This week in my elementary education class we are focusing on the controversy of Columbus Day, seeing as it is coming up. We were asked how we would deal with this topic as teachers. Will we teach the lies about Columbus like the traditional curriculum or will we stray away from that tradition as an elementary school teacher, and why?

To start off when I was an elementary school student I was amazed at this great guy named Columbus. He seemed pretty daring, adventurous, and like somebody to look up to...at least that is how my teachers painted him out to be. Later on as a high school student I learned the truth about Columbus and was very angry I had been lied to throughout elementary school about this "great man" Having said that I was displeased with the fact I was not taught the truth it made me question what else was I thought that wasn't true or that was made up? I do not want my students one day to feel the same way I felt as a high school-er finally learning the truth about Columbus. 

Although the story of Columbus is not one to applaud over I want to show my students they deserve to learn the curriculum the correct way and I want to be as honest as possible with my students. After all isn't holding back something educational from your students kind of against teaching ethics? In the article we read "There is no reason to Celebrate Invasion" there was a lot of anger associated with this holiday from a woman who represents the Native American people in present day America.  In her interview, Susan Harjo,  she said a few things that stood out to me which helped see the truth about this Columbus fella a little more clearly. 

"There is a reason we are the poorest people in America. There is a reason we have the highest teen suicide rate. There is a reason our people are ill-housed and in poor health, and we do not live as long as a majority of the population" 

these words made me feel very empathetic towards this minority but I glad I learned these facts and struggles of these people. Although it is not all Columbus's fault, I can understand the frustration Native American's have with this holiday, it seems pretty corrupt for us to be celebrating. After considering the question asked for this weeks blog and after reading about the truth and how to teach it I have decided to teach the truth about Columbus and stray away from that tradition. Although there are not a lot of pre-planned lessons to teach on the actuality of Columbus there is a lot to teach about the Native American people and that is how I would substitute the place of teaching the Columbus Curriculum.