Photos to  come….

The morning with Carol Berkin was delightful. She is an engaging speaker, and I learned a lot in two quick hours. She explained how every country has a “birth myth,” and we are no exception. Berkin’s admiration for the authors of the Constitution is genuine and, she clarified many misconceptions about who these men were and what motivated them. She was quick to point out that these were ordinary men who were of wealth and privilege, and because of their positions in life were the best educated and possessing the most knowledge. Of the fifty-six who attended the convention in1787, she only considers a handful to be truly brilliant including Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Gouverneur Morris, and James Wilson.

 

 

 

 

Berkin also made it clear that the main reason for all the compromises was their awareness that it was necessary to do everything they could to prevent the abuse of power. Since they had risked their lives and fortunes for the Revolution, they were not about to give too much power to any one entity. The irony of this is that they were actually working to limit the power of themselves since they would undoubtedly be the first leaders of the new nation.

 

A most important point to get across to students is that the Constitution is a living document that has evolved over time. The founding fathers once again had the foresight to realize that future generations would need to deal with issues in the future they could not predict.

 

Carol Berkin again reminded us when you study history you have to look at the way people thought in that time and the contemporary social norms. The “Monday morning quarterback” syndrome is not the way to study history and get any real understanding of the story.

 

My goal in the classroom is going to be to really shake up my lesson plans.  Most students think history is boring, and that is because of the traditional way it has been taught. Even though I have been fortunate enough to have visited some of these historical sites, somehow there is still a tendency to use the textbook and lectures too often. On these trips, we as teachers are more engaged and experience more meaningful learning we are not passive participants; my students deserve the same opportunities.

 

The National Constitution Center is not sponsored by the government; it is a private museum on public land. President Reagan authorized the concept to move forward in September, 1988, and the center opened July 4, 2003. What an amazing resource for everyone! Though we can’t actually take our students to the center, the online resources and interactive games will definitely be a hit. Any teacher who reads this and wasn’t able to be on this trip, check out constitutioncenter.org. Ideas for the upcoming election are also there.

The morning with Carol Berkin was delightful. She is an engaging speaker, and I learned a lot in two quick hours. She explained how every country has a “birth myth,” and we are no exception. Berkin’s admiration for the authors of the Constitution is genuine and, she clarified many misconceptions about who these men were and what motivated them. She was quick to point out that these were ordinary men who were of wealth and privilege, and because of their positions in life were the best educated and possessing the most knowledge. Of the fifty-six who attended the convention in1787, she only considers a handful to be truly brilliant including Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Gouverneur Morris, and James Wilson.

 

 

 

 

Berkin also made it clear that the main reason for all the compromises was their awareness that it was necessary to do everything they could to prevent the abuse of power. Since they had risked their lives and fortunes for the Revolution, they were not about to give too much power to any one entity. The irony of this is that they were actually working to limit the power of themselves since they would undoubtedly be the first leaders of the new nation.

 

A most important point to get across to students is that the Constitution is a living document that has evolved over time. The founding fathers once again had the foresight to realize that future generations would need to deal with issues in the future they could not predict.

 

Carol Berkin again reminded us when you study history you have to look at the way people thought in that time and the contemporary social norms. The “Monday morning quarterback” syndrome is not the way to study history and get any real understanding of the story.

 

My goal in the classroom is going to be to really shake up my lesson plans.  Most students think history is boring, and that is because of the traditional way it has been taught. Even though I have been fortunate enough to have visited some of these historical sites, somehow there is still a tendency to use the textbook and lectures too often. On these trips, we as teachers are more engaged and experience more meaningful learning we are not passive participants; my students deserve the same opportunities.

 

The National Constitution Center is not sponsored by the government; it is a private museum on public land. President Reagan authorized the concept to move forward in September, 1988, and the center opened July 4, 2003. What an amazing resource for everyone! Though we can’t actually take our students to the center, the online resources and interactive games will definitely be a hit. Any teacher who reads this and wasn’t able to be on this trip, check out constitutioncenter.org. Ideas for the upcoming election are also there.