School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – Week 19
Making others happy
First graders are developmentally at that age when, given a healthy, affirming home environment and no neurological conditions, they begin to internalize a positive sense of self. This then allows them to begin the process of opening up to think of the needs of others. The first-grade class with whom I have been meeting all semester are, I think, exceptional in their ability to develop emotionally and intellectually. I am sure that this is partly just luck but also due to the fact that they have exceptionally healthy parents. In class their positive, can do, kind attitudes have become the norm to which new kids are drawn.
Their assignment this week was very to talk with their families about one way to make someone else feel good. My assignment was to make and bring cookies which I have done.
I hear them coming now.
Me: Good morning young scholars!
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies! Cookies!
Me: Yes, I have cookies. Sue, will you and Tommy hand them out?
(Sue comes up in wheelchair to get them and then begins to hand the packages one by one to Tommy who gives them to each of the other students.)
I am eager to hear your suggestions for making someone else happy.
Steve: In our family we have each been saving money every week to adopt a family whom our pastor said needed help. We then give the money to the pastor who tells them it is from a family in the church but does not tell them who it came from. I have to put in a quarter every week from my allowance. I had $13.00. We will also help to deliver meals Christmas Eve.
Me: That is great Steve! Why is it important to give cash and to not let the family know who it came from?
Steve: My mom says that the family gets to buy what they want and need and they do not have to feel like they owe us something.
Me: That is very wise and kind of you and your family Steve.
Sue: My family and I know what it is like to be in the hospital at the holiday. When I was young I had to be in the hospital at Christmas time. Even though my family was there I got lonely. There were some kids who did not have anyone to visit. We talked to the hospital and each one in our family is going to spend time with one of the kids every day for the next two weeks and then on the weekends for a long as they are in the hospital. The nurse says that when the kids see me in my wheelchair and happy it makes them feel good.
Me: I bet it does. That is wonderful!
Tara: My grandma is in a place. I forget what you call it.
Me: A nursing home?
Tara: Yes. Thank you. I go to see her but she treats me like I am a little girl and wants me to sit in her lap while she sings to me. I told her I am a big girl now. My daddy said that it makes her happy when I sit in her lap. She is not like she used to be. I am going to sit in her lap and be her little Tara if that makes her happy.
Me: That is wonderful Tara! I am very impressed by how kind that is.
Ahmes: Our neighbor was hurt in the war. He is in bed all the time. He likes it when I visit and play hearts with him. He and I also have been watching Christmas movies. It makes me happy when he is happy. Is it wrong for me to get be happy when I am trying to make someone else happy?
Me: Ahmes, I think it should always makes us happy to help someone else be happy. I think it is wonderful that you are doing that.
Tommy: My grandpa wanted me to go see grandma who is buried in the ground. She died last year. I did not want to do that but we talked about how grandpa must feel. They were old and had been with each other a long time. I was being selfish. I have been going with grandpa to visit grandma’s grave every day. I still do not like it but I like that it makes grandpa happy.
Me: That is really nice of you Tommy.
Sofia: My cousin, Tony, has been really mean to me and my stuff when he visits. I told him I hated him. My mom and dad talked about the fact that his sister died and his parents are sad all the time. Tony thinks they are mad at him. I would hate it if my brother died and my parents acted like I was not there. Maybe I would get mad. Now when he comes over I am going to put my one really favorite doll in my parent’s room and if Tony need to be mad at my stuff I know it is because he is sad and misses playing with his parents and sister.
Me: Sofia, that is so grown up and kind of you. I am so impressed. I hope that Tony begins to talk with you about why he is so angry and sad.
Susie: The mean old lady next door is still mean. My parents told me her son and daughter were both killed in the war. They said she was not mean before then. I have been taking her a card I make every day. Yesterday she asked me to come in and have cookies and milk. I was scared and said I had to ask my mom. Mom said it was okay. I was still scared but mom thinks it made her happy for the first time in a long time.
Me: It sounds like she was really sad. It would be terrible to have two of your children die.
Susie: Yes. I thought about my mom and dad or brother dying.
Me: Very good.
Sam: We go to the soup kitchen all year long Uncle Jim. Now we are going twice a week. Last week, I also took some of the cookies you, I, and Paul made. We wrapped them and put a bow on them. Some of the people seemed happy.
Me: I think that they were very happy, Sam. The fact that you made them seemed to make them very special.
Goodness, time is nearly up. Ahmes and Sam will you hand out more cookies?
Ahmes and Sam: Yes.
Me: I hope you all have a very happy holiday and a happy new year. I will see you again in 2017. I am so proud of all of you for thinking of others.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Happy new year Mr. Jim!
Written December 22, 2016
Making others happy
First graders are developmentally at that age when, given a healthy, affirming home environment and no neurological conditions, they begin to internalize a positive sense of self. This then allows them to begin the process of opening up to think of the needs of others. The first-grade class with whom I have been meeting all semester are, I think, exceptional in their ability to develop emotionally and intellectually. I am sure that this is partly just luck but also due to the fact that they have exceptionally healthy parents. In class their positive, can do, kind attitudes have become the norm to which new kids are drawn.
Their assignment this week was very to talk with their families about one way to make someone else feel good. My assignment was to make and bring cookies which I have done.
I hear them coming now.
Me: Good morning young scholars!
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies! Cookies!
Me: Yes, I have cookies. Sue, will you and Tommy hand them out?
(Sue comes up in wheelchair to get them and then begins to hand the packages one by one to Tommy who gives them to each of the other students.)
I am eager to hear your suggestions for making someone else happy.
Steve: In our family we have each been saving money every week to adopt a family whom our pastor said needed help. We then give the money to the pastor who tells them it is from a family in the church but does not tell them who it came from. I have to put in a quarter every week from my allowance. I had $13.00. We will also help to deliver meals Christmas Eve.
Me: That is great Steve! Why is it important to give cash and to not let the family know who it came from?
Steve: My mom says that the family gets to buy what they want and need and they do not have to feel like they owe us something.
Me: That is very wise and kind of you and your family Steve.
Sue: My family and I know what it is like to be in the hospital at the holiday. When I was young I had to be in the hospital at Christmas time. Even though my family was there I got lonely. There were some kids who did not have anyone to visit. We talked to the hospital and each one in our family is going to spend time with one of the kids every day for the next two weeks and then on the weekends for a long as they are in the hospital. The nurse says that when the kids see me in my wheelchair and happy it makes them feel good.
Me: I bet it does. That is wonderful!
Tara: My grandma is in a place. I forget what you call it.
Me: A nursing home?
Tara: Yes. Thank you. I go to see her but she treats me like I am a little girl and wants me to sit in her lap while she sings to me. I told her I am a big girl now. My daddy said that it makes her happy when I sit in her lap. She is not like she used to be. I am going to sit in her lap and be her little Tara if that makes her happy.
Me: That is wonderful Tara! I am very impressed by how kind that is.
Ahmes: Our neighbor was hurt in the war. He is in bed all the time. He likes it when I visit and play hearts with him. He and I also have been watching Christmas movies. It makes me happy when he is happy. Is it wrong for me to get be happy when I am trying to make someone else happy?
Me: Ahmes, I think it should always makes us happy to help someone else be happy. I think it is wonderful that you are doing that.
Tommy: My grandpa wanted me to go see grandma who is buried in the ground. She died last year. I did not want to do that but we talked about how grandpa must feel. They were old and had been with each other a long time. I was being selfish. I have been going with grandpa to visit grandma’s grave every day. I still do not like it but I like that it makes grandpa happy.
Me: That is really nice of you Tommy.
Sofia: My cousin, Tony, has been really mean to me and my stuff when he visits. I told him I hated him. My mom and dad talked about the fact that his sister died and his parents are sad all the time. Tony thinks they are mad at him. I would hate it if my brother died and my parents acted like I was not there. Maybe I would get mad. Now when he comes over I am going to put my one really favorite doll in my parent’s room and if Tony need to be mad at my stuff I know it is because he is sad and misses playing with his parents and sister.
Me: Sofia, that is so grown up and kind of you. I am so impressed. I hope that Tony begins to talk with you about why he is so angry and sad.
Susie: The mean old lady next door is still mean. My parents told me her son and daughter were both killed in the war. They said she was not mean before then. I have been taking her a card I make every day. Yesterday she asked me to come in and have cookies and milk. I was scared and said I had to ask my mom. Mom said it was okay. I was still scared but mom thinks it made her happy for the first time in a long time.
Me: It sounds like she was really sad. It would be terrible to have two of your children die.
Susie: Yes. I thought about my mom and dad or brother dying.
Me: Very good.
Sam: We go to the soup kitchen all year long Uncle Jim. Now we are going twice a week. Last week, I also took some of the cookies you, I, and Paul made. We wrapped them and put a bow on them. Some of the people seemed happy.
Me: I think that they were very happy, Sam. The fact that you made them seemed to make them very special.
Goodness, time is nearly up. Ahmes and Sam will you hand out more cookies?
Ahmes and Sam: Yes.
Me: I hope you all have a very happy holiday and a happy new year. I will see you again in 2017. I am so proud of all of you for thinking of others.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Happy new year Mr. Jim!
Written December 22, 2016
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