Looking for an activity that’s fun, engaging, and educational? Each week, Teaching with Star Wars will offer unique lessons for you and your younglings that promise to foster opportunities for discovery and learning, all through the lens of a galaxy far, far away. And it sounds like the bell just rang, so let’s head to the classroom now. Punch it, Chewie!
If you’ve been watching the Siege of Mandalore arc in the final seven of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+, then you know all about Ahsoka Tano! The former Padawan to Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka finds herself in a challenging spot. After feeling abandoned by the Jedi Order, Ahsoka returns to her former master and peers, in order to defeat a mutual enemy, Maul. He is frightening, dangerous, and seeks destruction and chaos.
But you know what’s even scarier than Maul? Confronting someone you care about when you disagree with them. In “Old Friends Not Forgotten,” Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi debate whether the Jedi should help her and Bo-Katan liberate Mandalore, or if Obi-Wan and his forces should rush off to Coruscant to save the Chancellor. In Ahsoka’s mind, the Jedi Master is being motivated by politics, instead of helping to save others. While it’s not that simple, her frustration is understandable.
What’s really important, however, is that while Ahsoka does not agree with her former teacher’s decision, she is able to articulate her point of view with respect, sincerity, and maturity. Confrontation is a frightening proposition for many to find themselves in, but Ahsoka does it with grace, and listens, while clearly maintaining her core beliefs.
You may not have had a debate that impacts the future of the galaxy, but that does not mean it isn’t important to you. Using Ahsoka as an example, ask your own Padawan to think about a recent disagreement he or she had. Then, using the following bullet points as guidelines, ask them to reflect on the following questions:
- What was the original argument about, and how do you feel about how you handled it?
- Did you stay on target, or did your frustration get the best of you? How do you think Ahsoka would answer that question?
- Ahsoka clearly did not believe in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s analysis of the Mandalore situation. How did she exercise Jedi patience, but also stay true to what was important to her?
With Ahsoka as a role-model, encourage your child to earn some bonus points by having them reach out to the person they disagreed with, and see if they can find a way to disagree without being disagreeable!
Dan Zehr is the host and brand director of Coffee With Kenobi, a podcast that examines the mythology of Star Wars from a place of intelligence and humor. He is also a high school English teacher with an MS in Teaching and Learning.
Site tags: #TheRiseofSkywalker, #StarWarsBlog
