Category: Teachers/Educators

(Wiki: Possible bust of Heraclitus, from the Hall of Philosophers in the Capitoline Museums)

Heraclitus ( c. 500 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher from the city of Ephesus, which was then part of the Persian Empire. He has a wide influence through the works of such later authors as Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, Marx and Heidegger.

One of his main ideas was thinking how things relate to one another (day/night; young/old; etc.).

Question: Imagine you had to write a few paragraphs about who you were, but you couldn’t use your own point of view. In other words, you could only talk about what your parents or guardians thought about you. What sorts of things would they say? Is this different from how you see yourself? How does comparing things help to uncover a topic better than just looking at one thing. Can you give examples?

Friedrich Nietzsche, circa 1875 (Wiki Friedrich Hermann Hartmann – https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/04/10/0b/04100baec90c105729b47f33c371476b.jpg)

Friedrich Nietzsche famously wrote, “Without music, life would be a mistake” in his book Twilight of the Idols, published in 1889. This line appears in the section titled “Maxims and Arrows” which is a collection of sayings

Nietzsche often reflected on the profound role of art, particularly music, in human life. For him, music was not just a listening pleasure but a vital force that could elevate existence, provide meaning, and helps relieve the suffering in life. This saying shares his belief in the power of music as an essential part of the human experience.

QUESTION:

What makes life special for you? Write a short story or poem about a life without that thing.

Did you know we learn most of our ideas visually. One great strategy for thinking is to use graphic organizers like mind maps and concept maps. One such organizer use is 4-Square Writing:

These can be used from primary school all the way to university. Try to see how many ways you can think to use this organizer. For instance, put a topic like “Habitats” in the center, then write “First” “Then” “Next” “Finally,” one in each of the 4 squares and dot jot 4 kinds of information you can talk about “Habitats” for.

Frederick the mouse was different from his family. While they gathered food for winter, he gathered words.

QUESTION: What sorts of jobs are for word-gatherers?

One of the most well-known defenders of the Christian faith is Lee Strobel, with his best-selling books like The Case for Christ and the movie based on it. Strobel has also re-written his books to sell his message to a kid audience:

Activity: Read one of Strobel’s books for kids and say what you think of the arguments.

What things do we need to be doing to care for our planet that we really aren’t doing yet?

When you are having a disagreement with a friend, one good strategy is to express how you feel using I-Statements. Focus on the behavior you don’t like and how it makes you feel, not calling the other person names like “jerk” or “loser.”

For example:

I FEEL lonely

WHEN YOU Ignore me

BECAUSE I have no one to play with

NEXT TIME Please include me

When talking about topics that are very important to people like religion, there is no need to lose friends just because you disagree with them. Be respectful. Say things like:

“I understand your point of view, but I disagree with the reasons you give fo what you think.”

Be open to changing your mind if your friend presents good evidence. If all you are doing is trying to be right no matter where the discussion goes (A Right Fighter), that’s not really a very meaningful conversation.

If the discussion gets too heated, change the topic and agree to disagree for now with the plan to pick up the conversation again later when both of you have calmed down and are thinking more clearly.