Students' Truth

About a week ago, I expressed the idea of having my students dig into the idea of Truth.

I asked them, "What is Truth?"

At first, most of my students jumped to expected answers like honesty, what is true, no false, etc.

Then...Silence.

They realized this question was so much deeper than they were thinking.

In one of my class, a sweet, smart girls said, "WAIT!"

"I think it makes sense to me.  We all have our own truth.  We have beliefs that we hold onto and when others try to tell us differently, we debate and argue.  Like religion.  We have a belief and we are led to believe that it is our truth.  But others, they have their own truth based on other religions.  Our truth is a collection of all of the things that we learn and end up believing to be truth.  It is so much deeper than what is simply true."

Other students were finding their definitions while she was explaining hers. 

They all ended up agreeing that they make their own truths.  That it is their job to prove or disprove their truths and others' truths to figure out their world, and what they believe in.

Needless to say, I was proud of my student that I had last year and now, have again for a year.

As they started thinking (on their own) about examples, the idea of truths and stereotypes came up along with the idea of racism.

This happens to be where we will be going on Friday.

I love challenging students to dig deep into what they don't think that they understand, but they find that they are more intelligent than they know.

That awareness is mindful.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites