Throughout a student’s high school career at LHS, they will take many courses in subjects such as history, math, science, literature, and more. Within these courses, students will learn facts ranging from ancient civilizations to bizarre math equations. But despite all the knowledge students will gain from school, it seems that many teachers fail to inform their students on things that are occurring in the real world.
Many DOI staff members noted that they rarely talk about any current news in their classes. The staff found it astounding that on days such as 9/11 or Constitution Day, these topics were rarely mentioned in any classes. Our staff believes that current events, as long as they are relevant to the subject of the class, should be discussed more often. It is essential for students to keep informed on current events, and due to the fact that many students do not watch the news, it is the job of teachers to let them know what is going on in the world.
For example, in a social studies class, teachers could keep their students updated about who is leading the polls of the presidential election or about the war going on in Syria. Science teachers could inform their class on new, important scientific discoveries. Literature teachers could discuss current events that relate to a novel being read in the class. Foreign language teachers could even inform their class of events taking place in a country where that native language is spoke.
Although they are important, these discussions do not have to take up an entire class period. Our staff believes that it is essential for teachers to teach their curriculum, but they could also use a few minutes at the beginning of the class period to discuss current events. If each teacher dedicated about five minutes at the beginning of certain class periods to talk about relevant news, students would be much more informed on what is happening in the world. Because it is only five minutes, and it would not have to be every day, it would not take too much time away from the curriculum of the class.
Our staff found that many LHS students rarely get outside of the “Libertyville bubble.” Due to the fact that we live in an affluent area where violence and big news are uncommon, it is easy to forget about the problems occurring elsewhere in the world. If students became more aware of these problems, they would be more connected to the outside world, rather than just Libertyville.
Talking about current events would benefit not only the students, but the teachers as well. Our staff believes that it will be easier for teachers to get their students to understand a topic if they relate it to something currently happening. For example, an election in the past would be better understood by students if a teacher compared it to a current election.
Our staff believes that discussing current events in class will not only help students further their academic success but will help them become more progressive members of society as well. When students are well informed on what is happening in the world, it is easier for them to carry out conversation with adults and escape the Libertyville bubble. Our staff believes that teachers should make an effort to discuss certain news topics as long as they are relevant to the curriculum of the class.
