Beanes Truism

Tingting Yuan

9/20/2016

1. The truism was found in page 4, line 1.

The first is this: Teaching the democratic way often brings teachers into
conflict with people inside and outside the school who would rather have
less instead of more democracy (or none at all).

Being democratic means that undemocratic people will lose their

privileges, and it is hard but profound to fight against these privileges.
Although this conflict is difficult to settle down but once the change has
been done, we will satisfied to see the democratic consequence.

2. The truism was found in page 4, line 32.

We need to help young people think more deeply about the issues facing
the world. We need to help them put their expanding knowledge to work
towards making a better worldhelp them participate as democratic
citizens right now, not later when they are adults.

Young people are the hope and the future of the whole society. As a result,
what they think and what they do are quite important. Teaching the
democratic way needs teachers help the young build a right value right
now, but not later on when they are adults because it is too late since they
have already build their values at that time.

3. The truism was found in page 9, line 35.

Clearly, then, democracy is not simply a matter of voting, participating in

making decisions, or having a say in governance. It is not just a process
or a way of doing things. Democracy is also about values like justice and
equality.

When it comes to governance, the candidates are always announcing

democracy, whereas democracy is not just about governance. It is
everywhere in our life and is supposed to root in our mind because it is a
values about justice and equality.

4. The truism was found in page 48, line 12.

At the same time, however, teaching the democratic way means

constantly questioning what it means to be democratic in the classroom:
When do I intervene? How hard do I press here? Should I say something or
let the group figure it out? For questions like these, there in no curriculum
package, no prescribed lesson, no script, no certain and final answer.
Instead there are only the ever-present questions that challenge the
attempt to create a democratic community and curriculum.

Constantly asking questions help teachers question the present teaching

way and find a better way during all these questions. Besides, unlike the
stereotyped classroom, asking questions brings more possibilities and
potentials of students.
5. The truism was found in page 65, line 29.

Probably nothing is more frequently associated with the idea of democratic

classrooms than the notion of creating a sense of community among it
members, both students and teachers. This is hardly surprising, since
democracy itself is partly based on the concept of individuals coming
together in groups to address issues, solve problems, and pursue common
purposes.

No matter what role a person is playing in a classroom, he or she is part of

the group, and being democratic is partly something that needs every
individual to make decisions, solve problems with equal rights. Besides,
both the teachers and students have equality in social part, they have no
difference in human rights, and thus it is possible to create a community
among them.

6. The truism was found in page 70, line 13.

There is one more rule of thumb that teachers have found helpful in
moving toward more collaboration in decision making: Teachers should try
not to do things that students can do.

It is because in a democratic community, people share the work and

distribute power across the group. Participating in various roles and
sharing responsibility is crucial if young people are to experience the
opportunities and obligations of democracy.

7. The truism was found in page 73 line 1.

Democracy has two great social dimensions. One is the common good.
The other is the individual needs, interests, and concerns that people bring
to community.

As the author said before, democracy itself is partly based on the concept
of individuals coming together in groups to address issues, solve
problems, and pursue common purposes. So the group and the individual
is two aspects and we are supposed to care for both two.

8. The truism was found in page 73 line 33.

Teaching the democratic way also involves recognizing and drawing on

diverse cultures.

Since one of the social dimensions of democracy is the individual needs,

interests, and concerns that people bring to community, the diversity is
supposed to be taken into consideration. Diversity in cultures make the
democratic community more colorful and exciting.

9. The truism was found in page 74 line 13.

Prizing diversity means making space for various learning styles, modes of
expression, and so on.

We may would like to hear only the good aspects in a community, but
since it is a democratic community, the bad aspects are also welcomed to
respect diversity. In a democratic classroom, there is no so-called good or
bad aspects, every students diversity should be respect and different
learning styles, modes of expression are welcomed.

10.The truism was found in page 120 line 9.

The principles and values of democratic living allow people to come

together to name and work on significant issues that face them rather
than being forced to live entirely according to the concerns and decisions
of others.

Democracy is about values like justice and equality, and about gathering
everyone into a group. Consequently, making decision is not the privilege
of the minor people. It calls for everyones suggestion and everyones
decision.

11.The truism was found in page 123 line 17.

Democracy needs protection. Teaching the democratic way takes us away

from the linear, adult-dominated classroom. It involves a different way of
thinking about young people, about relationships, about the curriculum,
and about everything else that makes up life in schools.

Since it is a different way involving changes, it will face with lots of

difficulties. The most critical in people who prefer to have more control
over what happens and less complexity in the curriculum will be brought
out. Consequently, democracy needs protection.

12.The truism was found in page 119 line 21.

The only way we can have democracy is by being democratic.

As the author says in the passage before, some schools may just teach
democracy to meet their obligations. Consequently, they just teach about
democratic symbols or structural procedures without really teaching the
democratic way of life. For this reason, what we should do is realize the
democracy instead of just talking about it. So the only way is to be
democratic in life and it dose not mean just talking about democracy but
doing it. To realize this purpose, the teacher can involve students in
decision making, issue discussing, etc.

13.The truism was found in page 119 line 36.

At its core, democracy rests on three fundamental principles: respect for

human dignity, concern for the common good, and faith that human
beings working collaboratively are capable of resolving the issues that
confront them.

Since democracy happens in a group of people, the respect, cooperation

and trust is quite significant. The members should first respect and trust
each other to get a common purpose. Then they are supposed to work
collaboratively to pursue this purpose. These three fundamental principles
are basic and also needs other concepts related, such as freedom,
equality, etc.