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 Do Children Care About the World? 
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Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2003 12:35 pm
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Location: Maiden Elementary
I enjoyed our discussion involving children caring about the world. I think children do care and that their thoughts run deep. After last night's discussion, I thought about the students in my class and my own children. Perhaps I have been so busy teaching the curriculum that I have missed / deemphasized some of the caring things my students have said and done.
Earlier this week, my son asked me what I would wish for if I had 3 wishes. I didn't think seriously since I knew the wishes would not come true, but my son's thoughts ran much deeper. His first wish was for all the sick people in the world to be healed. His second was for people to quit using drugs. The third was for people to be safe during the war. I'm glad to see that he has learned some caring things from home, church, and school.
Earlier this year, during a character education activity, my students decided they wanted to give up their "prized" 15 minutes of monthly educational bingo to draw pictures for a terminally ill lady in the community. When we were drawing the pictures, one child remarked, "We're doing what God wants us to do." This remark was made by a child who is hardly ever on task, in his seat, or quiet. He has learned a lot more than I realized.

Cindy


Thu Mar 27, 2003 12:52 pm
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cindy, your stories are so touching....i do not know how you kept from crying when that little boy spoke his heart.....


Thu Mar 27, 2003 2:42 pm
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Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2003 8:05 am
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Location: Startown School
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Cindy, I agree that kids do care about their world, and like was said last night, they have a hard time understanding why we find so many obstacles to fixing the problems that are around. I would like to be more that way again, myself; less self-involved, bolder, more confidence, and alot more faith and belief that everything can be different.

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Kathy


Thu Mar 27, 2003 2:48 pm
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Location: Webb A. Murray Elementary
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I agree that children are aware of what is going on in the world whether it be the war, hunger, disease and it also true that they don't understand why we can't quickly fix everything. I really wish we could make a quick fix and glue back together what is broken in the world. I tried to answer my students questions at the time of 9/11 when they would ask, "Why would people do this?" All I could say was that there are people in other countries that don't believe in the freedom that we have. I just really didn't know what else to say because at the time I was just as shocked and numb as they were.

Kim


Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:13 pm
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Location: Dudley Shoals Elementary
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Last year I did a unit on being an American for my National Boards. I was inspired after 911 when my students kept asking why the people on TV didn't like us. I brought in how the Pilgrims were afraid of the Indians because they looked and acted differently. But then they helped each other and became friends. From a survey I learned they most of my students had Irish and Native American ancestors and we learned dances from each culture and discussed how they would have felt seeing these differences. I also put different colored bracelets on them one day and treated the bracelets differently. One color got special treatment and the other color didn't have it so good. Throughout this unit I saw 6 and 7 year olds with more sense than most adults. They saw those children on TV as children and wanted to send them money even though their country did not like us. They wanted everything to be fair and everyone to be treated nicely. I had one child take off her green bracelet and give it to another child that was upset because she was not being treated fairly. If we could only take these children and isolate them like Ender to keep them this way. That would be manipulation, wouldn't it Dr. Turner?


Thu Mar 27, 2003 9:26 pm
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When we get so caught up in our jobs and the rat race, isn't it nice when children remind us what is really important. I think that is one of the reasons I would never dream of leaving teaching, no matter how tough it becomes


Thu Mar 27, 2003 11:07 pm
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Children do care. A couple of weeks ago, our AIG classes began a service project to collect items for Hospice (toothbrushes, shampoo, word puzzles, etc...). The 3-5 graders came around to each class and explained what they wanted us to do. They also asked if the children would make cards for the patients. My class was so excited about this. They wanted to do everything that they could. My class alone collected 387 items. I was so proud of them. Last week, our school started a coin drive for Relay for Life. Once again, they wanted to do everything they could. So far, they have collected $102.00. I just can't believe it. I am glad that we are teaching and showing them the importance of caring. This is so much better that selling cookie dough, wrapping paper, etc... DANA


Sun Mar 30, 2003 4:23 pm
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Cathy asked if I thought it would be "manipulation" to try to help our kids keep their sense that they can and should work to make a better world. I think we should (and often do) work toward this, and that it's not isolation that would encourage it, but continuing to help kids connect with the things about which they care. I think a lot of the time we tell kids things they care about are not important, or impossible. We suppress what is good and passionate in them for fear they will be hurt, or because we have ourselves lost faith in the goodness of life, and in our own power.

So I'd ask, isn't there a difference between "teaching" and "manipulation" or indoctrination? Between opening up the world to children and preventing them from having access to the world?

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Gayle Turner


Wed Apr 02, 2003 12:02 pm
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