A Lesson About Deception

Our 6th grade language arts department is trying out a new reading program this year in an attempt to have a common core piece to our curriculum. It is called the Reader's Journey and although it has many wonderful components such as guided practice for directly teaching both fiction and non-fiction comprehension strategies, excerpts from good literature pieces, and matches many of our standards, it has its limitations -as all curriculum does.
Most concerning to me is the wording of the Big Questions that anchor each unit. I completely support and encourage the idea of asking the big questions -it is at the heart of learning. We were designed to be curious, to want to know, to learn, to understand- questioning is where it starts. But, the first question worries me as a teacher: Unit 1: How do we decide what is true?
At first glance, it seems like a good question- "Yeah, truth is in fact what we are after isn't it?" And we know that most people have varying ideas and beliefs about what they think is truth. But implied in the question is a very alarming premise. If we get to decide what is true, then truth can be changed or altered by our choice. This is dangerous and deceptive thinking. If I can actually decide what is truth, then truth can be changed or altered merely by my perception or decision. And if this is true, can it really be truth? A better wording for the question could be: How do we know what it true? or How do we decide what to believe is true?
Here is an illustration of the lesson: Student 1: "I decide that God does not exist." Student 2: "I decide that God does exist." The students do not get to "decide" what is true- one is truth and one is not. What we DO get to decide is what we believe to be true. Teaching students to make wise decisions regarding truth in a culture that has bought into the lie that truth is relative is extremely challenging but so critically important.

"Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
~Psalm 86:11