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Shimmeringstar · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Kagoshima, Japan

I teach at a college in Japan, and one of my classes is about issues in modern society. It was brought up right away and the students were all very shocked about it. It really hit them because they're all the same age as some of the victims. They couldn't believe such a thing could happen... but I think it was a good thing to talk about.

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

Update, had a class that was on current events today so it came up quite a bit more as well as the Nagasaki thing.

PT

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject:

This is a tragedy.

But why is this tragedy something that should be brought up in class where others aren't?

I think this morbid speculation by amateurs should stop.

coffeedrinker · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 149

I guess I can't comment on whether is is "morbid speculation" on everyone's part, but I think it's a reasonable question whether it is brought up or not. I certainly don't teach a tragedy class, or a class devoted to current events, but it's not uncommon at all in my experience for higher level groups to have some discussion about news events.

I was about to list examples but I won't - New Headway Advanced several times deals with stories or themes of things which are generally considered tragedies. I'm not saying they're great topics, or that a teacher can't skip some of them as I did, but I think it's a valid question how or if you should deal with them.

I haven't discussed the Virginia Tech shooting with students, and would probably prefer not to. I think teachers should put thought into whether a discussion will simply get out of hand and upset people - but lots of people in the world are talking about this and I think whether or not an "okay" discussion can take place depends on many things, just like it does outside the classroom.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject:

This thread is now locked due to it having been derailed. Three postings have been deleted. If and when it is unlocked, the person or persons responsible for derailing it again or causing it to become permanently unavaliable will be leaving us.