Some Things Change--Some Things Stay the Same
Several children asked me what happened to the books left over from the Earth Day Book Swap. We gave the remaining boxes of books to Ka Pa'alana, an organization that works with homeless families. The children enjoyed the Book Swap and got great satisfaction from participating in it. Not only did they love browsing through the books and getting "new" books, they also liked that we gave books to homeless families.
I asked the children three questions to reflect upon this 2008-2009 school year, and several of their answers are posted below (in no particular order).
(1) What did you enjoy this year in CE?
Writing in journals
Role plays
Writing peace poems
Book swap
Listening to Mrs. Abe read stories
Talking about how we feel/'Ohana time
Praying
Having Mrs. Abe as our teacher
Learning about peace
Learning about recycling/plastic/corrugated cardboard
Going around to the classrooms and telling them about the canned food drive
Drawing/writing
Praying
Singing
Learning about kindness
Coming to the Peace Room during lunch recess
(2) What did you learn this year in CE?
Recycling 1 plastic bottle saves 6 hours of electricity (3 students quoted this directly --this information was from a book that I read aloud!)
How to respect people
Feeling the other person's feelings (volunteered by a kindergartner!)
Recycling
Recycling is better than throwing away trash
Trash goes to landfills
How to respect people
God loves us no matter what
We can recycle #1 and #2 plastics in Hawaii
God lives everywhere
God will always be with you, everywhere you go
Love
Peace, peace is important, peace helps you feel calm
Friendship
Respect my friends
God is all around us
Don't lie on the floor (our classroom rule)
Love my friends
Listen to people
Be quiet when other people are talking
God takes care of us
Violence is never okay
Use less paper
(3) What do you think should be changed/done differently/what is something you want to learn next year?
The history of God
More about God
Get a better air conditioner for the classroom
Learn more about recycling, walk down to the bin at our school
Where is God?
Write more poems
Do less 'Ohana time/prayer (in contrast to the children who enjoyed that most about CE)
How did God make us/the earth/solar system/animals?
What the highest number that plastics go up to?
What do other countries do with their trash/recycling?
What do you do if someone's mean to you?
Get a chapel building for MPI
How strong is God?
Where is Jesus?
More about feelings
Do more puppets
How did God make himself?
How many landfills are there in Hawaii?
What happens when I grow up/college?
Do the prayer leaders in alphabetical order by first name (right now they're by last name)
Some children also mentioned some things they as individuals need to do differently next year, like talk less when other people are talking.
I look forward to exploring some of the topics that they mentioned next year!
I was really struck by the relevant questions/topics the children brought up. I think the children's ability to reflect on what they've learned and then think about what they want to learn next is a reflection of the philosophy here at MPI.
The last book we read this year was called Sometimes Things Change by Mary Murphy. It's a picture book. Even though there are crayon markings on every page, I told the children I bought it for only 25 cents from Manoa Library-- one of my favorite sections there! The book talks about how some things change, whether my home, my feelings, my costume, day changes to night, dark changes to light, etc. However, on the last page, the author writes "Some things change, but some things stay the same." There is a picture of the adult penguin hugging the two little penguins.
I told the children that, yes, soon their lives will change. They may have another teacher, they will have different people in their class, they may even move to another school or another state. However, their parents will always love them, their classroom teachers and I will always love them, and above all, God will always love them. That will always stay the same.
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind blow at your back
May the sun shine warmly on your face
May the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
Until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Warmest aloha,
Lori Abe
