School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – Week 8
As always I am excited to meet with my adopted niece Sam’s first grade class. The subject this week is friendships. What are they? How do we feed them? My intention is to get the young people and their families talking about how relationships such as friendships affect and are affected by current affairs. I know that this week many of the young people have relatives who are living in the path of the Hurricane Matthew. Sam’s grandparents arrived a couple of days ago to stay with her family and they are fine. They have many other friends and some relatives who are still in Florida. When there is something such as a hurricane threatening the homes, the lives and the livelihood of millions of people it is easier to make relationships a priority.
Here are the students now.
Me: Good morning class. How are you?
Class: We are fine! We want cookies?
Me: Oh! Everyone focusing on cookies. I wonder who thought of that?
No response? At any rate, no cookies today, but I will bring some next week. How is everyone?
Sam: Everyone is worried about all the people who Matthew is chasing out of their homes. Mamma and Pop Pop are staying with us, but their house might be floating. They have a lot of friends who are staying in sh…
Me: Shelters?
Sam: Yes. That is it Uncle Jim. Some of the shelters are in churches or other places which are safer.
Tara: My aunt and uncle were in Hatti with some other people from their church to help build some new houses and then the storm came. We have not heard from them. I am very scared Mr. Jim.
Me: Yes, that is scary.
Steve: My cousins were at Disney and they had to come home early. They were very sad and thought that the storm was exciting. How can it be exciting when so many people are in danger?
Tommy: When I get older I want to fly one of those planes that chase storms.
Sophia: Yes, I think that would be fun.
Me: Some of those people help us learn more about the storms.
It seems like we are already talking about the subject for today which was friendships. What are they and how do we feed them? Let’s start there? What is a friendship?
Sam: It is when someone is always there to talk and to give you a glass of milk and something to eat like you do Paul and I, Uncle Jim.
Tara: It is like knowing that even if you get mad at someone they will still share their lunch when you forget yours.
Steve: When I get scared I get into bed with my parents and they make it safe.
Sofia: When I feel sad, my dog, ginger climbs on my lap.
Me: What shall we write on the board? Friendships are:
• Listening.
• Making it safe.
• Being there when someone is scared or sad.
Ahmes: It is making someone feel welcome when they come from Egypt to here.
Me: Say more about that Ahmes.
Ahmes: We had heard that a lot of people in the United States do not like people like us and no one here seemed to know we were different.
Me: So they noticed that you were more like them then different from them.
Ahmes: Yes. No one said anything about us being Muslims or from Egypt and looking different. We feel safe here.
Me: That is wonderful. I am so glad. So friendships focus on ways we are like each other and not just ways we are different.
Sam: But, Uncle Jim, we learn a lot from each other and also learn a lot about ourelves.
Me: That is true Sam. You seem to be saying that when we are focused on becoming friends we see differences as an opportunity to learn and not something to be frightened of.
Sue: Other people in class help me when I need it but do not assume that I am dumb because I am in a wheelchair.
Me: Wonderful. Are you saying that other people in class do not treat you as if you are just a sick person or a person with an illness.
Sue: That is it Mr Jim.
Susie: When I am having a tough day my dad turns off the stove where he is cooking dinner, makes me a hot chocolate and just listens.
Me: Wow. So listening is more important than the task of cooking dinner. That is very important isn’t it?
Susie: It makes me feel better.
Me: So friendship does not seem to mean buying toys, clothes or other things. It seems it has more to do with taking time to listen, to just be there no matter what else one had planned.
Tara: Last night on the television they were talking about how much better we take care of each other when there is bad storm or something.
Me: That does seem to be true, doesn’t it. I wonder why that is?
Steve: A storm, fire, death of a parent or someone is like a giant walking into the room. It is tough to ignore.
Me: That is very observant Steve. I love your example. Did you know that when we compare one thing to another like comparing something like a storm to a giant is called an analogy. Here, I will write the word on the board.
Susie: Can we only have friendships when the giant makes us scared Mr. Jim?
Me: We seem to do that sometimes. It seems as if it is easy to forget to take care of each other when we are busy with work or school or even playing. Susie you seem to be asking if we can remember to take care of each other even when the giant is not there.
Susie: Can we Mr. Jim.
Me: I think all of you have made each other feel welcome and important. Every time I meet with you listen to each other and are very helpful to each other no matter how different you are in some ways.
Ahmes: It does not seem as if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump do that. When we get to be adults do we have to treat each other mean Mr. Jim?
Me: I don’t think so. Do you think that if adults treat other as well as you and your families seem to treat each other we would make a less violent world?
Tommy: But we would still have storms and stuff.
Me: Yes, we would but we would not need a storm to remind us to take care of each other and that we are more alike than different.
Tara: So we feed friendships by making them important all the time Mr. Jim?
Me: Sure sounds that way. Wow, you children are so smart and loving. I am very impressed.
Sam: You say that every week Uncle Jim but then you do not always bring cookies.
Me: Ahh. Good try Sam. Sometimes the reward for doing well is just knowing we did well, but I do think you deserve cookies next week.
Class: Yea!
Me: Okay for next week, how talk about the lessons in the story the Wizzard of Oz. Here are the slips to take home. Steve and Tara will you pass the out please.
Steve and Tara pass them out.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Me. Thanks everyone. I hope we find ways to help all those affected by the storm and will hope all your relatives are okay.
Written October 7, 2016
School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 1 – Week 8
As always I am excited to meet with my adopted niece Sam’s first grade class. The subject this week is friendships. What are they? How do we feed them? My intention is to get the young people and their families talking about how relationships such as friendships affect and are affected by current affairs. I know that this week many of the young people have relatives who are living in the path of the Hurricane Matthew. Sam’s grandparents arrived a couple of days ago to stay with her family and they are fine. They have many other friends and some relatives who are still in Florida. When there is something such as a hurricane threatening the homes, the lives and the livelihood of millions of people it is easier to make relationships a priority.
Here are the students now.
Me: Good morning class. How are you?
Class: We are fine! We want cookies?
Me: Oh! Everyone focusing on cookies. I wonder who thought of that?
No response? At any rate, no cookies today, but I will bring some next week. How is everyone?
Sam: Everyone is worried about all the people who Matthew is chasing out of their homes. Mamma and Pop Pop are staying with us, but their house might be floating. They have a lot of friends who are staying in sh…
Me: Shelters?
Sam: Yes. That is it Uncle Jim. Some of the shelters are in churches or other places which are safer.
Tara: My aunt and uncle were in Hatti with some other people from their church to help build some new houses and then the storm came. We have not heard from them. I am very scared Mr. Jim.
Me: Yes, that is scary.
Steve: My cousins were at Disney and they had to come home early. They were very sad and thought that the storm was exciting. How can it be exciting when so many people are in danger?
Tommy: When I get older I want to fly one of those planes that chase storms.
Sophia: Yes, I think that would be fun.
Me: Some of those people help us learn more about the storms.
It seems like we are already talking about the subject for today which was friendships. What are they and how do we feed them? Let’s start there? What is a friendship?
Sam: It is when someone is always there to talk and to give you a glass of milk and something to eat like you do Paul and I, Uncle Jim.
Tara: It is like knowing that even if you get mad at someone they will still share their lunch when you forget yours.
Steve: When I get scared I get into bed with my parents and they make it safe.
Sofia: When I feel sad, my dog, ginger climbs on my lap.
Me: What shall we write on the board? Friendships are:
• Listening.
• Making it safe.
• Being there when someone is scared or sad.
Ahmes: It is making someone feel welcome when they come from Egypt to here.
Me: Say more about that Ahmes.
Ahmes: We had heard that a lot of people in the United States do not like people like us and no one here seemed to know we were different.
Me: So they noticed that you were more like them then different from them.
Ahmes: Yes. No one said anything about us being Muslims or from Egypt and looking different. We feel safe here.
Me: That is wonderful. I am so glad. So friendships focus on ways we are like each other and not just ways we are different.
Sam: But, Uncle Jim, we learn a lot from each other and also learn a lot about ourelves.
Me: That is true Sam. You seem to be saying that when we are focused on becoming friends we see differences as an opportunity to learn and not something to be frightened of.
Sue: Other people in class help me when I need it but do not assume that I am dumb because I am in a wheelchair.
Me: Wonderful. Are you saying that other people in class do not treat you as if you are just a sick person or a person with an illness.
Sue: That is it Mr Jim.
Susie: When I am having a tough day my dad turns off the stove where he is cooking dinner, makes me a hot chocolate and just listens.
Me: Wow. So listening is more important than the task of cooking dinner. That is very important isn’t it?
Susie: It makes me feel better.
Me: So friendship does not seem to mean buying toys, clothes or other things. It seems it has more to do with taking time to listen, to just be there no matter what else one had planned.
Tara: Last night on the television they were talking about how much better we take care of each other when there is bad storm or something.
Me: That does seem to be true, doesn’t it. I wonder why that is?
Steve: A storm, fire, death of a parent or someone is like a giant walking into the room. It is tough to ignore.
Me: That is very observant Steve. I love your example. Did you know that when we compare one thing to another like comparing something like a storm to a giant is called an analogy. Here, I will write the word on the board.
Susie: Can we only have friendships when the giant makes us scared Mr. Jim?
Me: We seem to do that sometimes. It seems as if it is easy to forget to take care of each other when we are busy with work or school or even playing. Susie you seem to be asking if we can remember to take care of each other even when the giant is not there.
Susie: Can we Mr. Jim.
Me: I think all of you have made each other feel welcome and important. Every time I meet with you listen to each other and are very helpful to each other no matter how different you are in some ways.
Ahmes: It does not seem as if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump do that. When we get to be adults do we have to treat each other mean Mr. Jim?
Me: I don’t think so. Do you think that if adults treat other as well as you and your families seem to treat each other we would make a less violent world?
Tommy: But we would still have storms and stuff.
Me: Yes, we would but we would not need a storm to remind us to take care of each other and that we are more alike than different.
Tara: So we feed friendships by making them important all the time Mr. Jim?
Me: Sure sounds that way. Wow, you children are so smart and loving. I am very impressed.
Sam: You say that every week Uncle Jim but then you do not always bring cookies.
Me: Ahh. Good try Sam. Sometimes the reward for doing well is just knowing we did well, but I do think you deserve cookies next week.
Class: Yea!
Me: Okay for next week, how talk about the lessons in the story the Wizzard of Oz. Here are the slips to take home. Steve and Tara will you pass the out please.
Steve and Tara pass them out.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Me. Thanks everyone. I hope we find ways to help all those affected by the storm and will hope all your relatives are okay.
Written October 7, 2016
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