A Long Walk to Water

I LOVE my class so much. 

They have such kind hearts.

They listen - maybe not to instructions the first time, but to the important stuff. 

When I teach, I want to teach the whole student, teaching them about subjects, predicates and multiplication is so important, but I want to teach them how to be kind, empathetic and compassionate. When they leave my class, I want them to be courteous, thoughtful and respectful. 

I try to bring in different views from different walks of life and I am so pumped that my teachers assistant Megan feels the same way. This week we started the book A Long Walk to Water. It is 2 stories that take place in South Sudan when there was war in their villages in 2008 and 1985. It follows the story of Nya (2008) and Salva (1985). This has brought up so much conversation in my class about how others live around the world and how blessed we are in Omaha, Nebraska. 

There was a scene where Nya has to walk to get a bucket of water, and the bottom of her feet were covered in thorns. The kids stopped the reading and asked why she wasn't wearing any shoes. This was the perfect opportunity to tell the kids that shoes are something we take for granted; and that protect our feet in ways that we don't have to worry about. They were so curious and asked so many more questions. I told the kids that so many parasites and bacteria live in the soil and water in these 3rd world countries, and a simple cut on the foot would make these people very sick. This then led me to talk about TOMS shoes and their mission statement and impact on the world! The kids were all eyes on me and so engaged. I love their curiousity .

The next day.... I had 2 kids show up in TOMS shoes... 

I wonder if they knew the meaning before?

I wonder if they know the impact they had?

I wonder if they know what they are capable of doing?

I love that I am able to make a change one day at a time.

I love that I have a job where I can teach the whole child,

I love that I have supportive directors that encourage me.

I love that I get to be a teacher.

With love and inspiration,

-Sunshine