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discussion appreciation

Seeing all of the news about hate crimes, and later discussing it in class, led me to delve into motives for hate crimes. I have trouble wrapping my head around disliking a certain group because of their religion, race, political party, etc. that one would go as far to take lives. Reality is, this is all too common, so I think knowing more about what causes these tragedies is definitely the first step in preventing them. Our class discussion that was devoted to the past news cycle made me really appreciate being in a school and a magnet that acknowledges things like this. I think some of the most important lessons that teachers can teach are those that students really will be able to apply and use, regardless of their profession or career beyond school. When we are older, will it really matter if we had a perfect score on that worksheet? Of course knowing various skills and material is important, but work is not the only aspect of life. Leading class talks and probing discussion about what is happening in the world around us is something that all students and teachers should be involved in, because not all parents are willing to do the same. It helps students develop an understanding of what is happening and helps them approach/find the courage to create change in the issues that they recognize within their community. My point is that I found the conversation extremely helpful, and because of that, it made me wish that similar discussion would be held more often-on a widespread basis throughout classrooms globally.

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