School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – week 13
Making up – making amends
I so look forward to meeting with the scholarly first graders every week. They do keep my brain and heart engaged. The assignment for this week unless someone has a more pressing concern is: Talk about how we make up after an argument and saying mean things to each other. When some people run for office they say mean things about each other and then have to learn to work together. Well, as we all know that was a gross understatement on my part. To be fair, however, not all the political candidates across the nation allowed themselves to get caught in the trap of saying mean and unkind things about their opponents. Many candidates for office kept the focus on suggestions for solving problems with which their constituents are concerned. Sadly, this was not true for the presidential candidates in these United States.
I am eager to hear how the first grade scholars and their families approached this issue. Here come the scholars now.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim Cookies!
Me: Yes, we have cookies. Ahmes and Sam would you pass out one cookie to everyone please.
Sam and Ahmes: Yes.
They pass them out and in a nanosecond the cookies are consumed!
Me: The assignment was to talk about how we make up after we have said mean things to each other. We had been talking about the political candidates, but, of course, we all say and do mean things sometimes. We say or do mean things to a classmate, a family member or someone else we will have to see again. How do we go about making up? Who wants to go first?
Sam: In our family when Paul and I were younger we just had to say we were sorry. Sometimes we would say sorry in a mean way and then we would have to keep doing it until we could say it nice. I used to practice with my doll Queen E. I hated it.
Me: That was when you were little. What happens now Sam?
Sam: We have to say why we are sorry and what we are going to do differently to not get angry like that. That is really hard because I cannot just blame Paul.
Me: So you are saying that no one else makes you say mean things. You have to accept responsibility for what you and do?
Sam: Yes!
Me: Thanks Sam. I am impressed that you can say that. Who else wants to share what they do to make up?
Tara: In our family if we have a difficult time saying something we can use the puppets. Sometimes they have an easier time. My favorite is the German bunny puppet.
Me: Oh I know that puppet. It is the Steiff bunny. I love that bunny.
Tara: Yes. My uncle brought it back from Germany.
Me: What does the bunny say to make up?
Tara: Well, it is like Sam said. If I try to say one of my brothers or sisters made me angry I have to think some more and come back with another answer! I hate that when it is me but if one of my brothers or sisters has to do that I like it.
Me: That is very honest Tara. What I am hearing both you and Sam say is:
· We are responsible for our behavior and cannot blame someone else.
· Our apology has to mean we are trying to change our behavior for the future.
· We have to be willing to be honest.
(I write these on the white board.)
How about others? How is making up handled in your family?
Tommy: I am good at drawing cartoons. I am allowed to let the cartoon characters talk. That is easier for me. Mom says, “My bad.” and dad says, “I was wrong. I don’t like it when others treat me that way and I do not want anyone in this family to think it is okay to be mean.”
Me: That is great Tommy. What about the rest of you? How should the political candidates make up?
Susie: Can’t we make them go to their room until they learn how to play nice? That is what my dad says to my siblings and me.
Me: How would we make adults do that Susie?
Susie: Everyone would have to agree as we do in our family.
Steve: What happens if they do not agree?
Susie: That is what is happening now.
Ahmes: Don’t adults have any rules? In our family the adults and children have the same rules.
Me: You are suggesting that there have to be some rules which are the same for everyone.
Ahmes: How else can it work?
Me: Indeed.
Sue: The reason we pretended to be candidates last week was to remind us that we can change the rules in the future.
Me: Very good Sue. Thanks for reminding us.
Sofia: Mr. Jim are you sure you are an adult?
Me: (smiling) Why do you ask Sofia?
Sofia: You treat us differently than other adults.
Me: Say more about that Sofia.
Sofia: Well you seem to care what we have to say. Most people, except our families, think we are just kids. What we say does not count.
Me: Thank you Sofia. I think sometimes all of you are wiser than many of we adults. Sometimes it seems as if we adults get stupid when we grow up.
Sam: Last week in church, the minister was talking about Jesus telling people to become as little children. Is this what they meant Uncle Jim?
Me: I think perhaps it is.
Steve: Will we get dumb as we grow up?
Me: If you forget the things we are learning about how to treat each other you will. Sometimes we get older and then we think we are through learning. Then we quit listening and we get really dumb.
Steve: Is that why the candidates cannot learn to play nice?
Me: Great observation Steve. Goodness, the time has again passed very quickly. These classes go so quickly. Susie and Tommy would you pass out another cookie to everyone please?
They do so.
Me: All of you have talked about getting together as families to deal with issues and solve problems. Not many families do that. I am impressed that you and your families do so. Next week could we talk about rules for meeting as a family. Does your family have them? What are they? I have written these questions now.
Sue would you please hand one to each of your classmates as they leave?
Sue: Yes, Mr. Jim.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Me: Have a great week.
Written November 8, 2016
Making up – making amends
I so look forward to meeting with the scholarly first graders every week. They do keep my brain and heart engaged. The assignment for this week unless someone has a more pressing concern is: Talk about how we make up after an argument and saying mean things to each other. When some people run for office they say mean things about each other and then have to learn to work together. Well, as we all know that was a gross understatement on my part. To be fair, however, not all the political candidates across the nation allowed themselves to get caught in the trap of saying mean and unkind things about their opponents. Many candidates for office kept the focus on suggestions for solving problems with which their constituents are concerned. Sadly, this was not true for the presidential candidates in these United States.
I am eager to hear how the first grade scholars and their families approached this issue. Here come the scholars now.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim Cookies!
Me: Yes, we have cookies. Ahmes and Sam would you pass out one cookie to everyone please.
Sam and Ahmes: Yes.
They pass them out and in a nanosecond the cookies are consumed!
Me: The assignment was to talk about how we make up after we have said mean things to each other. We had been talking about the political candidates, but, of course, we all say and do mean things sometimes. We say or do mean things to a classmate, a family member or someone else we will have to see again. How do we go about making up? Who wants to go first?
Sam: In our family when Paul and I were younger we just had to say we were sorry. Sometimes we would say sorry in a mean way and then we would have to keep doing it until we could say it nice. I used to practice with my doll Queen E. I hated it.
Me: That was when you were little. What happens now Sam?
Sam: We have to say why we are sorry and what we are going to do differently to not get angry like that. That is really hard because I cannot just blame Paul.
Me: So you are saying that no one else makes you say mean things. You have to accept responsibility for what you and do?
Sam: Yes!
Me: Thanks Sam. I am impressed that you can say that. Who else wants to share what they do to make up?
Tara: In our family if we have a difficult time saying something we can use the puppets. Sometimes they have an easier time. My favorite is the German bunny puppet.
Me: Oh I know that puppet. It is the Steiff bunny. I love that bunny.
Tara: Yes. My uncle brought it back from Germany.
Me: What does the bunny say to make up?
Tara: Well, it is like Sam said. If I try to say one of my brothers or sisters made me angry I have to think some more and come back with another answer! I hate that when it is me but if one of my brothers or sisters has to do that I like it.
Me: That is very honest Tara. What I am hearing both you and Sam say is:
· We are responsible for our behavior and cannot blame someone else.
· Our apology has to mean we are trying to change our behavior for the future.
· We have to be willing to be honest.
(I write these on the white board.)
How about others? How is making up handled in your family?
Tommy: I am good at drawing cartoons. I am allowed to let the cartoon characters talk. That is easier for me. Mom says, “My bad.” and dad says, “I was wrong. I don’t like it when others treat me that way and I do not want anyone in this family to think it is okay to be mean.”
Me: That is great Tommy. What about the rest of you? How should the political candidates make up?
Susie: Can’t we make them go to their room until they learn how to play nice? That is what my dad says to my siblings and me.
Me: How would we make adults do that Susie?
Susie: Everyone would have to agree as we do in our family.
Steve: What happens if they do not agree?
Susie: That is what is happening now.
Ahmes: Don’t adults have any rules? In our family the adults and children have the same rules.
Me: You are suggesting that there have to be some rules which are the same for everyone.
Ahmes: How else can it work?
Me: Indeed.
Sue: The reason we pretended to be candidates last week was to remind us that we can change the rules in the future.
Me: Very good Sue. Thanks for reminding us.
Sofia: Mr. Jim are you sure you are an adult?
Me: (smiling) Why do you ask Sofia?
Sofia: You treat us differently than other adults.
Me: Say more about that Sofia.
Sofia: Well you seem to care what we have to say. Most people, except our families, think we are just kids. What we say does not count.
Me: Thank you Sofia. I think sometimes all of you are wiser than many of we adults. Sometimes it seems as if we adults get stupid when we grow up.
Sam: Last week in church, the minister was talking about Jesus telling people to become as little children. Is this what they meant Uncle Jim?
Me: I think perhaps it is.
Steve: Will we get dumb as we grow up?
Me: If you forget the things we are learning about how to treat each other you will. Sometimes we get older and then we think we are through learning. Then we quit listening and we get really dumb.
Steve: Is that why the candidates cannot learn to play nice?
Me: Great observation Steve. Goodness, the time has again passed very quickly. These classes go so quickly. Susie and Tommy would you pass out another cookie to everyone please?
They do so.
Me: All of you have talked about getting together as families to deal with issues and solve problems. Not many families do that. I am impressed that you and your families do so. Next week could we talk about rules for meeting as a family. Does your family have them? What are they? I have written these questions now.
Sue would you please hand one to each of your classmates as they leave?
Sue: Yes, Mr. Jim.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Me: Have a great week.
Written November 8, 2016
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