America brought into Congress a crop of youngsters from the Left who whole-heartedly embrace the MMCC fairy tale. So much so that their most popular member, AOC slapped together and presented the “Green New Deal” proposal which would literally devastate America and take the rest of western civilization down with it.
Children Exploited as Intellectual Human Shields for the Left
The Leftist agenda is not piloted by people who are ignorant of the emotional effects of a child crying out for help, even if it reaches the level of shaming adults for not helping alleviate the child’s supposed ‘suffering.’ Consequently, they are not averse to grooming a child for this purpose ahead of time, as happened in the case of Greta Thunberg.
As was pointed out in the video, Thunberg was not simply another average 16-year-old girl. She was rife with anxiety and mental disability and had previously suffered an eating disorder.
For the advocates of MMCC, Greta Thunberg was not a fragile child but rather an intellectual human shield produced to forward a political agenda. Since Leftists cannot credibly dispute the facts against MMCC, they put forth a child sacrifice to silence the critics.
It doesn’t seem to matter to her parents and the other adults who have enabled her fame and ultimately this performance before the U.N. that Thunberg has a brittle psyche which could be further damaged by all of this. A hint of the damage already done to this girl was revealed in her presentation to the U.N.
She directed her speech to the adults at the U.N. and says at one point that they, “have stolen my dreams and my childhood,” because of their refusal to act against MMCC. I believe that her dreams and childhood have indeed been stolen but stolen by her parents and other Leftists around her.
Pediatrician Meg Meeker clarifies precisely what this means when she writes,
The 16-year-girl from Sweden went before the U.N. and reprimanded adults in the audience for their part in ruining her life — not because she had extensive knowledge of the subject, but because she was very good at parroting her parents’ and teachers’ beliefs. Adults essentially threw this girl under the bus in order to advance a political agenda. …As a pediatrician who has a seen hundreds of kids struggle with anxiety and depression at alarmingly high rates, young Greta’s address further fueled kids’ feelings that they should be anxious, too. After all, their futures have been destroyed — she told them that. Our job as adults is to quell our children’s fears — not to allow their anxiety to be worsened.
The Left was using Thunberg for one cause, political gain for a prized issue, regardless of the fiction MMCC truly is, or the harm Thunberg would suffer. Nor is this the only issue where such tactics are employed with regard to children.
There are numerous examples of children used as intellectual human shields concerning illegal immigration, gun control and “transgender rights.” The “transgender tights” movement, in particular, has taken this to extreme levels with parents promoting the idea that toddlers can decide whether they are male or female for themselves and then can take steps to engage in a dangerous “transition” process.
“Greg claims their five-year-old son is ‘adamant she is a girl,’ citing the boy’s affinity for dressing up as a princess from the popular Disney film “Frozen.” ‘They say it’s cruel we let her wear a dress but is it not more cruel to do nothing when you’ve got a kid who’s so adamant she’s a girl she’s ripping her hair off and banging her head off the walls?’ said Greg.”
What seems obvious is that this child of only five years has imagined he wants to become a girl and the ‘parents’ have never discouraged this, in fact, they have only encouraged and strengthened his nascent resolve.
M
uch like MMCC, the “transgender rights” movement is embracing a fairy tale. Moreover, as with MMCC, this Leftist cause is shown to be a fairy tale by scientific evidence, i.e. the basic genetics of human beings.
However, in keeping with the methodology of the Left, neither these causes or any other they attempt to advance is focused on solving the problems they have manufactured. They are instead laser-focused on giving more power to the government and turning these ‘problems’ over to them.
The dangers of this are apparent to conservatives, which is why there is staunch opposition to giving such power to the government. We know that fundamentally, as government authority increases, individual liberty decreases, and that must be vigorously opposed or more children and our civilization itself will suffer irreparable damage.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience Ephesians 5:6 [ESV]
Featured and Top Image courtesy of Tim Dennell’s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 1 courtesy of South Carolina State Library’s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 2 courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center‘s Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image 3 courtesy of Louis Reynolds’ Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Categories: Analysis, Commentary, Culture, Opinion, Politics, Science
Tags: Child Abuse, Climate Change, Green New Deal, Greta Thunberg
October 1, 2019 • 2:49 pm
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She is such a bad actress and so melodramatic that it made her show even more of a farce. The Left is just getting so pathetic! It’s really sad. They will not listen to anything that refutes their agenda, and especially not facts or statistics. All I can say is God help us!
October 2, 2019 • 2:07 am
Yes, she is a bad actress. But I also agree with Bill Whittle in the video that she believes the substance of the performance. Two observations from Thunberg’s speech. When I first heard it I really knew almost nothing about her. So, when she said to the U.N. that “you turn to us (meaning her generation) for hope!” I thought, ‘I don’t recall asking you for hope or aid in any way, or any of your generation or anyone else because there’s no crisis here!’ Second, did you notice that she was reading her script in between the sentences during her outburst? Sure makes it seem like this was read from the card and not a spontaneous bit of outrage. It also makes me wish that her parents had been ‘taken out behind the woodshed’ by their parents, as we used to say. LORD help us indeed!
October 2, 2019 • 8:15 am
Yep. I had never heard of her before this either. Then she was being interviewed later, but had no script, and she couldn’t even make a coherent statement and could not respond to the questions asked. What a farce.
October 1, 2019 • 3:06 pm
She has a page on IMDb.com. Twitter has been posting that Church of Sweden swears she is the “successor to Jesus Christ”. If it weren’t blasphemous it would be laughable. Leftists are scary.
October 2, 2019 • 2:19 am
Leftists are very scary. Their beliefs merit mocking, yet they must not be dismissed lightly. Leftism must be relentlessly opposed at every turn and in every arena because it destroys whatever it touches. Yet there are people among their ranks that can be reached, as the #walkaway movement is showing, and the conservative black community has been exploding in recent years in support of President Trump! I believe God is orchestrating this moment when America has the opportunity to crush the Leftist agenda for years to come if we re-elect President Trump. It will take all our prayers and effort to ensure that, and I hope and pray we do.
October 10, 2019 • 5:13 am
Ya children should not be exploited for political purposes. But its difficult the gauge whether they protesting under free will or have been manipulated. Climate change is a serious issue
October 10, 2019 • 6:33 am
Thank you for your comment. Climate change is not in dispute. It is Man Made Climate change that is the fairy tale narrative being pushed as if it were real. It is not, as I hope I showed adequately here.
December 12, 2019 • 4:42 pm
The level of real information and discussions is anemic. Our young people are not learning real constructive thinking. They don’t know how to consider, reflect, and are not motivated to real research with the understanding of how to differentiate between real and rhetoric. Parents who home school, teach the curriculum well, but also have discussions and teach them to think for themselves “see” disinformation and understand real answers.
December 11, 2019 • 5:46 pm
I hope more people read my site. It’s difficult explaining to people about understanding and thinking for yourself. I think the reason it’s difficult is because we all see things through our own eyes, which is the only way to see, but realization is required which happens when it happens. I can explain to two people the importance of understanding. One person nods their head, the other suddenly has a smile. One understands me on an intellectual level, the other “sees” it.
I was fortunate in my youth. I had a natural filter which I didn’t realize at the time. If I heard something, my mind questioned the truth of it. Like when my 6th grade teacher explained gravity with a bucket of water swinging. I knew there was something amiss in her explanations. And when I told my sister something I came to understand. She wouldn’t accept it unless I identified the source of information.
You see, she and I were very different. She believed in sources. My thought is who are the sources and what makes them experts. Weren’t experts, at one time, people like you and me? Didn’t they have to search and think for themselves? And who decided they were the ones in the know. And why cannot a child know something without citing a source?
As a teacher, I have endeavored to teach the curriculum, but also provide supplementary lessons and projects. In this way, I’m extending the materials, encouraging them to apply their understanding, hoping to open their minds to their own understanding. In this way, I’m encouraging them to think for themselves, respectfully and honestly.
So, at times, we have discussions and debates. One person believes this, another counters. Why do you believe this? Why do you think otherwise? And in this, calmly and thoughtfully, they begin to realize their own minds and understanding.
For instance, when two students are having problems with each other, when time avails, I wait until they are calm and I have given instruction. Then, I might ask them to write their position. Later, perhaps at recess, I ask them to share with the other what they believe. In this way, in a state of calmness (Calmness being the key.), they explain how each sees the same circumstances. He did this. She said this. And so on. And sometimes, they tell me they’ve handled the situation on their own. Good.
There is an important purpose in this. In calmness, they become aware of their own faults in the altercations, disagreements, or problem. They also come to understand the other person also sees things differently, and that communication was lacking, which led to the problems. Then, they both have to realize solutions. I encourage them to come to their own solutions. In this way, they see they have the answers, but also that the teacher now knows the issues and will bring them back together if they don’t follow their own conclusions. If they’re not honest about handling the situation, they will have to answer to me.
This state of mind works in education as well. When kids/teens learn that understanding is the key, and teachers support this, learning is far faster. I don’t teach to their intellect. I teach to their understanding. As I teach math or anything else, I’m looking in their eyes, and over time, have found I can track with what’s going on in them, adjust my teaching to match their thinking. Oh, you don’t understand that. Let’s try it this way.
Yes, this also works in the case of climate change. I leave that to them and their parents. But what I try to do is explain, read, and research what makes the planet tick, all that’s involved (which is far more than we know), and open their minds to all that’s involved that we can discuss: temperature variances, internal heating, terrain, population changes, the sun, and much, much more. Then, I ask them if they choose, to research and learn more and more about our planet and solar system. Those kids and teens who take on this challenge are encouraged to share with the class. My hopes is to open their minds to realize some haven’t really thought in the past, some don’t understand, and that there is so much more to learn. So learn. Research. And think for yourself. Then, and only then, might we find real answers. Don’t allow yourself to believe or think anything just because others do.
Exploiting Children to Promote Leftist Fairy Tales [Video] — TILJournal – raze