Did you watch Obama's speech live?

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by delusianne

I wasnt "grading" you; there's a difference which as a teacher Im sure you discerned immediately once you noticed it.

Im sorry you seem to perceive so much in shades of gray. Maybe a trip to Hawaii would put the roses in your cheeks and the color back behind your eyes

Maybe less attention to political forums would also give me a lift.

The dead horse has been beaten as far as I am concerned.

Kennedy was president when I was in 8th grade. I read some of his speeches and several books about him and thought he was a very nice man and that he had done heroic things. Fast forward to the present.

I don't think, but know for certain that 'compromises' must be made in order to ascend to positions of power. Therefore the words/rhetoric used by those in leadership mean less to me than they might have at one time. I believe students in grades 7-12 are perceptive enough to realize this, coming of age when there is are so many options in the field of communication.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

By virtue of the fact that is was a) a speech and b) from a political leader I wouldn't expect a different response from students.

I grew up in the 'Good Old Days' and even then a speech was nothing to get excited about. Another adult telling you that you needed 'to put forth the effort to make something of yourself'...'nobody can/will do it for you'...'look at, 'Insert Name of Motivated Achiever', he/she let nothing stand in his/her way to success'. 'Set goals, reach for the stars and make this country/world a better place'---I don't care who says it, there is nothing new to say and repetition is boring---albeit the speech may have been 'less boring' than listening to the very boring teacher. LOL.

Except these kids were upset that he didn't come to a school with 80% African-American poulation, like mine.
The main comment was, "that's the same stuff you say to us".

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Except these kids were upset that he didn't come to a school with 80% African-American poulation, like mine.
The main comment was, "that's the same stuff you say to us".

I am afraid I am uninformed on the specifics you mentioned. I was making generic comments based on my own experiences with middle school students.

He would have had to come into my classroom and pierce the souls of many of my students to get much of a response. Many had decided years before that school attendance was not a worthwhile priority and were informed amazingly well on how many days were required. They didn't bother to drop by unless legal interference was pending. A televised speech for such an audience would have been an invitation to catch an extra nap. If required to submit an essay on the televised speech they would have simply disregarded the request.

It was never clear to me that they had much regard for anything. Still, we cannot give up on the future and that I believe was the intent of the speech. So, I give it a thumbs up.

What else can be done? Complete cynicism is not going to help, of that I am certain.