After today's class, I really began to think about if it was possible to have freedom and equality?

My feelings about this question are ones that keep running in a continuous circle. First, I feel that yes one can have freedom and equality but then I think well for some people equality would not be in their definition of freedom.

I also wonder, as a future teacher, whether or not freedom and equality can both be in a classroom environment without having to much chaos between children?

Let me know what yall think!

I think that that freedom and equality can coexist in a classroom, but that they would both have to be a limited. For example children couldn't have the freedom to hurt another child and all students will not make the same grades etc. so everything will not be exactly equal. Students should, however, have the freedom to express their opinions, thoughts, and ideas. Students should also be treated as equals and the classroom should be a place that discrimination is not allowed. I think that as a first year teacher there will be some trial and error to finding a "plan" that will work for you and the students in your classroom.

Katie Stover

I believe that freedom and equality can both be in the classroom but I agree with Katie that they will have to be limited. Students should not have the freedom to run around the classroom and do whatever they want to but they should have the freedom to express their creativity in their opinions and their work. All students should be treated equally as far as fairness and disipline but of course each child will have to do their own work to get a good grade. I agree that as a first year teacher it will be a challenge as to finding a plan that will work for everyone.

I think that it would be wonderful if freedom and equality could truly exist anywhere, but in a classroom I think it would be difficult. After discussing in class the real meaning of freedom, I don't think that anyone is really absolutly free. It's strange that in order for everyone to have "freedom and equality" we all have to give some of it up. It does have to be limited, like everyone has said, or else things would go crazy. I don't know how I will try to balance freedom and equality in my classroom, I'm not even sure if I ever really could. There will always be special cases where I might give a student an extra few days to do their homework, and that isn't fair to everyone else, but depending on the circumstance, it might be fair to that child. Does that still count as being overall equal and fair? It's a hard topic.

Freedom and equality are both hard to balance. In a perfect world everyone would have the same freedoms and equalities but it just doesn't seem to work that way. Especially as a teacher, students are entitled to their freedom but we have to put some restraint on that. Just like equality, as a human you may like students more than others and realize you are more harsh to certain ones than others and that becomes an issue of equality. I find I struggle with this at my job during the summer I am a co-director of a camp at my church children K-5. If I give too much freedom they run wild but if I favor a child other children notice it right off the bat. It is hard to treat every student equal and find the true freedom to give them. I think this is something that will always be struggled with but can always be improved on.

Casey Gill