Love, Care, and Patriotism: An Essay Guide to Raising Good Citizens

by Linda Mkrtchyan MA

Overview

Students of all ages need to consider what’s important in life, and writing essays is a great way to develop their critical thinking skills. This essay guide can be used by teachers of all ages, no matter what race, religion, country, or continent children are from. The essay topics are fun, engaging, and separated by age group for easy reference. For instance, • first graders are invited to discuss fun summer activities or new things they want to do after their birthdays, • second-grade students are invited to write about three good things about themselves or three things that make them feel smart or strong, and • third-grade students are invited to write about three fun things that they do or three things they love about their culture. From elementary school all the way through high school, the essay topics in this book will spark meaningful conversations that revolve around family, honor, citizenship, respect, nature, and much more. Encourage students to consider important questions, and give them practical guidance on becoming good citizens with the essay topics in Love, Care, and Patriotism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532060007
Publisher:	iUniverse, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/30/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	188
File size:	264 KB

About the Author

Linda Mkrtchyan, MA, is an associate marriage and family therapist. She is also a doctoral student at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, studying marriage and family therapy. She grew up in an average Armenian family, where good values and high standards were always talked about. She wants to bring out the best in children so they become good citizens.

Editorial Reviews

2019-09-17
This educational guidebook for teachers offers an unusual set of thought-provoking essay topics.

Mkrtchyan, a doctoral student in marriage and family therapy, has assembled a loosely organized collection of ideas that she believes are associated with "Raising Good Citizens." The topics are divided by grade levels, from first through 12th grade, and are, for the most part, age-appropriate. Throughout the book, headlines are written in the student's voice and the text as if a teacher is speaking; for example, in the first-grade section, the phrase "I Am Grateful for…" headlines a section that reads "Think about three things you are grateful for, and talk about them"; this is followed by a list of potential items, such as "your family," "your country," and "your friends." In the section for ninth graders, the topic of "Work" is addressed: "Think of three values that come in handy in a work environment, and write about them." Several topics are repeated from one grade to the next, but they're slightly altered, based on the age group; for instance, "I Feel Smart and/or Strong When…" is repeated for all grade levels, but the list of items gets more sophisticated as grade levels progress. Topics that apply to all grades include personal, familial, and social responsibilities; gratitude; culture; what it means to be an honorable person; developing relationships; and love of country. Overall, the author's approach is intriguing, as multiple teachers could choose to address the same topics across grade levels, suggesting the possibility of a broad-based, multidisciplinary curriculum. On the other hand, specific guidance for educators, such as lesson plans or instructions for incorporating essays into class work, is notably absent, and the topics seem randomly organized. As a result, interested teachers may find it challenging to apply this material to an existing framework. Still, the topics and lists are legitimate conversation starters and certainly worthy of consideration.

A constructive idea that falls short in its execution.

Kirkus Reviews