What a historic day in history we experienced over here in London! Driving around the city and watching it all unravel firsthand was incredibly fascinating. This experience reminded us of the significant importance we have as citizens in our countries. As citizens it is our job to stay up to date on current events and also keep ourselves informed on the happenings of the world. If we are aware and educated on these various topics we are better prepared to help guide our students down the same path. We are also more likely to take part and use our voice as an agent of change when it comes time. Setting children up to understand the government in some capacity will help to guide them to become global citizens later in life. We want our students to become informed, educated, and loyal voters so therefore we must show them and talk to them about situations like this one that we saw so that they can begin to understand the impacts.
It was clear that many of the people we chatted with were unhappy about the decision but they did not use it as an excuse to talk angrily but rather they began discussing possible solutions and hopeful insight. This was a refreshing reminder to take action!
It has been interesting talking with the locals about the Brexit. What has been neat is that my students who do current event speeches have been been tweeting me about the reaction here. I have been happy to be able to communicate with my students as I am here and give them an update as to what is going on. This is what education should be, talking with kids about the world they liven and make them aware of people views from all over the world. The more we know about each other the better chance we all can get along.
ReplyDeleteI like that you pointed out that even though some people we encountered were unhappy about the vote they did not use it as a reason to talk badly about their government. My family was very interested in how things were going over here and the reactions of the citizens. I witnessed it from the same viewpoint you did and my answer was that they were very "civilized" when vocalizing their opinions. I think that we have become accustomed to disrespect being synonymous with individuality in the US.
ReplyDeleteThe more opportunities I have to travel, the more I feel our country is "out of the loop," generally speaking, regarding current events. I'm always so impressed by cultures who are proud of their history, and aware of the present state of their communities. It had to be an amazing experience for you to speak with citizens at such a pivotal time!
ReplyDeleteAfter talking with many locals and my family that is British, many of them do feel desperately unhappy with the decision of their fellow citizens. They feel disappointed and embarrassed that this was a decision based on fear and nationalism, rather than on educated opinions. It is easy to compare how those who voted to stay have similar feelings as Americans who do not support Trump.
ReplyDeleteAfter talking with many locals and my family that is British, many of them do feel desperately unhappy with the decision of their fellow citizens. They feel disappointed and embarrassed that this was a decision based on fear and nationalism, rather than on educated opinions. It is easy to compare how those who voted to stay have similar feelings as Americans who do not support Trump.
ReplyDeleteWe were in a special area to really see the effects of this vote on the people. London is a melting pot of cultures, languages, and religions. So being able to talk to the locals during this time was very interesting. Some we talked to called it a "Black Day in London". Some weren't sure if they are going to continue living there if they are not welcomed or wanted. It will be tough for awhile since no one really knows what is going to happen next.
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