School Bells - Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 37
The school year is soon to come to an end. It is still unclear whether I will be invited back for next year The state legislative has not yet agreed on a new budget, but we know that there will be cuts. Although I volunteer my time it could be that this time slot will have to be used for other purposes as school staff struggle to arrive at a schedule which both fits the budget and meets as many needs of the children as possible.
The young people are arriving.
Me: Good morning class. Before you ask, yes I brought cookie. John and Will please pass them out.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Thank you!
Me: You are welcome.
I am eager to hear the results of your discussion with your families about how the world would change if we could have empathy for everyone in the community whether they are a CEO making millions of dollars or a really poorly paid clerk in a store. Perhaps someone could start by offering a definition of empathy.
Paul: We looked it up in the Oxford Dictionary Uncle Jim. It said:
“Empathy means ‘the ability to understand and share the feelings of another’…whereas sympathy means ‘feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune’ “
Me: Thanks Paul. In your discussion were there particular people or groups of people for whom you had a difficult time feeling empathy.
Amena: When our family was talking we had a difficult time feeling any empathy for the person who hurts children. Mom suggested that we watch the movie The Shack which is based on the book by William Young by the same name.
Me: Why did mom suggest that movie Amena?
Amena: In that movie a man is abused as a child and then his daughter is kidnapped, raped and killed. In the story the man ends up forgiving his abuser and the man who abused, raped and killed his daughter. Dad said that some have criticized the movie because the killer of the daughter does not, as far as is known, repent. Some believe that you only give empathy if a person repents.
Me: What do you think?
Amena: In our family it is important to say you are sorry when you hurt someone but mom and dad are really sneaky.
Me: Sneaky?
Amena: They say things like “It is easy to lose our temper and say hurtful things. We know what that is like.”
Me: Okay! What is wrong with that Amena.
Amena: Da! They know that when they say things like that it is hard to stay angry.
Me: You are suggesting that their empathy helps you or even forces you to talk about what you did?
Amena: That and I know that they really mean it. Sometimes they get angry and are hurtful and then they apologize and we forgive. It feels like it would be stupid to suggest that we are different.
John: Dad says that when we think we are different and judge others we end up all alone.
Me: Why is that John?
John: He says none of us are perfect and we all know that in our hearts. If we act as if we are different we are pretending and end up all alone.
Me: Excellent point John. What usually happens instead of empathy.
Susie: We talked about that. We point fingers as if there are bad people and good people and then we hurt each other which causes more finger pointing which… It is like a big circle Mr. Jim.
Me: Very well put Susie.
Will: Grandma says that we need to focus on getting honest with God and then we will have to admit that we all have mean and bad thoughts. It is really difficult to tell God that you are better than the guy in prison who hurt someone.
Me: Your grandmother sounds like a wise woman.
Will: She is Mr. Jim but it is hard sometimes to be that honest because then you have to be nice even when everyone else is saying bad things about someone.
Ann: There is this girl who is always spreading lies about others.
Me: Why do you think she does that Ann?
Ann: I asked mom and she says that this girl wants to feel important. In our family everyone feels important but if no one ever acted as if I was important I would feel bad and I might do what she is doing. That is difficult to admit and I do not really know what it feels like to not feel loved or important.
Me: So I hear you saying that we all want to feel important and some of us have a family which makes that easy.
Tom: It is easy in this class too.
Me: Are their mental and emotional illnesses which makes it difficult for people to feel good about themselves or others.
John: Dad talked about that. No one asks to have mental illness do they Mr. Jim.
Me: No they do not. Lots of people need our understanding and appreciation of the fact that we could be the one who has a mental illness or a really sad family situation.
Paul: Uncle Jim are you saying that if we try to put ourselves in the shoes or mind of another then we create a less violent and more loving world.
Me: What do you think Paul?
Paul: I think some people would still hurt others but I also think that some people would stop hurting others.
Will: Mom and I talked about the fact that we act as if we have a good reason to be mean but others do not. We all think we have a right to be mean or unkind but we can all be mean or unkind.
Me: Well said Will. I am so proud of all of you for beginning to think about this important topic. Next week is our last week. How about you and your families talk about one thing you want to hold on to or keep from the class this year.
Susie please pass out cookies. Ann please pass out the assignment.
Have a good week everyone
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Class: Bye Mr. Jim
Written May 16, 2017
School Bells - Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 37
The school year is soon to come to an end. It is still unclear whether I will be invited back for next year The state legislative has not yet agreed on a new budget, but we know that there will be cuts. Although I volunteer my time it could be that this time slot will have to be used for other purposes as school staff struggle to arrive at a schedule which both fits the budget and meets as many needs of the children as possible.
The young people are arriving.
Me: Good morning class. Before you ask, yes I brought cookie. John and Will please pass them out.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Thank you!
Me: You are welcome.
I am eager to hear the results of your discussion with your families about how the world would change if we could have empathy for everyone in the community whether they are a CEO making millions of dollars or a really poorly paid clerk in a store. Perhaps someone could start by offering a definition of empathy.
Paul: We looked it up in the Oxford Dictionary Uncle Jim. It said:
“Empathy means ‘the ability to understand and share the feelings of another’…whereas sympathy means ‘feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune’ “
Me: Thanks Paul. In your discussion were there particular people or groups of people for whom you had a difficult time feeling empathy.
Amena: When our family was talking we had a difficult time feeling any empathy for the person who hurts children. Mom suggested that we watch the movie The Shack which is based on the book by William Young by the same name.
Me: Why did mom suggest that movie Amena?
Amena: In that movie a man is abused as a child and then his daughter is kidnapped, raped and killed. In the story the man ends up forgiving his abuser and the man who abused, raped and killed his daughter. Dad said that some have criticized the movie because the killer of the daughter does not, as far as is known, repent. Some believe that you only give empathy if a person repents.
Me: What do you think?
Amena: In our family it is important to say you are sorry when you hurt someone but mom and dad are really sneaky.
Me: Sneaky?
Amena: They say things like “It is easy to lose our temper and say hurtful things. We know what that is like.”
Me: Okay! What is wrong with that Amena.
Amena: Da! They know that when they say things like that it is hard to stay angry.
Me: You are suggesting that their empathy helps you or even forces you to talk about what you did?
Amena: That and I know that they really mean it. Sometimes they get angry and are hurtful and then they apologize and we forgive. It feels like it would be stupid to suggest that we are different.
John: Dad says that when we think we are different and judge others we end up all alone.
Me: Why is that John?
John: He says none of us are perfect and we all know that in our hearts. If we act as if we are different we are pretending and end up all alone.
Me: Excellent point John. What usually happens instead of empathy.
Susie: We talked about that. We point fingers as if there are bad people and good people and then we hurt each other which causes more finger pointing which… It is like a big circle Mr. Jim.
Me: Very well put Susie.
Will: Grandma says that we need to focus on getting honest with God and then we will have to admit that we all have mean and bad thoughts. It is really difficult to tell God that you are better than the guy in prison who hurt someone.
Me: Your grandmother sounds like a wise woman.
Will: She is Mr. Jim but it is hard sometimes to be that honest because then you have to be nice even when everyone else is saying bad things about someone.
Ann: There is this girl who is always spreading lies about others.
Me: Why do you think she does that Ann?
Ann: I asked mom and she says that this girl wants to feel important. In our family everyone feels important but if no one ever acted as if I was important I would feel bad and I might do what she is doing. That is difficult to admit and I do not really know what it feels like to not feel loved or important.
Me: So I hear you saying that we all want to feel important and some of us have a family which makes that easy.
Tom: It is easy in this class too.
Me: Are their mental and emotional illnesses which makes it difficult for people to feel good about themselves or others.
John: Dad talked about that. No one asks to have mental illness do they Mr. Jim.
Me: No they do not. Lots of people need our understanding and appreciation of the fact that we could be the one who has a mental illness or a really sad family situation.
Paul: Uncle Jim are you saying that if we try to put ourselves in the shoes or mind of another then we create a less violent and more loving world.
Me: What do you think Paul?
Paul: I think some people would still hurt others but I also think that some people would stop hurting others.
Will: Mom and I talked about the fact that we act as if we have a good reason to be mean but others do not. We all think we have a right to be mean or unkind but we can all be mean or unkind.
Me: Well said Will. I am so proud of all of you for beginning to think about this important topic. Next week is our last week. How about you and your families talk about one thing you want to hold on to or keep from the class this year.
Susie please pass out cookies. Ann please pass out the assignment.
Have a good week everyone
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Class: Bye Mr. Jim
Written May 16, 2017
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