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Friends United Meeting |
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Quaker Life
October 2002
Teaching Ethics
By Anna Poplawska
One criticism of our schools is that they don't teach ethics, yet they may easily find themselves at a loss on how to address this in a classroom. Restricted from teaching religion and with no class offerings in the philosophy of ethics, they are limited to the framework of standard academic subjects. Given this, it may behoove us to remember that ethics as a theoretical construct is somewhat superficial. The real thing is often nearly invisible because it permeates every aspect of our experience, as individuals and as a nation. The studies of literature and history, being the record of this experience, can be a rich source for addressing ethical questions.
As a university student in literature and before that in high school, I can remember any number of discussions about motifs and symbols—the symbolism of colors in The Great Gatsby or the motif of the journey in Huckleberry Finn, for instance—but real life questions such as the difference between true friendship and superficial friendship in Fitzgerald's novel were not often addressed. Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser asks the much-needed questions of what is happiness, and can fashion, wealth and worldly success ever contribute to its attainment. Hamlet points out the consequences of acting on a desire for revenge, which can not be fully understood without mention of the alternative—forgiveness and non-violent resolution of conflict. The reading of Thoreau's classic, Walden, provides a beautiful opening for a discussion of the Quaker testimony of simplicity and how it might be applied, even in city living or in the particular life of a teen-ager. What makes so much of learning seem merely academic and irrelevant is this missing extra step of asking, "How can I apply what I learn to my own life and the choices I make or, alternatively, how does it make me think about things differently?"
The study of history offers a similar opportunity. It was, in fact, a history teacher who inadvertently brought me to my first Friends meeting. About all that stayed with me from any grade school history class was that Quakerism was the only religion that made a stand against slavery. At the time, I couldn't have put into words what it was that made this seem so important, but I can now—it was a sense of people who took a risk, who made sacrifices to act on what they believed was right. Yet overall what I remember from the study of history is more facts and dates than heroism, and I often find myself suspecting that it's a sense of the heroic that we need so desperately today. I don't mean the violent, televised kind we are constantly inundated with, but rather the quieter and more understated heroism of holding unwaveringly to that which is true and right. As a Quaker history teacher, one can introduce children to the concept of non-violent resistance by discussing Gandhi's work to free India or by mentioning the place of Mary Dyer in helping to bring about religious freedom in the colonies. After the first world war, instead of offering forgiveness, the allies took retribution against Germany with the Treaty of Versailles. This lack of compassion for the suffering of the Germans was part of what led to renewed suffering for all during World War II. Isn't this precisely what we as Quakers want to communicate to the world: that lack of forgiveness and compassion only leads to more rounds of violence? Perhaps above all, a discussion of World War II would not be complete without allowing time to reflect on our own stereotypes and prejudices and what the consequences may be down the line.
Too often when we think about changing the world, we think in terms of instant solutions. We look to make laws, create systems, cure diseases and stop wars. What we forget is that these are but so many forms, external manifestations of our inner life as a nation and a people. Real and lasting change happens in the heart, one person at a time, and those who are fortunate enough to be Quaker educators are ideally situated to take part in this process. This can be done by being constantly on the lookout for opportunities to communicate our light, through the desire to reach out to students as fellow human beings, but also through the various academic disciplines.
Anna Poplawska is a member of Northside Chicago Meeting. Her work as an artist and writer is available at www.poppyseedart.com.
Copyright (c) 2002 Friends United Meeting
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