Passion Quilt: Be Informed

I'm jumping on the bandwagon and creating my entry to the passion quilt. This seems to have been the original challenge, which is to pick a photo and write words on it that show what you're most passionate about children learning.

I knew right away what my wording would be, though once I selected it, perhaps it is too simple. But I'm simple and this is something that I have been thinking about a lot.

When I say "be informed," I am talking outside of class. I want students to become informed adults and recognize when they need information out in the real world. I want them to pour through Home Buying for Dummies like I just did last weekend, to scour Consumer Reports before buying a car, to make informed decisions on careers and graduate school. I want them to study politicians and the issues being debated before voting, to know where the products they buy are being made and how their actions affect the environment, to know enough about others to have compassion for the less fortunate and to see others' perspective.

I found the original picture here, and think the photographer gave it a perfect title: "Please read instructions fully before opening!"

So I really hope my title doesn't seem totally lame...