I have taken the time to really show my children (both personal and my class) the tremendous effect of the hurricane. I was amazed at the way the children reacted. It was almost as though it wasn't real and that the people there were not just like they are. Of course I have kindergarteners, but they too should have feelings about what some of the children there are going through. I found myself feeling that we have fallen short of teaching our kids about feelings and about having compassion for others. The very next day, we had a lesson on compassion. When asked after the lesson how they could show compassion, a child said that he could send some things to the hurricane victims. I felt that if nothing else that day, I showed that child how to show compassion.

Diamond, high school students don't seem any different for the most part. Ones that had families in the area or who think that the U.S. is corrupt had things to say. Collectively the attitude was that can't happen to us, those people were stupid for staying, laughs at the looting in the area, jokes at the people on the TV who had not bathed etc. This really troubled me, as I had indepth discussions with my classes. I have such an attitude to fight for the underdogs, and wonder who will be the future generations fighters. I know they exsists somewhere but I would like my students to develop attitudes and committments to causes greater than themselves. That is definetely my role as a teacher, and my prayer is that some will catch on very soon and take action.

Unfortunately Diamond, I have noticed the same type of response from some of my students as well. Unlike you I have 7th graders and I expected them to have a little more compasion than what has been shown. Many of them had the attitude that if it did not happen to me then I am not concerned. We have been collecting money for a relief fund to send to the hurricane victims through Red Cross and many do not want to give. We are not asking for much, just pocket change. What I am gathering out of this is that the students are picking this uncompassionate attitude up from the adults they are around. What does that really say about some of the people in the world today.

I think the type of reaction we get from students varies with age. K-5 students are still sensitive to others and more influenced by teachers and parents. In one day our school raised over $2,500, not including change. We are now past $4,000. Middle and high school students are influenced more by their peers. They also use humor and smart aleck remarks when they don't know how to handle their feelings. My 5th grade students start acting this way around February. All I can say is keep bringing up the topic for discussion. You are reaching some of these students....but they won't tell you!

We are doing the Red Cross drive at my school. A lot of my students seem compassionate but yet the money has stopped flowing. I really believe that students don't understand what it feels like to be without.

LaVerne,
I agree that you just have to keep the discussion going. They have a hard time understanding at times those things that do not effect them directly. I know that I just like everyone else in class are having these discussions on a regular basis. This is the only way that we are going to raise a nation of compassionate people.

I think that the only way my third grade students can relate to something is if they have had something similar happen. For instance, we were reading a book the other day-Winn Dixie and it discusses candy that has sorrow in it and the only way you can taste it is if you have had sorrow. My kids then told me they had sorrow through a dog dying,etc. However, there were a few who were young enough that they hadn't tasted sorrow, and so didn't have anything to contribute. In a way I am very jealous of these kids, but at the same time, they are unable to emphathize with others who are hurting. Therefore, I think it would be interesting to take things away for a day so they could actually "feel" what the people devastated by the hurricane are going through.

I agree. Adults sometimes forget about how much we have to be thankful for, too. The crisis seems far away to those of us sitting in our airconditioned homes with plenty of food and water and a clean, cool bed. I think that is part of the problem with the emergency response. Everyone wants to point fingers of blame, when we should be carrying water and batteries to those who need them. Children watch and mimmick what big people do and how they respond. Thanks for making the impact with your kids.

That is something that the children need. I hope that they will apply it to their day to day lives. We are trying to do a hurricane relief effort at our school. The board has some policy for fundraisers that I haven't read yet. Once the teachers can come to agreement we will probably do a food drive with financial donations as well.

Our school is taking donations for the hurricane victims, and all that was sent home was a letter to parents about helping the victims. I decided to tie my Social Studies lesson on weather of NC to Hurricane Katrina. We discussed the devastation of hurricanes. We also discussed what should be done before, during, and/or after a hurricane hits. I then tried to make the students understand the need of any donations their own family could spare.