I've always been more for 'progressive' thought, while it may not be truely liberal, I suppose
in a way, it is. I find it to be that change is good, but holding back some traditions can be
all right too, it's about where you're going with your ideas, rather than if they are 'radical'
or 'conservative' in their ideals.
Opinion wise, keep kids thinking, but don't force anything on them; people
usually don't change their views right away, but after a while, they may come around (I
know I do all the time, but only AFTER I'm done arguing the hell out of my wrong point.)
I've always found that my best teachers have been ones who do not just teach the
facts, and who do not just teach ideas, but a mix of both. You find that teaching your
kids this way will most likely make it click subconsciously that their ideas need to be based
on facts. And even in stuff like Geography, that you're teaching, give them 100 facts, put
50 on the test (this is a strange and quickly thought out metaphor.) Give them as much
info as they can handle, and see if they remember bits and pieces of it, rather than
everything you've ever told them.
I also feel that students should know the subject, I've been in too many classes where
we get a bazillion chapter book, and maybe cover 5 chapters. Sure, while you don't ever
have to go strictly from the book, figure out what it encompasses, and try to pass off
the information one way or another. I also figure terms are good, but never really
necessary. It doesn't matter if a city is city-manager or some other system, what matters
is what is actually going on in those systems, how they relate, and whatnot.
Structure and underlying principals of ideas/facts are usually correct, it's how you build on
them later, what you can do to change them, that I think is important.
If any of this makes sense, I hope it helps! Maybe I shouldn't start writing stuff like this
15 minutes before I have to go to class... *shrugs*
