Sixth Graders Bow, Receive Rewards as They Experience Chinese Philosophies Firsthand

As part of their unit on ancient China, sixth graders are learning about three different religions and philosophies—Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism—that were essential to the development of stable government, which ultimately led to the formation of several empires including the Shang, Qi, and Han dynasties. “Instead of simply reading about the philosophies,” explains teacher Jennifer Baumer, “the students actually get to experience them. Each day, I teach the class using many of the central tenets.” When being introduced to Confucianism, students were encouraged to pay heed to the appointed class “elders,” and were required to bow whenever addressing these elders. For Daoism, students were instructed to sit wherever they wanted and complete the assignment when they chose to begin. And finally for Legalism, students entered a very strict, teacher-centered classroom, could address the teacher only when asked, and were rewarded with gummy bears for good behavior.

 

This experiential learning opportunity provided students the chance to see how each philosophy differed. “Afterwards the students were asked to argue which philosophy they preferred and why,” adds Ms. Baumer. MORE PHOTOS