School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – Week 34
I am sure that on this beautiful spring day the young scholars will be as eager as I am to be free to be outside. Perhaps not, but I hope so. It does seem as if some children and families are spending a lot of time indoors although the families of these young children all seem to limit the amount of indoor time when possible.
The scholars are arriving and they sound as “chirpy” as the spring birds. The sound makes me smile.
Me: Good morning Class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: We will have cookies next week.
I am eager to hear what you and your families think about whether there are boy chores and girl chores and how your families decide who does what chores? What wants to start?
Tara: Mom and dad thinks that everyone in the family should be able to do all the chores. Dad likes to work on cars but mom knows what to do and my sister could not drive until she could change a tire and take care of the car. Dad likes to cook more than mom.
Steve: Having babies is a girl thing. Boys cannot have a baby. I am glad?
Me: This is true Steve. It is also true that if a mother is able to give the baby her milk that only she can do that.
Steve: Dad says that some think a guy can feed the baby with his milk.
Me: Yes, I have heard that Steve but I am not sure that is going to happen any time soon. What about taking care of the baby except for that.
Steve: Mom says that everyone can help with the new baby. At first mom was home and then dad was home taking care of the baby.
Sofia: When our relatives come from Italy the boys think that there are boys and girl chores but the girls do not.
Susie: Mom said that her grandmother was pregnant a lot and could not do some things but everyone did a lot of the chores on the farm. Some things only her grandmother did.
Me: Such as what Susie:
Susie: Grandma made quilts and these little things on the dressers. They are little thinks out of threat. I forget what you call them.
Me: Ahh. Dollies which she crocheted.
Susie: That is it Mr. Jim.
Ahmes: In Egypt it was different than here. My sister and I like it here better. There were lots of rules for girls in Egypt but mom says it is changing there also.
Sam: Mom says that there was a big war and all the women started working in men’s jobs, but when the men came home they said that they were men’s jobs. That was a long time ago.
Me: Yes, there used to be a lot of rules which were different for males and females. It was really tough for women to be accepted in certain jobs.
Tommy: Dad said that girls are better at doing things that take a long time and men are faster sometimes but cannot go as long.
Sue: I heard that a 101 year old woman ran a race.
Me; I heard about that. The woman is Man Keur from India. She won gold for the 100-meter dash at the World Masters Games in New Zealand. (“See Inspiring 101-year-old Woman Win Gold in 100-meter Dash at World Masters Games” by Alysha Tsuji, USA Today, April 26, 2017)
Sam: Dad says that everyone in our famiiy are better at some things. He says it is not about whether we are boys or girls. You are the cookie maker Uncle Jim.
Me; That is true Sam. There may be some differences in males and females abilities but we are finding that there are fewer than we thought.
Tara: Mom played a bunch of old songs such as “I want to be an Engineer” She said that they used to tell girls that they could not be engineers or could not do math.
Me: Thanks Tara. A lot of us grew up being taught that. It sounds as if there are very few boy jobs or girl jobs but in some places people believe differently. It also seems as if everywhere there are some people who believe differently. All of you are growing up in families where you learn you can be anything you want to be if you have talent and are physically abled.
Sue: I cannot play a lot of sports with people not in wheelchairs but I can play with others in wheelchairs. I like sports better than my brother. He likes to read and read and read. Always reading.
Me: Great examples Sue. Sounds as if we are going to keep questioning old rules and see what we find out. You all are growing up in an exciting time.
We are nearly out of time. Between now and next week talk with your families about what you like and notice about spring.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written April 26, 2017
I am sure that on this beautiful spring day the young scholars will be as eager as I am to be free to be outside. Perhaps not, but I hope so. It does seem as if some children and families are spending a lot of time indoors although the families of these young children all seem to limit the amount of indoor time when possible.
The scholars are arriving and they sound as “chirpy” as the spring birds. The sound makes me smile.
Me: Good morning Class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies?
Me: We will have cookies next week.
I am eager to hear what you and your families think about whether there are boy chores and girl chores and how your families decide who does what chores? What wants to start?
Tara: Mom and dad thinks that everyone in the family should be able to do all the chores. Dad likes to work on cars but mom knows what to do and my sister could not drive until she could change a tire and take care of the car. Dad likes to cook more than mom.
Steve: Having babies is a girl thing. Boys cannot have a baby. I am glad?
Me: This is true Steve. It is also true that if a mother is able to give the baby her milk that only she can do that.
Steve: Dad says that some think a guy can feed the baby with his milk.
Me: Yes, I have heard that Steve but I am not sure that is going to happen any time soon. What about taking care of the baby except for that.
Steve: Mom says that everyone can help with the new baby. At first mom was home and then dad was home taking care of the baby.
Sofia: When our relatives come from Italy the boys think that there are boys and girl chores but the girls do not.
Susie: Mom said that her grandmother was pregnant a lot and could not do some things but everyone did a lot of the chores on the farm. Some things only her grandmother did.
Me: Such as what Susie:
Susie: Grandma made quilts and these little things on the dressers. They are little thinks out of threat. I forget what you call them.
Me: Ahh. Dollies which she crocheted.
Susie: That is it Mr. Jim.
Ahmes: In Egypt it was different than here. My sister and I like it here better. There were lots of rules for girls in Egypt but mom says it is changing there also.
Sam: Mom says that there was a big war and all the women started working in men’s jobs, but when the men came home they said that they were men’s jobs. That was a long time ago.
Me: Yes, there used to be a lot of rules which were different for males and females. It was really tough for women to be accepted in certain jobs.
Tommy: Dad said that girls are better at doing things that take a long time and men are faster sometimes but cannot go as long.
Sue: I heard that a 101 year old woman ran a race.
Me; I heard about that. The woman is Man Keur from India. She won gold for the 100-meter dash at the World Masters Games in New Zealand. (“See Inspiring 101-year-old Woman Win Gold in 100-meter Dash at World Masters Games” by Alysha Tsuji, USA Today, April 26, 2017)
Sam: Dad says that everyone in our famiiy are better at some things. He says it is not about whether we are boys or girls. You are the cookie maker Uncle Jim.
Me; That is true Sam. There may be some differences in males and females abilities but we are finding that there are fewer than we thought.
Tara: Mom played a bunch of old songs such as “I want to be an Engineer” She said that they used to tell girls that they could not be engineers or could not do math.
Me: Thanks Tara. A lot of us grew up being taught that. It sounds as if there are very few boy jobs or girl jobs but in some places people believe differently. It also seems as if everywhere there are some people who believe differently. All of you are growing up in families where you learn you can be anything you want to be if you have talent and are physically abled.
Sue: I cannot play a lot of sports with people not in wheelchairs but I can play with others in wheelchairs. I like sports better than my brother. He likes to read and read and read. Always reading.
Me: Great examples Sue. Sounds as if we are going to keep questioning old rules and see what we find out. You all are growing up in an exciting time.
We are nearly out of time. Between now and next week talk with your families about what you like and notice about spring.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written April 26, 2017
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