Over to you…

What’s important to you?

The general election was last weekend. An event that’s largely irrelevant to children. But last week I wrote about school sport and how schools should not be making it compulsory – and, in fact, schools should probably leave responsibility to sports to clubs. That’s an issue that’s important to you, something that you have to deal with every day. There were at least 120 votes on the opinion poll and a couple of dozen comments.

Over the course of this year so far issues around things like hair length, the Olympic Games, fast food, homework, healthy eating, hunting of dolphins, computer games in the classroom, climbing Mt Everest, and many others, have appeared in this ‘Feature Article’ section.

Some things get you hot under the collar and you leave lots of comments and have your own heated discussions. Other things? Well it depends what you’re interested in…

And that’s where you come in.

We’re three-quarters of the way through the school year. Many significant events of 2014 are behind us – the soccer world cup, the winter Olympic Games, the general election, the vote on Scottish independence. Of course, there are plenty more still to come, and plenty that we’re not expecting! Many things that are written about in this ‘Feature Article ‘ section are things that appear in the news, are issues that affect New Zealanders. Some other things are about children and schools.

What would you like to see here?

Let us know! Leave your comments at the bottom of the page.

Article written by Ben Egerton

[colored_box color=”green”]This is an opinion-based article designed to provoke debate, discussion and further inquiry
amongst your students:[/colored_box] 

[colored_box color=”yellow”]Critical Thinking Challenges:

1. Why is it necessary to know about issues in other parts of the world?

2. For opinions where there are different points of view, why should you have to know – and appreciate – someone else’s point of view?

[/colored_box]

[colored_box color=”green”]Practical Tasks:

Either…

Write your own opinion article. Think of an issue that’s important to you – such as sport, school, animals, fashion, music – and take a particular view point.

or…

Write an opinion article (as above) without using any facts to back up your point of view. You can be as imaginative, argumentative and opinionated as you want to be!

What difference does it make? Try the articles out on your classmates and report back on their reaction.

[/colored_box]

[colored_box color=”red”]Have Your Say:
[socialpoll id=”2222809″]

[/colored_box]