Teachers Use Inauguration as Teaching Tool

Carbondale, Lackawanna County - As President Obama used his second inaugural address to lay out his goals for the next four years many people in northeastern Pennsylvania were watching.

While most school districts had the holiday off, teachers from one charter school that was in sessino used the event as a teaching tool.

Students from several grade levels came together in one room at the Fell Charter School in Carbondale.

They watched President Obama take the ceremonial oath of office just before noon and then listened to his inaugural address.

Teachers decided to use the inauguration as a teaching to explain more about the president, his job and duties.

"I think it's really important for them to be a part of their own history to realize they're living history, to see the first African American president inaugurated for the second time," teacher Jill McGurgan said.

After President Obama's address, the kids got a chance to ask questions and talk about the themes that they heard.

"Getting to actually see it in class was a pretty cool experience because you couldn't get that experience from looking at it in a textbook," sixth grader Joseph Feduchak said.

Teachers say some students came to class knowing exactly what was going on but for others, it was their introduction to the presidential process.

Many kids said it peeked their interest.

"I think I'm going to be paying attention a lot more," sixth grader Kyle Dawson said.