Teaching elementary students is actually an ongoing education process. Sure, I think it is my job to teach them, but let's be honest. I learn just as much from them.
The other day, in fourth grade, we were discussing the Louisiana purchase. The textbook and test emphasize the importance of this purchase, from the French, because it doubled the size of our country. Since I constantly go "off-script", I felt it necessary to point out that France was really quite far away, and there were already people living on that land that were not informed of this transaction. When I asked how the French could sell this enormous bundle of land without really owning it, one of my students blurted out:
"The Louisiana purchase was a scam! Whoa! What a big scam!"
Since I had to turn around to disguise my laughter as a cough, it was very fortunate my co-teacher held her composure, requested the student to define "scam", then defend his claim. We both accepted it as valid.
The Louisiana Purchase: A Big Scam
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