Chapter 6 Compassion
This chapter made me feel guilty. I have had limited patience with this year's group and I hate that about myself. They have pushed every single button I have. There were several things I want to try for next year, though.
Clark's guidelines for building the classroom team rapport were awesome and I plan on practicing these next year (140-141). I also want to adopt a senior citizen. This year, Howard's mom was moved from the Assisted Living to the Nursing Home and I know how much she enjoys visits by kids.
In this chapter, one point really stood out to me:
"In our society, children seem to have less and less respect for others, especially adults. I think the main reason for this is that they aren't forming bonds with adults as they used to" (137).
This really hit home. I often wonder why in the world some of our students speak to adults the way they do and this makes perfect sense. I wished I knew how to correct this...
For posting, choose one idea/point and share with the group.
"Our society is becoming centered on the fast(technology-quick answers), devoted to the young(media perception-magazines?), and embarrassed by the old."
ReplyDeleteIn families of long ago the teaching or what was instilled in us was with age comes wisdom.They(grandparents) were the homes to go in the summer and weekends building that special bond.Our grandparents were 50's-70's. Perhaps the old is not revered as much because today grandma is younger and in many cases the primary caregiver instead of secondary.
I have never really thought about they "why" before. I definitely see on a regular basis that most students don't have compassion, but haven't considered the reasons behind it. I wish they had more adults in their lives. Many have only a grandparent or single mother raising them. Next year I would like to intentionally plan experiences for them to speak to adults and get to know them. It could be a questionnaire for some adult in their lives to fill out that forces them to ask questions that help them get to know each other, or even having some guests come into my class so that my kids can speak to someone new and different. This would also teach them basic social and communication skills, which are lacking in today's youth. I'm excited about these ideas for next year!
ReplyDeleteI think we should definitely proactively plan these type opportunities next year!
DeleteI think the break down of the family unit is why many children and adults today do not have compassion. It wasn't too long ago that people not only got married before they had children, but also moved out of their parents house and wallets. Many of our children are either being raised by a single parent or grandparents, while their parents go about their lives. We are now living in a "selfie" culture, where many people are only worried about themselves. This is not fair to the children or the grandparents who are doing their best to raise their grandchildren, but let's face it God gave younger people fertility for a reason. Grandparents should not be raising their grandchildren or still financially supporting their grown children who should be working and taking care of their own family. Many of our children aren't spoken to much at all, and when they are they are being yelled at. The children are never shown compassion, therefore they do not know how to be compassionate. I agree with Bethany, we need to give them more opportunities to actually talk to adults. I have the best memories of my grandparents. I always thought their stories from when they were younger were fascinating. I often tell my grandparent's stories about when they were growing up to my students. I wish my grandmother was still alive, because she would have loved to come tell them herself. This year Mrs. Seals has been coming and telling her stories and the kids love it! Hopefully, next year we can invite others to come in and tell their stories!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have compassion, teaching is not the profession for you! I feel that compassion has a lot to do with choosing battles. Believe it or not...my class has shown compassion in a limited capacity this year. Small victory. Being compassionate involves selflessness. This year has been very revealing in many ways--one of which is the lack of community in my classroom. I once got reprimanded by a principal for having too much community in my classroom. I have really tried to create a community but I do not feel that I have been very successful. I have discovered that when I try to reason with my students, I can't find common ground. There's a spirit of selfishness unlike any I have ever seen. I have tried to steer many of my students toward empathy and compassion but their sense of self and entitlement handicaps them. This has been a year of reflection.
ReplyDelete