Mrs.Yeonjai Rah resumed an in-person writing camp during Dec 19 to 23. Middle school students explored, discussed, integrated into their essays the following topics.
Day 1:Is it better to wear a school uniform or not?
What are advantages and disadvantages to wear a school uniform for teens?
Write a five paragraph persuasive essay about this. Take a position and give three reasons to support your opinion.
Day 2: Refugees are people who are forced to flee their home for political or religious reasons. Let's suppose you are a board member of the fictional "BICA Youth Refugee Foundation". This foundation has $1,000,000 for refugee children. Choose one area the foundation should allocate the money. Explain why the area you chose is important. You should persuade other board members.
Day 3: [ Appeal Letter] - After watching Movie "The Daughter of War, Ayla" Let's suppose you are Mr. Suleman or a friend of Suleman in the movie. You are going to write an appeal letter to the Minister of Defense of Turkey because his commander made a decision that Ayla should be sent to an orphanage. But Suleman hopes to bring Ayla to Turkey. In the letter, you need to explain what occurred. The end goal of an appeal letter is to make a decision overturned. Explain the context behind the events that occurred. Remember that in order to write an effective appeal letter, you need to show supporting evidence and the benefits when the decision is overturned. Describe why the decision is unfair or unjust, and outline your desired outcome. State the outcome you want and the date you expect it by.
Day 4: Today is the era of artificial intelligence. Our daily activities are loaded with these AI techniques. AI became a game changer in a number of areas. The field of education is also seeking the benefits of AI. The AI supporters say that it can help free up teacher’s time by automating tasks, analyzing student performance, and closing the educational gap. Students can get quick responses, 24/7 access to learning, and personalized programs especially for students with special needs. Despite these benefits, there are clear concerns. AI might threaten privacy and democracy due to digital surveillance and Big Data. If you are in a leadership position at a school district, will you actively introduce AI for your students? Take a position on this decision and convince others to agree with you.
Day 5: In 2012 when then CEO of Chick-Fil-A , Dan Cathy, said on a radio show that “We’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage. And I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude that thinks we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is all about.” The CEO also donated large amounts of money to Christian charities such as Salvation Army and FCA (Fellowship Christian Athletes) that support biblical marriage. He has received criticism and his company hit hot water with the LGBT community. Chick-fil-A relentlessly was tagged as an “anti-LGBTQ” company. Even though neither his company is accused of illegal discrimination against its customers and employees based on sexual orientation, many politicians tried to ban Chick Fil A restaurants. For example, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said that he would deny Chick-fil-A’s application for permits to open restaurants in the city. Chicago Mayor Raham Emanuel said, “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago’s values.” In 2019 San Antonio city council denied Chick-Fil-A's request to open a location at the airport. Now if you are a member of the Board of Chick-Fil-A, will you vote to keep donating to the Christian charities that support biblical marriage? Or do you want to keep the company away from the controversial issue? Take your position and provide reasons. Take your position and provide reasons. (* It is totally ok for you not to agree with Dan Cathy’s view on marriage while writing this essay. As a teacher and an essay evaluator, I will focus on only the logic to persuade the reader.)
------------------------------------ 교사의 후기: 지난 주 5일동안 인텐시브 에세이 롸이팅 캠프를 중학생 대상으로 실시했다. 보통 한학기에 끝내는 코스를 5일동안 9시30분부터 1시까지 했지만 인펄슨 수업인지라 집중도와 효과는 만족한다.
Track2코스에서는 시사문제 국제 이슈등을 다루는데, AI를 교육에 도입, 국제난민을 도울때 우선순위, 유엔참전군의 영화 아일라를 보고 고아 아일라를 터키로 이송하기 위한 상상 청원서 쓰기,그리고 마지막으로 이번 처음 시도한 칙필레와 LGBTQ 사람들과의 갈등에 관한 것도 다루었다. 마지막 이슈는 나도 참 조심스러워서 prompt를 쓰고 관련 자료를 찾고 고치는데 몇시간의 공을 들였다. 성경적 결혼관을 가르치고자 하는 부모들과, 학교에서는 인권의 문제로 다루기에 혼란을 겪을수 밖에 없는 우리 아이들이 이 문제를 한번은 생각이라도 해볼 기회를 주고 싶었다.
아이들이 나와 생각이 다르더라도 정죄감 없는 안전한 분위기가 조성하는 게 쉽지 않다. 이미 공립학교에서 노출된 환경, 그것이 쿨(coool)하고 의로운 것이라고 배우는 아이들에게 성경이 말하는 것을 그대로 받아들이라것은 어려운 일이다. 특히 보수적 신앙관을 가진 많은 한인 부모들을 가진 아이들이 갖는 그 "부대낌"을 알기에, 나도 맘이 아프다. 이런 주제를 주는 것은 그들 나름 생각하고 소화하는 것에는 시간이 많이 걸릴 것이다. 그러나 그들이 불편해 한다고 크리스챤 부모가 교사가 계속 침묵한다면, 그것도 바른 길은 아닌 것 같다. 나도 이건 어렵다. 그런데 글쓰기 가르치는 10년 만에 나도 조심스레 한발을 딛어 보았다.
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칙필레 (미국 닭고기 햄버거 체인)는 크리스챤 기업으로, 주식상장없이 사적기업이다. 성경적 결혼관에 공개지지하는 샐베이션아미(salvation army)등 몇몇 기독교 채러티에 많은 도네이션을 했다는 이유로 LGBTQ사람들의 공개적 비난을 받고, 리버럴한 도시들 (시카고 보스턴 등등)에서는 퇴출되기도 하였다. 에세이의 주제는 다음과 같았다 "너가 칙필레 CEO 간부 이사진이라면, 이 도네이션을 계속 하는 것에 찬성하겠는가 반대하겠는가" 이글을 쓰기 위해서 아이들은 CEO 기업 이념과 그 갈등 상황, 매출등을 다룬 다큐멘타리를 시청하며 필기하고 신문기사도 찾아 보았다. (학생들에게 칙필레가 도네이션을 중단하기 결정했다는 사실은 의도적으로 말해주지는 않았다. )
나는 이 주제를 나누면서 학생들에게 거듭 "너희가 LGBT를 지지해도 좋다. 나와 생각이 다르더라도 괜찮으니, 어느 입장이든지 결정하라"고 당부해 주었다. 의견은 반반으로 갈렸다. 채점도 물론 입장에 관계없이 논리력과 구성력으로 평가하였다.
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내가 작성한 Prompts는 다음과 같다.
Prompt By Yeonjai Rah
President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law on December 13, 2022. This law mandates federal recognition for same-sex marriages. The president had a signing ceremony supported by thousands of supporters. The president said, “My fellow Americans, the road to this moment has been long, but those who believe in equality and justice, you never gave up.” In the United States, same sex marriage is openly supported by the government authority, many school teachers, TV commercials, and media.
The people who hold fast to a biblical view of marriage are often depicted as being ignorant or uncivilized, not supporting ‘equality and justice.’ The peer pressure is severe too. If they say that same-sex marriage is wrong before God’s eyes at school or workplaces, they would be criticized severely or even bullied. They may lose chances to receive scholarship or job offers. The social atmosphere recognizes the right the LGBTQ community claims but it denies the same right against the people who have a biblical view.
Here is one example of the conflict between the LGBTQ community and a Christian company.
In 2012 when then CEO of Chick-Fil-A , Dan Cathy, said on a radio show that “We’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage. And I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude that thinks we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is all about.” Because of this comment, he received criticism and his company hit hot water with the LGBT community. Chick-fil-A relentlessly was tagged as an “anti-LGBTQ” company. Even though neither Dan Cathy nor his company is accused of illegal discrimination against its customers and employees based on sexual orientation, his expression of his religious value in public brought lots of disadvantages. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said that he would deny Chick-fil-A’s application for permits to open restaurants in the city. Chicago Mayor Raham Emanuel said, “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago’s values.” In 2019 San Antonio city council denied Chick-Fil-A's request to open a location at the airport due to the company’s donation to Christian groups that support traditional marriage.
Now if you are a member of the Board of Chick-Fil-A, will you vote to keep donating to the Christian charities that support biblical marriage? Or do you want to keep the company away from the controversial issue? Take your position and provide reasons.
(* It is totally ok not to agree with Dan Cathy’s view on marriage while writing this essay. As a teacher and an essay evaluator, I will focus on only the logic to persuade the reader.)