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Monday, January 11, 2010

How Do You Teach National Pride

In our current politically charged world, there seems to be a divide between Americans that is deepening with each news report and bill that is passed. National Pride is something we rarely hear of. Patriotism is even less recalled. It is all about Democrats vs. republicans or liberals vs. conservatives. So how do we teach our kids about our Nation? How do we express to them the history and the legacy that goes with being an American? It isn't all honor and glory. There are some very bad things that is part of our history. But there are some good things as well. What er history books and teachers telling our children about their country? Not their race, or their politics, but the place they live in and what made her what she is today? How many of your kids know the words to the national anthem? How many know that you stand when it is played and salute the flag with hand over heart? How many understand the words of the pledge of allegiance and what that means? We as Americans have a long history of military involvement in several wars. How many were here on our own soil? Our soldiers have gone to the far corners of the world to fight for an ideal that we believe is strictly American....FREEDOM. Teaching children about who they are as Americans has gotten very tricky. Many of the children in our country aren't Americans. But does that mean we should not teach about who we are in order to avoid offending any of the other nationalities that are in schools? Maybe we need to describe it for ourselves. Seriously, what does it mean to you to be an American? What do you feel when you see the flag being raised and hear the words of the national anthem? Does it move you at all, or is it something you take for granted? This is not something we can entrust to schools to teach anymore. Parents, we all need to understand our history our legacy and why we are who we are. Most ideas about country, laws, politics and ethics begin at home. Kids will recite what their parents say about leaders and parties. Think about this the next time you talk about a leader or a conservative. What do you want your kids to learn about national pride and honor.

2 comments:

  1. Good post Kathy. I think we don't spend enough time thinking seriously about this issue.

    I think it is helpful to weave our national history in with stories about our own families and ancestors. Understanding the Viet Nam war is aided by telling about an uncle who fought in the war. Some my national pride relates to opportunities given my great grandfather to homestead land in Nebraska. Abraham Lincoln was critical to the development of the Homestead Act and this ties my family to his Presidency.

    I also think parents can help by taking children on vacations with some focus on our nation's history. We felt taking our children to Washington, DC was a good experience in better understanding our history.

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  2. Excellent points! Family heritage weaves in with National pride. What better way to preserve a sense of who we are?!

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