Student's Confusion

So, all day today I watched the inaugural events with my students. Sometime between the inaugural address and the beginning of the parade we sat down to talk about what this means to each of us. My students could firmly regurgitate why I or their parents were excited but only 2 could tell me why this was an important day for THEM! I was deflated to say the least. Since November we have been discussing the election and the importance of today, but somehow I had not relayed the real message of today. We are keeping journals and will continue to discuss this for the rest of the year, and I hope that some day in the future they will come to grasp the importance. Not my opinions, but an understanding of what today means to them.