#people need more civics lessons

[casuallyodd]

Weird it hasn’t happened! Since The White House makes laws (it does not) and the House of Representatives is under Democratic control to help move that along (it is not), you'd think that'd be fine. Ah, well with the large majority the Democrats have in the Senate (nope, only have control because of independents caucusing with them), perhaps it can get done that way.

It's not like Biden had proposals on how to lower prescription drug costs and that Republicans have rejected it.

President Biden plans to urge Congress to focus on cost-saving ideas for prescription drugs in his State of the Union address Thursday night, including capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for all Americans and allowing the federal government to negotiate the prices of widely used medications.

These two proposals expand on actions taken in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which allowed Medicare for the first time to negotiate the price of 20 expensive drugs used by many Americans with diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. The federal government is negotiating this week with pharmaceutical companies on the prices of the first 10 drugs, and companies are expected to submit counteroffers soon.

...

In his speech, the president is expected to call on Congress to extend the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs — which is currently scheduled to go into effect for senior citizens in 2025 — to all Americans with private insurance. Both ideas from Mr. Biden will require substantial congressional action at a time when Congress struggles with passing an annual budget. Congress also remains narrowly divided, and while the president is expected to call for bipartisanship to expand these health care savings, the Biden White House repeatedly notes that no Republican voted for the 2022 measure.

Oh, no. That's right, Democrats failed to get it done, because they don't have control of the House and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, which means I should only complain about Democrats not doing things and make no acknowledgement of the power Republicans hold. And to further teach Democrats a lesson, I'll withhold my vote. Thus when they are out of power, they'll know they failed because of this. And then I won't have to learn. how the US government works.

Source

[doubleca5t]

the lesson I'm taking away from this election is not that the Democrats need to become more left wing or more right wing but moreso that they need to find a way to cater their rhetoric towards people who genuinly have no idea what is going on. the target audience for every speech and political appearance should be someone who doesn't know what the three branches of government are because they were drawing a Cool S during high school civics

[malinthebodyguard]

Young Royals is anti-monarchist propaganda (always has been) 

I think it’s fair to say that most of the fandom was quite happy with the finale. However, I’ve seen a handful of posts by people who were unhappy, specifically  those who were unhappy with Wille giving up his place in the line of succession. These criticisms range in everything from dismissing Wille’s choice (Wilhelm has made a harsh decision without thinking of the consequences, this won’t actually make the media circus around him go away), to those disappointed in how the monarchy in general was represented (Wille could have modernized the institution, no one in the show attempted to consider how the monarchy could be good, actually). I don’t want to invalidate anyone’s feelings about the finale. If you didn't like it, that’s more than ok and I don’t want to argue with anyone about their taste. 

But when it comes to criticism about Wilhelm giving up the throne,  I do find myself frustrated at what I see as a fundamental misunderstanding of what this show was trying to communicate. Young Royals, plain and simple, is a story that  denounces the incompatibility of antiquated and hierarchical institutions (Hillerska, the monarchy) with equality and justice. 

If you’ve had the displeasure of being my fandom friend you’ll know that I’ve spent the last 3 years yelling about how this show is about abolishing the monarchy. I even wrote a lengthy  fanfic with the sole excuse of having Wilhelm arrive at this conclusion. Still, I knew that whatever statement the show wanted to arrive at, we’d only really be getting to it at the end of the show. 

Seasons one and two were setting up all the characters on the chessboard for the end: Wilhelm is the Crown Prince, although he does not want to be. He and Simon are in love, but Wilhelm’s role drives a wedge between them. Erik’s legacy and August's spot next in line are keeping Wilhelm in his place.

 From episode one, I think the show was telling us about the many things that are wrong with the monarchy, but I don’t think it’s until season three that these discussions become more explicit. Is this why some people were disappointed by the ending? Maybe so. Still, I wanted to look at how season three in particular answers some of the questions or issues  people are bringing up regarding both the monarchy and the Wilhelm’s choice. 

What do you like about the monarchy? 

Season 3 Episode 4 is the first time we hear an explicit discussion about why the monarchy could potentially be a good institution. I’ve seen some people complain that the show didn’t give this idea enough thought. 

I completely disagree with this take: the short conversation Wille and Simon have in this episode  is succinct, but still effective at presenting both arguments in this debate. A  longer and more drawn out conversation would have been a bit unrealistic and probably boring to watch. These are not academics having a debate, but two teenagers who are talking about what for them is emotionally charged.

There’s also no need for a longer, more detailed discussion. Wilhelm does provide a very good answer to the question: The monarchy is there to unite the people. To be a neutral party in situations when the government cannot or will not interfere. 

A quick civics lesson: In parliamentary democracies, the monarch serves as the Head of State. 

This role is predominantly representative, although in many places the government is formed in the name of the monarch. This could, theoretically, grant them some political power-- since they could technically reject the winning party from forming a government. However, in most parliamentary monarchies, the King or Queen simply has to accept whatever decision is made based on election results.

However, the value of the Head of State is precisely in its apolitical nature. Regardless of who’s in power, the head of state is a neutral ambassador of the nation, both in and outside of their country. Their job is diplomatic and representative, and one that is thoroughly divorced from politics. This is what Wilhelm meant when he said that the monarchy was there to ‘unite the people’. Whenever I’ve spoken to pro-monarchy folks about their beliefs, they cite this as the reason why they like it. 

It’s easy to see why Wilhlem would latch on this as his main argument to defend the institution. I don’t think there is anything inherently bad about having a separate head of state that represents the country. I don’t think the major grip with this issue is the having a head of state, but the fact that the head of state is a hereditary position. Simon says this himself twice in this episode: the issue is not that the head of state exists, but that the head of state is not an elected position. Furthemore, the head of state is a role that is imposed on a person not by their talent as a public speaker or negotiator, but by a simple accident of birth. 

The job’s legitimacy or importance should not be above any individual’s right to autonomy and self-determination. Furthermore, considering that taxpayers are the ones who finance this position, shouldn’t they be able to elect who it is? 

Let’s imagine a scenario where a friend tells you they’ve gone into a career because everyone in their family works in that industry, and they simply had no choice in the matter. It wouldn’t even matter if they were good or bad, they had a job in this career guaranteed from birth. 

 Would you not be concerned that maybe your friend is unhappy for a rather unnecessary reason? Would you not think that perhaps someone who actually wanted the job would be better suited for it? Would you think it right for a company to hire someone simply because of their family history? Would you consider any of this fair? And what is so special about monarchy that makes us have a different answer for it than we would if the question was about law or medicine? 

You’ll always be famous. 

Another common criticism I’ve seen is that Wilhelm will inevitably regret his decision, especially once he realizes that public scrutiny will not be going away. This is true, Wilhelm will likely always  be a figure of public interest. But to me, this has always been a negative consequence of the monarchy, and I have a hard time seeing this is a valid reason why he should stay in it. 

From the second we meet him, we know Wilhelm is uncomfortable with both the public attention and the scrutiny placed on him. However, this goes a bit further than that. I’d argue than more than the  scrutiny itself,  Wilhelm is weighed down by having to keep a public image. Because, remember folks, Wilhelm is not merely an awkward teenage boy with acne and a crush. No, no, Wilhelm is the State. Wilhelm is going to be a publicly-funded representative of the nation . This means, of course, that there’s a narrative, as he mentions himsef, that needs to be put forward. One that’s generic, serious, and unproblematic: 

From the get go, Wilhelm is uncomfortable with the inauthentic and performative aspect of his role.This is a constant we see with Wilhelm in seasons one and two: every ‘performance’ he has to do fills him with nausea, anxiety, or some sort of discomfort.

In season three, Wilhelm begins acquiescing to this performance. Uncomfortable as he may be, for most of season 3 he’s accepted that this is his role. However, the attention this season shifts from Wilhelm to Simon, who’s now the one facing public scrutiny. The difference is that, unlike Wille, there’s no role for Simon to play. Nothing about who he is or what he believes is compatible with the public image the monarchy is putting forward. The only thing he can do in this situation is disappear, and Wilhelm is tasked with having to ask that of him. 

I know a lot of people were exasperated at Simon’s very bad and clumsy social media presence. I’m not gonna argue that my boy wasn’t being a bit cringey, because he absolutely was. But I think the larger commentary here has more to do with the expectation that these two teenagers have to censor and edit themselves to comply with a particular PR image. 

Ultimately, the criticism that Wilhelm will always be famous leads us straight back to the institution. Why does an underage boy have the same PR expectations as a politician? Why is a teenager dating his classmate + being cringe online justification for doxxing him? Unfortunately, no abdication is really going to undo any of this, and things are certainly going to be crazy once Wilhelm announces he’s stepping down .

However, this time around both he and Simon will at least have the agency to decide what they want to do with their public image, including the decision to disappear from the public completely if that’s what they want.

Queer representation 

This a sentiment that has been in the fandom for some time now. This was the main argument why some people wanted Wille to stay in the monarchy. Sure, the institution has always been about bloodlines and tradition. But wouldn’t it be so nice to have Wilhelm as a symbol for the queer community? I’ve always found this idea a bit shallow. I’m not sure how much of a symbol of a queer and progressive country Wilhelm could be, when the whole idea is predicated on absolutely no one having a choice in the matter. Is it really impressive to accept the queerness of the guy you already had no choice in accepting?  

There’s three scenes in season 3 where the potential Wilhelm -and by extension Simon-  could have for the queer community come up.  Farima brings it up in the first episode, but the framing here is reversed. Wilhelm isn’t serving the LGBTQ community by being a queer Prince, but the monarchy is using Wilhelm (and his queerness) to appear progressive.

The show, however, does humor this idea with the May 1st photo. We see what Simon and Wilhelm could potentially do for the community by simply existing as who they are: they’re inspirational. It gives Simon, briefly, hope that maybe something good could come out of this. 

But this moment is quite literally framed by politics. It doesn't matter that Simon is not participating in that manifestation, anything that is slightly connected with politics is a challenge to neutrality of the monarchy. This same idea is stated more explicitly int the next episode, when Wilhelm is reviewing the options for his charity.

Ultimately, any action significant enough to be truly impactful, would be bordering the limits of what could be considered political. He's got to stick it out with these quite frankly boring and limited themes, all for the sake of staying on the very narrow lane of things that are not political.

The weight of the crown. 

Stories about Kings and Queens usually carry the same fundamental tension of duty vs self. 

In order to rule, our protagonist has to sacrifice themselves, usually for the sake of their country and people. The Crown is an excellent example of this type of story. Sacrifice in that series is framed as something noble and selfless. 

Young Royals started out with this same fundamental tension, but the main difference is that Young Royals has framed this debate as a question: 

Why should Wilhelm give himself up, his happiness, the love of his life, and  his mental well-being? What’s so important and valuable about this institution that requires this sacrifice?

Wilhelm’s journey is about accepting and voicing his answer. He doesn’t want to be Crown Prince, he doesn’t want to be King. 

But by virtue of taking part of this journey with him, we’re able to examine this question from a different perspective: Is this institution valuable enough to justify all of this? I think the show is inviting all of us to evaluate this situation and arrive at the conclusion that it isn’t.

Even someone like August, who wanted this, is weighed down by the realization of just how much the crown weighs. Of course, a big part of the fandom probably doesn’t live in countries with parliamentary monarchies. Still, considering the worldwide popularity of the British Royals, for example, I still think it’s a worthwhile exercise to question the validity of these institutions. Are they really worth sustaining? And if they’re not, why should we continue to drag them on into the present, citing tradition?

[passiveagreeable]

Not to go all panic mode. The election hasn’t been called yet. I did what I could do. But I have felt no optimism the entire time as to how things would turn out.

I think laying blame is nonsensical when the blame is already there. It’s with white people, making up such a huge percentage of eligible voters, who just can’t come around to including idk, all the other people I guess. It’s with all kinds of outreach programs not getting to people who need it most. It’s with consistent efforts to disenfranchise people who desire to be active in civics. It’s with the constant spread of misinformation and disinformation.

But I fear we are going to feel the hurt. We’ve already felt it. The calamity that was the start of COVID. When the Supreme Court shot down so many cases, Roe among them. So many more things unlikely or impossible had Trump lost in 2016.

We can’t seem to learn our lesson, the hard way or the easy way. 2016, then the narrow win in 2020 prove that. But this time, more than any recent election. I think we might be heading to face the big, hard consequences of our actions. No holds barred.

[petervintonjr]

"I was working for Mr. T. L. Kearny on the morning of the day of the election, and did not think of voting until he came out to the stable where I was attending to the horses and advised me to go to the polls and exercise a citizen's privilege."

Good god, people. I sure misjudged a hell of a lot of you; it is obvious more studying is called for. Way more. As in, "lessons-that-may-soon-be-illegal" way more.

Since we're already fresh on the subject of elections, let's get right into it with a look at the life of Thomas Mundy Peterson. Born enslaved in 1826 New Jersey, Peterson and his family were later manumitted upon their owner's passing, and moved to Perth Amboy. Peterson married and worked as a custodian and general handyman at Perth Amboy's very first public school. Active in local politics, at the age of 46 Peterson had been a participant in a local ballot initiative to revise the town's existing charter; in this instance, whether or not to abandon their 1798 charter entirely and reincorporate as a township. (Spoiler alert: they did neither and became a city in 1844.)

On March 30, 1871, less than two months after the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, Peterson voted in favor of retaining the town's existing charter --thereby making him the very first Black American to cast a ballot in any kind of post-Civil War election.

But for one unsurprising anecdote about a white voter at the polling place crumpling up their own ballot in disgust at the sight, Peterson's civic action went largely unremarked-upon (in fact Peterson even went on to be elected to the local city council). It was as true then, as it is now, that local elections are where the most immediate consequences happen. But gradually over time, the symbolism and the larger historical impact of Peterson's quiet moment took on much greater national significance. In 1884 the community raised the equivalent of $1800.00 to present Peterson with a medal featuring Abraham Lincoln's profile in recognition of his milestone --this medal is now part of the collection of Xavier University. In 1989 the public school at which Peterson once worked (P.S. No. 1), was renamed after him.

====

And further to the above subject: Fascism is a hell of a drug, people. One really doesn't see it for what it is when it finally arrives --no concept of just what it is that you've invited into your lives, just because eggs are inconveniently pricey or because you'd rather your kids not be exposed to history lessons like this one. Fascism never merely visits; it takes up permanent residence. Our Black brothers and sisters (especially the sisters) understood that deep in their bones prior to the Civil War, during Reconstruction, during Jim Crow, and during the Civil Rights movement. The rest of us need to internalize that, too. The past 400 years aren't "just" Black history, as if it all only belonged to a specific segment of the population. It is our history. All of us; inextricably connected to it. If we don't study it and learn about it; if we pivot to the deliberate ignorance that fascism so gleefully celebrates, then we all lose.

Racism (and all its cousins: anti-Semitism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc.) has been emboldened, running unchecked --to say nothing of truly terrifying old-school misogyny. (And yeah, go look up the word misogynoir if you haven't already). Of more immediate concern we've got... what, 70 days or so? 70 days to recalibrate, retool, get at least some guardrails up. In that time interval, please reach out to one another --check on your communities and keep a close eye on local issues, not unlike Thomas Mundy Peterson. Offer what help you can spare. Lotta desperation and panic floating about; folks are afraid of losing a lot of things in 2025 and beyond --you know, minor trifles like health care, insurance, income, savings, civil rights, autonomy. They're going to be looking for a connection. If studying these Black biographies these past 4+ years has taught me one thing, it is that authoritarianism flourishes when people isolate --whether forced upon them or on one's own. The moment folks break that pattern and start connecting with one another, the bullies proveably take a cautious step back. (Notice I didn't naïvely use the word retreat.) So look out for one another and keep each other afloat; the bullies hate that.

In the meantime for my part I'm going to keep doing the two things I know I am legitimately good at: teaching and drawing. Therefore I'll keep providing this resource until I am forcibly stopped from doing so.

If you're new to this series, start here.

[mariacallous]

In a small town, a kindergarten teacher leads an effort to evacuate more than 200 women, children, and older people to a local shelter. Using the training she received before the war, she binds wounds and guides the vulnerable along a practiced evacuation route. In this case, it’s just a training exercise in a town of 1,000 people in southern Estonia—one that’s attracted hundreds of volunteers, nervous about the very real war in nearby Ukraine.

Nearly 5,000 miles away, another group of civilians have signed up for a training course on basic first-aid skills, first-responder management, and evacuation planning. Kuma Academy, the Taiwanese organization providing these skills was created in 2021 to help citizens better prepare to respond to natural disasters. But today, the disaster they anticipate most is an invasion by China. Public interest in training courses surged after Russia’s 2022 full-scale war against Ukraine and remains strong due in part to China’s frequent military exercises. The public is also keenly interested in a forthcoming television series that dramatizes events days before an invasion by China called Zero Day.

Democracies have always struggled with finding the right balance between signaling public confidence through preparation for conflict and instilling fear and panic. Yet as the international security environment grows more ominous, with Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine and intensifying climate-fueled natural disasters and global pandemics, leaders and collective defense organizations such as NATO are accelerating efforts to enhance societal resilience. During the Cold War, Americans frequently practiced “duck and cover” nuclear drills and Britons made makeshift shelters and distributed first aid; yet the prolonged and relatively tranquil three decades after the end of the war made such preparations seemingly unnecessary and expensive, thus making them de-prioritized and under-funded.

That era is now over. Greater focus on national and collective democratic resiliency is urgently needed, as adversaries not only implant malware within national water, energy, data and health systems but also utilize state and non-state actors to wage crippling cyberattacks that could paralyze response capabilities. Economic coercion, weaponized corruption, political infiltration, and disinformation campaigns—all hybrid warfare tactics—are designed to convince public opinion that resistance to the adversary’s actions is futile. Ukraine has served as a laboratory for these Russian-implemented activities for over two decades—but the rest of Europe hasn’t been spared either. In the Indo-Pacific, China is deploying similar economic coercion and influence operations beyond Taiwan.

Countries under threat on different sides of the world can learn powerful lessons from each other. NATO’s Resilience Committee, for example, an advisory body formed in 2022, monitors, advises on, and coordinates defense planning and activities alongside nationally developed disaster preparedness and resilience plans to counter hybrid attacks.

NATO views resilience as a tenet of both territorial and collective defense, as enshrined in Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty which requires each member to “maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.” The Resilience Committee’s work focuses on six pillars: civic communications, civil protection, energy, food and agriculture, health. and transport.

NATO’s resiliency efforts should be more widely shared with U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific. Whole-of-society resilience and lessons learned from the war in Ukraine were leading topics of discussion during a recent visit by the authors to Taiwan (during Typhoon Krathon, no less). Senior officials of the recently inaugurated Lai Ching-te administration, as well as private sector and civil society leaders, stressed the need for more robust national resiliency efforts embodied in Taiwan’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience plan, announced on June 19 with the formation of a national implementing committee.

Holding its first interagency committee meeting in September to implement this plan, Lai underscored the need to “enhance Taiwan’s response capabilities and expand cooperation between the public and private sectors.” The role of the private sector within a resilience framework is key. With an initial investment of approximately $26.4 billion, Taiwan’s five resiliency pillars parallel NATO’s: social welfare and medical supplies; material preparations and critical supply distribution systems; civilian forces training and utilization; energy and critical infrastructure security; and information, cyber, transportation, and financial security. Not only would NATO members and Taiwan mutually benefit from a more focused set of information and best practice-sharing, but as the growing potential for both combined and simultaneous Chinese and Russian hybrid activities in the United States, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific intensifies, it will be critical to understand their evolving tactics.

Vulnerabilities vary, but shared experiences are highly useful—especially in drawing attention to aspects of resilience that one group might have overlooked. During recent discussions, Taiwanese officials seemed particularly focused on building greater resilience of its energy supply and grid, the government’s ability to retain communications with all citizens and the outside world (via resistance to Beijing’s cognitive warfare as well as protection of undersea cables, data, and satellite communications), and citizen preparedness (particularly first aid).

Observers of Russia’s relentless missile and drone attacks against Ukraine’s energy sector for the past two years highlight Taiwan’s energy import vulnerabilities and its need for greater energy resilience as Taipei imports nearly 98 percent of its energy needs (including 40 percent of its crude oil needs, 30 percent of its coal and 19 percent of liquified natural gas). China’s recent Joint Sword-2024B military exercise flexed its military muscles by demonstrating how a limited quarantine or blockade of the island and outlying islands could challenge Taiwan’s energy resilience.

The ability to sustain households and fuel its energy-intensive semiconductor economy is critical to sustaining both political will and economic stability. The private sector, in partnership with the public sector, will play a key role in energy resiliency through activities ranging from resisting cyberattacks to the protection of the energy grid and physical plants.

For the past several years, there has been growing global concern about the vulnerability of undersea cables, whose disruption would have profound implications for global financial and communication systems in both the Euro-Atlantic or Indo-Pacific regions. In response, NATO has recently set up a Maritime Center for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure to better protect these vital economic links. Estonia and Finland faced disruptions after the October 2023 severing of the 48-mile Balticconnector pipeline and undersea cable by a Chinese-owned and Hong Kong-registered cargo vessel in the Baltic Sea which traveled to Russian ports along the Arctic Northern Sea Route.

Although China claimed the incident was an accident caused by a strong storm, Finnish officials declared it a “deliberate external act.” (Restoration of the Baltic connector and undersea cable took six months. One of Taiwan’s outlying island chains, Matsu Islands, has had its undersea cable cut 27 times over the past five years. After a Chinese fishing vessel reportedly severed an undersea cable February 2023, internet linkages took several months to restore. In a limited quarantine scenario, Beijing could sever Taiwan’s communications with these outlying islands, illustrating Taipei’s inability to protect and sustain communications with its citizens. Greater capacity for low-earth-orbiting satellites and use of microwave transmission are also critical to the country’s resiliency and, again, the private sector will play a key role.

An underappreciated element for any national resilience plan is individual citizen preparedness, a lesson that has been learned repeatedly and tragically by the Ukrainian people. According to the head of disaster management at Estonia’s Red Cross, “Ukrainians say that if the population would have known how to use first aid skills, it would have saved many more lives.” From Estonia to Taiwan, citizens are taking a greater interest in learning such life-saving skills, from applying a tourniquet to maintaining the safety of national blood supplies.

While European and Indo-Pacific leaders grapple with combating intensifying Russian and Chinese conventional military and hybrid activities, sustained senior-level engagement with the private sector remains absolutely critical, yet very underdeveloped. As Taipei urgently builds its whole-of-society defense resilience program, it would benefit from creating a high-level private sector advisory council. This would report to Taiwan’s National Security Council to ensure all five working groups are infused with private-sector input and that companies can rapidly implement as well as support the government’s evolving resilience plans.

While individual and multinational firms may have their own cyber and energy resilience plans, protection of vulnerable critical infrastructure would be insufficient in the event of a military intervention. The private sector should engage in regular tabletop exercises with government and civil society leaders to identify gaps and security vulnerabilities, and there should be clear and public timelines to address these shortfalls. Interestingly, the American Chambers of Commerce in Taiwan and Ukraine have, for the first time, exchanged best practices for private-sector resilience—an initiative that should be continued and strengthened by including other important private sector voices from Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and others.

Just as the NATO Resilience Committee was built upon the organization’s existing work on humanitarian and disaster response, government leaders in Taipei could better utilize the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) as a vehicle to share best practices on whole-of-society resilience—particularly in areas vital to Ukraine’s resilience that have been under sustained attack, such as connectivity, data protection, and energy resilience. Full partners to the GCTF—Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States—should prioritize this area alongside partners with rich societal resilience experience, such as the Baltic states, Finland, Poland, and, Sweden. These nations can deepen cooperation by increasing and intensifying co-organized workshops in support of Taiwan’s whole-of-society plan. Here again, the private sector should also be invited to participate in these workshops.

National preparation and resilience planning can mitigate the consequences of both natural disasters and conflict. A strong national and collective resiliency plan can go one step further and deter an adversary. Success requires societal unity, citizen engagement, and a robust role for the private sector that can work seamlessly with all levels of governments. Whole-of-society defense resilience, or what Finland calls “total defense,” is one of the most challenging tasks that a democracy can undertake—precisely why adversaries exploits societal divisions. As the saying goes, “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” For the democratic West, resilience is what happens when whole-of-society preparation counters the adversary’s “opportunity.”

[gwendolynlerman]

Deutschribing Germany

Education

Education in Germany is free and compulsory between ages six and sixteen. States (Länder) are largely responsible for education, with the federal government playing a minor role.

Types of schools

The vast majority of children attend state schools, but there are private schools (Ersatzschulen) as well. The latter have very low tuition fees and are also subsidized by the state, which effectively makes them privately-run schools funded by the state. Some are run by religious groups.

School terms

The school year is divided into two terms (from August to January and from February to July) and starts after the summer break, which differs from state to state but usually finishes in mid/end-August. Children have twelve weeks of vacation in addition to public holidays. Exact dates differ between states, but there are generally six weeks of summer vacation, two around Christmas, two around Easter, and two in the fall during the harvest season, since farmers used to need their children for field work.

Grades

The German grading system is as follows, from highest to lowest: sehr gut (1.0–1.5), gut (1.6–2.5), befriedigend (2.6–3.5), ausreichend (3.6–4.0), and nicht bestanden (4.1–5.0). The minimum to pass is four.

Levels

Preschool (Kindergarten)

Preschool education is neither mandatory nor free. Children between the ages of 2 and 6 attend Kindertagesstätte (Kita, “children’s daycare centers”). Many Kitas follow a certain educational approach, such as Montessori or Reggio Emilia.

Primary education (Primarstufe)

Primary education takes place in Grundschulen and generally lasts four years, from 6 to 10 years old. In Berlin and Brandenburg, it lasts six years.

Students are typically taught art, a foreign language (English or French), general studies (natural and social science), German, math, music, physical education, and religion or ethics.

Secondary education (Sekundarstufe)

Secondary education can take place in any of the following schools:

Gymnasium (grammar school) until grade 12 or 13 (ages 10–11 to 17–18/18–19), with Abitur as exit exam to qualify for university

Realschule (intermediate school) until grade 10 (ages 10–11 to 15–16), with Realschulabschluss

Hauptschule (secondary general school) until grade 9 or 10 (ages 10–11 to 14–15/15–16), with Hauptschulabschluss

Gesamtschule (comprehensive school) until grade 10 or 12/13 (ages 10–11 to 15–16 or 17–18/18–19)

The Gymnasium provides in-depth general education for university studies. Hauptschulen teach basic general education leading to vocational school or university entrance qualification. Realschule offers more extensive education than Hauptschule, leading to a vocational or university entrance qualification. A Gesamtschule combines all the aforementioned schools.

There are about twelve compulsory subjects in every grade: biology, chemistry, civics/social/political studies, up to three foreign languages, geography, German, history, math, music, physical education, physics, religion/ethics, and visual arts.

(F3 means Fremdsprache 3 [third foreign language], which is usually French or Spanish)

In grades 11–12/13, each student majors in two or three subjects (Leistungskurse), in which there are usually five lessons per week. The other subjects (Grundkurse) are usually taught three times a week.

Vocational training (Berufsbildung)

Vocational training lasts between two and three and a half years and can take place in any of the following types of school:

Berufsschule (vocational school): the standard type of vocational school, it prepares students for further vocational education or for a job in a profession. Apprentices attend school twice a week and spend the rest of the week working at a company, so they gain knowledge of theory and practice.

Berufsfachschule: similar to Berufsschule, it is aimed at people who want to study specific subjects, such as nursing or occupational therapy.

Fachoberschule (vocational high school): students who have obtained a Realschulabschluss or Hauptschulabschluss can attend a Fachoberschule, where they will specialize themselves in technology, economy, or administration and management, among other subjects. After completing the program, they can study for a university degree after passing the Abitur.

Berufsoberschule (upper vocational school): those who want to attend one need to have graduated from a Berufsschule. It provides in-depth education and training.

Higher education (Tertiärbereich)

To attend university, students need to pass the Abitur exams, of which at least one is oral. They are tested on four or five subjects, including their two or three Leistungskurse and two or three Grundkurse (German, math, and the first foreign language). All knowledge areas must be covered, including language, literature and the arts; social sciences; math, natural sciences and technology, and sports. Each semester of a subject studied in the final two years of Gymnasium yields up to fifteen points, where advanced courses may count double and final examinations count quadruple.

There are 380 universities in Germany, of which 114 are private. Public universities charge fees of around €150–350 per semester, which often include the cost of public transportation. Tertiary education institutions are classified into Universität or Hochschule. The former term is reserved for those which have the right to confer doctorates, in a similar distinction to universities and colleges in the United States. Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences) are a type of Hochschule that concentrates on applied science and has a more practical profile with a focus on employability.

There are three types of admissions procedures for degree programs:

Free admissions: every applicant who fulfills the requirements is admitted. This is usually the case in programs in which many students quit, such as engineering, mathematics, or physics.

Local admission restrictions: only a limited number of places are available and students are admitting according to numerus clausus, whose criteria vary depending on the institution and the program but generally include the final grade of the Abitur, a weighted grade average that increases the weight of relevant school subjects, interviews, motivation letters, and/or letters of recommendation.

Nationwide admission restrictions: to study dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, or veterinary medicine, there is a nationwide numerus clausus in which applications are handled centrally for all universities.

There are three official university degrees: Bachelor (bachelor’s degree) takes three years to complete, Master (master’s degree) lasts two years, and Doktorat (doctoral degree or PhD) takes between two and five years.

Students can usually choose freely from all courses offered by the university, but all bachelor’s degree programs require a number of particular compulsory courses in the field of the study program.

[warsofasoiaf]

So regarding the Fallout tv series, do you think the NCR is well and truly gone, or can it still survive? Because I always thought there was a story in askinf if the NCR can and will learn from the mistakes from the past, or just repeat the cycle.

In Fallout canon (the games, not the show), by 2 and New Vegas, the NCR is far larger than just Shady Sands and the surrounding environs - they've grown to include Vault City, the LA Boneyard, etc. With the resource crises that New Vegas has been talking about with the NCR, nuking a major capital city could easily cause the NCR to fracture into smaller settlements.

Of course, Shady Sands was nuked, and the show retconned Shady Sands to be in LA so that they could be destroyed in the Boneyard as well, which does not exactly strike me as sound stewardship of the Fallout canon. So the NCR can easily collapse just because the writers say it needs to, rather than expanding the resource crisis. Because research is hard.

The question of whether the NCR can learn from the mistakes of the past is a valid one. Caesar talks about plutocratic corruption of the NCR and despite the fact that he's a slaving expansionist, he's not altogether wrong to say that corruption in the NCR is leading it down the same path that the United States did when its leadership became the Enclave. He's not right either, of course, because Caesar's conception of "civic virtue" is a nation devoted entirely to him that falls apart after his death. More appropriately, the resource crisis that the NCR has is pushing them along the similar path to the Resource Wars of the United States. They're conscripting their younger generation and throwing them into the fire just like the United States did, in order to expand into the Mojave.

This message is muddled. Mr. House says "If you want to see the results of democracy, look out the window," but in practice, the Great War was actually fired by an autocratic world power (China) and the United States had long become an oligarchic deep state under control of the Enclave. Another issue of retcon comes with House being a member of the nefarious Business Council at the end of the TV show, which means that the House of Fallout: New Vegas makes the statement knowing full well it's a transparent lie, because writing coherent settings is hard.

Finally, the downfall of the NCR doesn't happen because of their refusal to learn the lessons of the past, it happens because Hank is big sad Rose left him for Shady Sands. Perfectly fine for the message of the Vault-Tec executive who saw other people as little more that guinea pigs for social experiments to destroy an entire civilization in a fit of pique, but that undermines the message of the NCR pursuing the same relentless jingoism that the United States to have them be destroyed. Because providing a satisfying payoff is hard.

Thanks for the question, Ikac.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[dragonmistressivy]

So guess something i overheard three 9th graders talking about at school today. They were completely dehumanizing a disabled kid in their class behind their back(i really wanted to report them but i barely saw who they were. Also wanted to yell at them for it but had to get to class). The fact there are people are like that is terrifying. Or the girl in my civics class who apparently worships her uncle who was involved in the insurrection on January 6, 2021 and was massively complaining how he got arrested “for doing the right thing”. The whole reason she started talking about that is our civics teacher did a lesson on it today. Also the people in my civics class who were upset that the republican running for governor lost is not a good thing especially since he is not a good person and wants to remove peoples basic human rights(like 1.1 million people voted for him which is terrifying). I am scared. I live in a more liberal state and this is what people feel comfortable just saying out loud without fear of bring in trouble. No wonder my school district is being sued for tons of things involving ignoring racism and bullying and purposely letting it happen to a point where i think someone killed themself(but might be wrong since i need to go double check). This country is hell.

[takami-takami]

Hi! I got a masters in social work (community organization and development). I find myself struggling with this too. Every lesson we had and simulation we ran in my courses had nothing on the experiences I’ve lived and what we are currently seeing in this life. It’s difficult!! BUT I will say that something that comforts me is the fact that we are doing work outside of voting to make strides for everyone’s liberation and comfort. Regardless of how this election turns out, there will still be opportunity for us to be communal and help each other and give us strength to continue to resist together. When it comes to voting, again I’m very torn as well and also pretty lost because that wasn’t ever my focus experience wise or education wise (unfortunate but it is what it is). I think it shows that you have a lot of care and compassion and the best advice I’ve received regarding voting is that it’s not about telling people how to vote, especially in a time where both major candidates seem to be moving towards bringing this country to ruin. But we need to be encouraging people to utilize their right to vote regardless because once we stop or lose that right, THATS the point of no return when it comes to resistance.

Personally, I find it helpful because I’m still doing outside work with communities on an organizational basis and an individual basis. And it’s also helped me understand more about civic duty. My state has multiple congressional seats up for election this year too so I’ll be focusing more on those elections and as for presidential election I’m still figuring it out tbh but practicing the civic duty isn’t just for the sake of choosing the “lesser evil”. It’s because once we stop utilizing our rights, it’s easier to take them away.

But anyway, sorry for long message! Just wanted you to know that you’re not alone in this being hard or scary!

DON'T BE SORRY THIS ASK WAS WARM AND LOVELY yes, you do make some very great points. Wrt focusing more on congressional seats and local elections, that's what I've been trying to do too and it helps.

And you are right about not having to tell people who to vote for, just encouraging to vote. I just wish that I could push those in positions of power to do something to earn those people's vote rather than the other way around.

Hugs. Thank you for doing the work I admire you SO much for your work!!! I am trying so hard to be respectful and not go ‼ and shake you asking for tips on making the world more communal but if you have any tips you want to share pls do!!! Because I do agree that soooo much powerlessness that we feel is BECAUSE we're so separated from each other, disconnected from working to make each other's lives better.

My supervisor also has done work in community organizing and I shake her like a ragdoll in my teeth frequently.

[kookaburra1701]

For Topsy's Skyrim OCs ask game, feel free to also include the opinions of any/all NPCs-Become-OCs and answer four or five you'd like to elaborate on the most!

Ohhhh dealer's choice, eh? Exciting! I will have Olur of Mor Khazgur answer these. [Skyrim OC Asks]

1. Which areas of Skyrim do they find most beautiful and most dangerous?

"Most beautiful is easy - Karthald region in the northern Reach, my home. It has everything you could want - high meadows, mountains, and Mor Khazgur is on the plateau above the Sea of Ghosts. We're far enough away from the main roads that few outsiders bother us, but only a few days' ride from Markarth, which means that traders who know where we are come by often enough. Easy access to the sea means we can always fish and hunt horkers and collect shellfish when game is scarce or crops have failed. We don't have to rely on trade or finding deposits or springs in the mountain tops to get our salt either.

"The place I felt the most danger in was Whiterun. My Legion training cohort was sent there to support several civic projects the jarl was funding. The mountains were so far away, I couldn't see them when inside the city and I would lose my sense of direction. Then out on the tundra in our camp, the sky was so large, there was no place to hide or take cover...it makes you understand just how small one orc alone is."

2. Which cities do they prefer to stay in and why?

"I've never been fully comfortable in cities - too much cut stone between your feet and the ground. There's always too much noise to hear what you need to hear. The city I went to most before I joined the Legion was Jehanna, which I suppose is technically in High Rock. There are a lot of other orcs there, and the clan grandmother came from, Fharun, are nearby. When I mention her name the vendors drop their prices and everyone treats me with a little bit more respect. It's pleasing."

Which cities to they avoid at all costs?

"I will never go to Riften again, if I can help it. The weather was nice, but the smell! My uniform reeked of fish and honey for weeks!"

3. What are their religious affiliations, and how does their worship (or lack thereof) affect their day-to-day life?

"I follow the Code of Malacath, like all orcs should. My grandmother taught Borgakh and I prayers to say to Malacath, and she is the one who reads the omens to determine his will. Because I can write so well, one of my duties is to maintain Mor Khazgur's Ledger of Grievances, to ensure we do not ever forget any wrongs done to us, and extract the appropriate Blood-Price. I hope to some day lead Mor Khazgur myself as Chieftain, and to do that I must never forget that above all else Malacath demands strength.

"Grandmother likes to tell stories of the folly of the orcs that want to become elves again, and worship Trinimac. I'm not sure if I believe her that Malacath himself punishes them, but it seems like a waste of time to try and go back to whatever our people were thousands of years ago. I like what we are now. Dwelling on the past is useless, and takes away from strengthening oneself for the future.

"When I was in the Legion, they gave us all amulets of Stendarr and one of the priests always said blessings of Stendarr over us. I wore it because it was expected, and if you went to weekly services at the temple you didn't have to do whatever scut-work the training officers would give you. Sometimes on holidays there would be food that was much better than what they gave us in the barracks. I hope Malacath had a good laugh at me eating all of Stendarr's sweetrolls after sleeping through his priest's sermon."

5. Would they be able to live off the land if they were lost in the wilds of Skyrim? How skilled are they at foraging and hunting?

"The day I can't make my way through any forest in Skyrim and find my way home by the sun and stars is the day they're putting me in my forge."

14. Who is their mentor? Who do they go to most for lessons?

"My grandmother, Sharamph, is the Wise Woman of Mor Khazgur. She's the one who taught me everything I need to know about following the Code of Malacath. When anyone in the stronghold needs advice on the Code, or what Malacath would have them do, they go to her.

"I used to think that everything I needed to know would be covered under the Code, but in the Legion I found that wasn't the case. Horsemaster Arvid, Marshal of the Legion's stables in Solitude, has probably forgotten more about caring for horses and mules than I will ever know. I'm glad I was able to work as a farrier under him. What he taught me has served our stronghold's beasts well."

19. How are they with money? Do they hoard, or do they spend until their pockets are empty and they have to find work again? Have they saved for any houses?

"I don't have much use for money of my own here in Mor Khazgur. When I was in the Legion, I learned about how to keep accounts for things larger than a single stronghold, but I sent most of my wages back to Mor Khazgur. If I ever leave, I have the right to take some of what I contributed with me, but I don't plan to. My skills will keep me clothed and fed, and I can always re-enlist - I would rather my coin stay for the benefit of my sister and the rest of the stronghold."

[hilarychuff]

All the Best People See You (All the Best People Know), Chapter 7

hello it's finally time for another installment in my pre-season 4 robin/chrissy inadvertant desert hearts movie date au!!! exciting!!

“You should’ve seen the way she looked at me,” Robin sighs, slumping back against the counter for support. “I swear, for just a moment there…”

read it on ao3 here

Robin steps up next to Chrissy’s locker right as the bell rings for fourth period.

“Hey! So I wasn’t sure where you’d want to go, but I remembered you said that you don’t like to eat in the cafeteria because it gets too loud, so I was thinking maybe the bleachers outside, but then I wasn’t sure if the gym classes might bother you? I also know there’s a band room open now if you’d rather go there, but the class right next door is jazz ensemble this period actually, and even though it’s not really that loud with all the insulation, the horns can still be kind of a lot — and trust me, that’s coming from a trumpet player myself — so then I kind of felt like maybe that would not really be ideal either? But I couldn’t think of any other, uh — I can keep brainstorming, though! I’m sure there’s a good spot somewhere that’s private — or, uh, quiet or…”

It’s the start of early lunch, and Robin’s been trying to come up with good spots to eat for the last four hours at least. By the time second period rolled around, she thought she’d settled on two good options, and her plan had been to fill Chrissy in on the walk to Civics. Unfortunately, when she went to find Chrissy at her locker, Jason Carver was already there.

Robin had watched from down the hall as Chrissy’s boyfriend wrapped her up in his letterman jacket, then slung his arm around her shoulders. He’d led Chrissy away from the lockers and down the hall, and Robin had followed from a distance like an idiot, unable to look away even though the sight of them made her feel slightly sick. They were like something out of a magazine, some nostalgic ‘50s Coke commercial, and she’d tailed them right up until the moment that Carver dropped Chrissy off at her classroom door.

Only then had Robin stopped, half pretending like maybe she needed a drink from the water fountain across the way. She’d watched while Jason disappeared into his own class, waited while more students filtered through the hall, stalled practically until the bell rang to start the period. Only at that last moment had she finally ducked in to find her own seat, slipping into the room right as Mr. Strickland started the lesson.

He’d talked all the way through the next hour without leaving a single second for interruption. Even if she wanted, Robin wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgewise. Instead, she’d just spent the entire period staring at Chrissy’s back. Staring at Jason’s letterman jacket.

When the bell rang again, it was Chrissy that turned around in her seat.

“Meet me at my locker for lunch?”

She didn’t bother to mention where her locker was. Maybe she just assumed Robin knew. Maybe she assumed everyone knew, and maybe everyone does. Chrissy is practically a celebrity at Hawkins High, after all. Maybe her locker location is just common knowledge, the same way everyone knows her name, that she’s head cheerleader, that she’s dating Jason Carver.

Robin hadn’t asked her to explain, though. Chrissy was right. Robin didn’t need her to. She’d just nodded dumbly without saying a word. Watched Jason tuck Chrissy under his arm when he met her at the door. Walked behind the two of them all the way back down the hall. She proceeded to spend the entirety of band missing cues and hitting wrong notes while her broken brain bounced between conjuring up images of Hawkins High’s blondest couple and spontaneously generating reasons why all her possible lunch locations were worse than rancid garbage.

Chrissy snaps her back to reality.

keep reading

[beepbeepmfkr]

Roe was stricken down because during TRUMP'S term he packed the courts with conservatives. Biden had no ability to fight it because Congress and the Senate was also packed with conservatives.

I need you to think back to basic government and civics lessons, okay?

Checks and balances & separation of powers. Remember?

Biden could not maneuver the way we wanted him to because he was a centrist surrounded by conservative courts, Congress, and the Senate.

This election seats in Congress and the Senate are up for re election. Not only that, Biden has posed a potential overhaul to the supreme court and the judicial system in order to combat the widespread corruption within that section of our government. Which means we have a chance to change out the people in Congress and the Senate and put in people who will be more favorable to the change Biden wants to make.

If we do not vote, we will have a conservative president in office surrounded by a conservative Congress, Senate, and supreme court.

Which means way worse things than roe v Wade being struck down (if you can fathom it)

I am begging y'all to learn how the system works before you complain about a candidate who is still miles better than the alternative. I would take a dirty dish rag in office over Trump. Truthfully. Because if we allow him back in office surrounded by the conservatives he packed there during his last term, we will slip closer into fascism.

Educate yourself before saying it's hopeless and you don't see the need to act. Educate yourself. Please. The mindset you have in your reblog shows that you don't understand how the system works and if you continue to act like this and continue to sit in this mindset, the bigots will win.

[chefturnedtrainer]

A Birthday Reflection: When Celebrations Feel Hollow

Birthdays are supposed to be a time of joy, a day to reflect on another year lived, and ideally, feel celebrated by the people around you. But this year, my birthday was anything but joyful. It was bland, uneventful, and—if I’m being honest—disappointing. I spent half the day working remotely, and after lunch, I made the decision to go offline to spend time with my wife and daughter. Despite this, the weight of the day hung heavily over me.

In an age where we’ve become conditioned to social media validation, I couldn’t help but notice the silence. I received fewer than 50 greetings on Facebook, most of them from acquaintances or distant relatives. Two were from coworkers, and two others from my siblings. A couple of phone calls came in, but they were from distant family members. The absence that hit hardest, though, was the lack of any acknowledgment from my parents or my sister who works abroad. Not a single message or call from them on my birthday.

It stung, but not in the way it used to. It was more a dull ache than a sharp pain, and that’s what concerned me the most. The truth is, I’ve been distant from my family for years, starting around 2015 when I began being left out of family gatherings. Each time I expressed hurt or tried to distance myself, I was branded as uncaring. The irony was that during times of financial crisis in the household—when my parents struggled to pay for electricity, food, or other basic needs—I stepped in to take care of it, no questions asked. I didn’t do it for recognition, but deep down, I wanted to be acknowledged for helping out. Unfortunately, my efforts were never seen or appreciated.

My father, in particular, has become a sore point in my life. He often compares me to my sister, who sends a significant amount of money every month to support their lifestyle. "Kulang kulang hapmilyun," he says, referring to the half a million she sends regularly. Meanwhile, I am constantly reminded of how little I contribute in comparison. It's hard not to internalize that, no matter how much I’ve done or continue to do.

The lies and broken promises only add to the strain. Earlier this year, he told me he couldn't send the house budget, so I covered it for the time being. He promised to repay me, but the money never came. I even bought a second-hand car, under the impression that repairs and a repaint would be covered by a mechanic he recommended. Turns out, there was no such agreement. To top it all off, the car I actually wanted—an old white Honda Civic that I’d driven for years—wasn't even an option. He refused to sell it to me, preferring to give it to a relative or scrap it entirely rather than let me buy it. Why? I still don’t know.

In just a few short months, my relationship with my parents has deteriorated. I’ve stopped pretending, stopped forcing smiles or pleasantries for the sake of peace. It’s a strange dynamic—being financially supportive of people who refuse to acknowledge your efforts or even treat you with basic respect. I’m still living at the family home, mainly because I haven’t finalized paperwork to get my own place. But I worry about what this environment will teach my daughter. Will she grow up thinking that this animosity is normal? Will she believe that this strained relationship with her grandparents is just the way things are?

This birthday wasn’t just a reminder of getting older; it was a stark reflection of how much has changed. A year that should have been filled with celebration felt hollow, not because of the lack of a party or grand gestures, but because the relationships I once relied on have frayed beyond recognition.

Maybe the lesson here is that not every birthday is meant to be celebrated. Sometimes, it’s just another day. But I hope as I move forward, that I can create a new kind of celebration—one rooted in the love and support of my wife and daughter, and not dependent on the validation I once sought from my parents or social media.

[laurensteachingblog]

Media Literacy in the Digital Age- Skills and Civic Engagement

The article “Media Literacy for Students in a Digital Age” by Faith Rogow makes a case for the importance of digital media literacy for students growing up in an age characterized by online information overload. One of the author’s main arguments is that media literacy training for students in the public school system must be ongoing, comprehensive, and encompass more than one educator, to ensure that students are as best prepared to critically navigate digital media as possible.

Rogow states that a lesson, activity, project, curriculum, or initiative is likely to meet the goals of media literacy education if it:

-goes beyond merely using media to teach; media are used to help students acquire new or improved critical thinking skills. 

-teaches students to ask their own questions about media messages rather than just responding to questions that the teacher asks.  

-teaches students to ask questions of all media (not just the things that they find suspicious or objectionable, and not just screen or digital media but also printed media like books or posters).  

-includes media representing diverse points of view (e.g., does not reduce complex debates to only two sides and/or actively seeks alternative media sources).  

-encourages students to seek multiple sources of information and helps them learn to determine which sources are most appropriate or reliable for any given task.  

-requires students to justify opinions or interpretations with specific, document-based evidence.  

-seeks rich readings of texts, rather than asking people to arrive at a predetermined “true” or “correct” meaning.  

-does not replace the investigative process with declarations about what a teacher or a cultural critic believes to be true.  

-incorporates an examination of how media structures (e.g., ownership, sponsorship, or distribution) influence how people make meaning of media messages.  

-teaches students to ask questions when they are making (not just analyzing) media, helping them to notice and evaluate their choices, and also to understand that their social media posts are media.  

This is a great list to refer to as a teacher candidate; as evident by my last blog post, I have many concerns about the potential effects of poor media literacy. Digital media literacy extends so far beyond its applicability in the classroom. If students are taught, practice, and use their learned digital media skills, they can engage with digital media more critically and safely.

The article extends this point by connecting media literacy to civic engagement: “if a central purpose of schooling is to prepare future generations to exercise their civic responsibilities, then educators must encourage students to investigate rather than doubt media sources. They go from being consumers to interrogators of news and information.”

The author highlights the importance of specific strategies of media literacy education. These strategies “are designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge, habits, and dispositions necessary to become the lifelong learners, critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, and engaged, ethical community members and citizens needed to sustain a vibrant democracy in a digital world.” This is so important- I love the point about media literacy being important for creating lifelong learners.

Furthermore, Rogow states that “media literacy students are given opportunities to hear diverse, evidence-based views. Freed from the need to convince others that there is only one right answer (and it must be theirs), students learn to engage in dialogue for the purpose of learning rather than winning. In the process, they learn about the lesson’s subject matter and about one another. Speaking things out loud can lead to surprising and powerful insights.” This ability to value learning higher than being “right” or “winning” a conversation is so important for building lifelong skills in communication, critical thinking, and interpersonal interactions.

Rogow additionally asserts that media literacy “can also build community and lay a strong foundation for civic engagement. That’s because, rather than uniform agreement, media literacy uses the process of logic and evidence-based inquiry as the group’s common ground. So media literacy discussions provide excellent practice for living in a nation that values pluralism.” This is also great for fostering lifelong learning and communication skills in students- it helps students to see that there are many perspectives to issues and topics often portrayed as black and white online.

Lastly, Rogow states that “media literacy skills involve an understanding that all media are constructed (that is, media messages are always the product of human choices), and demonstrate an understanding of how and why those choices are made. These are foundational, essential skills needed to navigate life in a digital world so that we can participate effectively as a citizen in a healthy democracy. They are not the only skills, just the starting point.” I felt that this point specifically relates to the ISTE standards and helped me form a connection between my understanding of media literacy and the outcomes outlined in the ISTE standards.

[easchool]

Environmental Education Beyond the Classroom: Nature-Based Learning Initiatives

Introduction:

As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, the importance of educating the next generation about sustainability and environmental stewardship cannot be overstated. At Excelsior American School, the Best Cambridge School in Gurgaon where traditional classroom instruction plays a crucial role in this education, there is a growing recognition of the value of nature-based learning initiatives that take students beyond the classroom and into the natural world. This article explores the significance of environmental education beyond the classroom and highlights the innovative nature-based learning initiatives being implemented in schools.

The Importance of Environmental Education

Environmental education is essential for fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship in young people. By teaching students about the natural world and the impact of human activities on the environment, educators can equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions and take action to protect the planet. Key benefits of environmental education include:

Promoting Sustainability: Environmental education encourages students to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives, such as reducing waste, conserving water, and using energy more efficiently. These practices contribute to a more sustainable future.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills: Understanding complex environmental issues requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Environmental education challenges students to analyze information, consider multiple perspectives, and develop solutions to real-world problems.

Fostering a Connection to Nature: Spending time in nature has been shown to have numerous benefits for mental and physical health. Environmental education helps students develop a deeper connection to the natural world, which can inspire a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.

Encouraging Civic Engagement: By learning about environmental issues and their impact on communities, students are more likely to become active citizens who advocate for policies and practices that protect the environment.

Enhancing Academic Achievement: Studies have shown that environmental education can improve academic performance in subjects such as science, mathematics, and language arts. Nature-based learning experiences provide hands-on opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world situations.

Nature-Based Learning: Extending Education Beyond the Classroom

Nature-based learning takes environmental education to the next level by immersing students in the natural environment. This approach goes beyond traditional classroom instruction to provide experiential learning opportunities that engage students’ senses, spark curiosity, and foster a deeper understanding of ecological concepts. Nature-based learning initiatives can take many forms, including outdoor classrooms, school gardens, field trips, and community projects.

Outdoor Classrooms: Bringing Learning to Life

Outdoor classrooms are spaces where students can engage in hands-on learning in a natural setting. These spaces are designed to support a wide range of subjects, from science and mathematics to art and literature, by providing real-world contexts for learning. The benefits of outdoor classrooms include:

Hands-On Learning: Outdoor classrooms allow students to interact directly with the natural environment, whether through planting and tending a garden, observing wildlife, or conducting experiments. This hands-on approach helps students retain information and develop a deeper understanding of ecological principles.

Interdisciplinary Learning: Nature-based learning is inherently interdisciplinary, as it often involves the integration of multiple subjects. For example, a lesson on plant biology in an outdoor classroom might also incorporate mathematics (measuring plant growth), art (sketching plants), and language arts (writing observations).

Physical and Mental Health Benefits: Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and increase physical activity. Outdoor classrooms provide students with a healthy, stimulating environment that supports both their academic and personal well-being.

Cultivating a Sense of Place: Learning in an outdoor classroom helps students develop a sense of connection to their local environment. This connection fosters a sense of responsibility for protecting the natural world and encourages students to become active stewards of their community’s natural resources.

School Gardens: Growing Knowledge and Stewardship

School gardens are another powerful tool for nature-based learning. These gardens provide students with the opportunity to learn about ecosystems, food production, and sustainability through hands-on experiences. The benefits of school gardens include:

Understanding Food Systems: School gardens teach students about the origins of their food and the processes involved in growing it. By participating in planting, tending, and harvesting crops, students gain a deeper understanding of food systems and the importance of sustainable agriculture.

Promoting Healthy Eating Habits: Studies have shown that students who participate in school gardening programs are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and have a greater appreciation for fresh, healthy food. Gardening also provides an opportunity to teach students about the nutritional benefits of different foods.

Encouraging Collaboration and Teamwork: School gardens often require collaboration among students, teachers, and community members. This collaborative effort fosters teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills as students work together to plan, plant, and maintain the garden.

Connecting to Environmental Stewardship: Through their work in the garden, students learn about the importance of caring for the environment. They develop an understanding of how their actions impact the natural world and are empowered to take steps to protect it.

Field Trips: Experiencing the Environment Firsthand

Field trips are a classic form of nature-based learning that allows students to experience the environment firsthand. These excursions provide opportunities for students to explore natural areas, observe wildlife, and learn about environmental conservation in real-world settings. The benefits of field trips include:

Real-World Applications: Field trips provide students with the opportunity to see the concepts they’ve learned in the classroom applied in real-world settings. For example, a visit to a local nature reserve might reinforce lessons on ecosystems, biodiversity, and conservation.

Engaging All Senses: Field trips engage students’ senses in ways that classroom learning cannot. The sights, sounds, and smells of a natural environment create a multi-sensory learning experience that deepens students’ understanding and retention of information.

Building Environmental Awareness: By exploring natural areas and learning about conservation efforts, students develop a greater awareness of environmental issues and the importance of protecting natural resources. Field trips can inspire students to become advocates for the environment in their own communities.

Creating Lasting Memories: The experiences students have on field trips often leave a lasting impression. These memories can reinforce the lessons learned and inspire a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

Community Projects: Engaging Students in Environmental Action

Community-based environmental projects provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges. These projects often involve collaboration with local organizations, government agencies, and community members to address environmental issues in the community. The benefits of community projects include:

Active Learning: Community projects involve active, hands-on learning that challenges students to think critically and solve problems. Whether it’s restoring a local habitat, conducting a waste audit, or organizing a recycling program, these projects require students to apply their classroom learning in meaningful ways.

Civic Engagement: By participating in community projects, students develop a sense of civic responsibility and learn the value of contributing to the greater good. They see firsthand how their actions can make a positive impact on their community and the environment.

Building Partnerships: Community projects often involve partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies. These partnerships provide students with valuable learning opportunities and help them build connections with community leaders and environmental professionals.

Empowering Students: Community projects empower students to take action on environmental issues that matter to them. By working on projects that have real-world impact, students gain confidence in their ability to make a difference and are inspired to continue their environmental advocacy.

Integrating Technology in Nature-Based Learning

Technology can be a valuable tool in enhancing nature-based learning experiences. While the focus is on getting students outdoors and engaged with the natural world, technology can provide additional resources and opportunities for exploration. Some ways to integrate technology into nature-based learning include:

Citizen Science Projects: Students can participate in citizen science projects that involve collecting data for real-world scientific research. Using apps and online platforms, students can contribute observations of wildlife, water quality, or weather patterns, helping scientists gather valuable data while learning about scientific methods.

Virtual Field Trips: When physical field trips aren’t possible, virtual field trips offer an alternative way to explore natural environments. Students can take virtual tours of national parks, wildlife reserves, or environmental research stations, gaining exposure to different ecosystems and conservation efforts.

Digital Nature Journals: Digital nature journals allow students to document their observations and reflections during outdoor learning experiences. Using tablets or smartphones, students can record photos, videos, and notes, creating a personalized record of their nature-based learning journey.

Environmental Monitoring Tools: Technology such as sensors and drones can be used to monitor environmental conditions and collect data on ecosystems. Students can use these tools to conduct experiments, track changes in their local environment, and analyze the impact of human activities on natural habitats.

Challenges and Solutions in Nature-Based Learning

While nature-based learning offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges that schools must address to ensure successful implementation. Some common challenges include:

Access to Natural Spaces: Not all schools have easy access to natural areas for outdoor learning. To overcome this challenge, schools can partner with local parks, nature centers, or community organizations to provide students with access to natural spaces.

Funding and Resources: Implementing nature-based learning initiatives can require significant resources, including funding for outdoor classrooms, gardens, and field trips. Schools can seek grants, fundraise, or partner with local businesses and organizations to secure the necessary resources.

Safety Concerns: Ensuring the safety of students during outdoor learning activities is a top priority. Schools can address safety concerns by providing appropriate supervision, conducting risk assessments, and educating students on outdoor safety practices.

Weather and Seasonal Challenges: Weather and seasonal changes can impact the feasibility of outdoor learning activities. Schools can plan for alternative indoor activities or adapt their outdoor learning schedule to accommodate different weather conditions.

The Future of Environmental Education

As the importance of environmental education continues to grow, the future will likely see an expansion of nature-based learning initiatives in schools. Trends that may shape the future of environmental education include:

Increased Emphasis on Sustainability: Schools may place greater emphasis on sustainability in all aspects of education, from curriculum design to campus operations. This could include integrating sustainability into all subjects, promoting sustainable practices on campus, and involving students in sustainability initiatives.

Greater Use of Technology: As technology continues to advance, schools may increasingly use digital tools to enhance nature-based learning experiences. This could include more sophisticated environmental monitoring tools, virtual reality experiences, and online platforms for citizen science projects.

Expansion of Outdoor Learning Spaces: Schools may invest in expanding outdoor learning spaces, such as gardens, outdoor classrooms, and natural play areas. These spaces will provide students with more opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning in a natural setting.

Global Collaboration: Environmental education may increasingly involve global collaboration, with schools partnering with institutions and organizations around the world to share resources, conduct research, and address global environmental challenges.

Conclusion

At Excelsior American School, the Top Cambridge Schools in Gurgaon where environmental education beyond the classroom is essential for fostering a deeper understanding of the natural world and empowering students to take action to protect the environment. Nature-based learning initiatives, such as outdoor classrooms, school gardens, field trips, and community projects, provide students with valuable hands-on experiences that enhance their academic learning and promote environmental stewardship. As schools continue to innovate and expand these initiatives, they will play a crucial role in preparing the next generation to navigate and address the environmental challenges of the future.