Chapter 6 Compassion
Having consideration for others is key in our society. How often do we forget to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” before we place blame or scorn someone for something over which he/she may ultimately have no control at that particular point in his/her life? Ron Clark discusses compassion in schools and does so by building climate in his school. From the moment I arrived in his school in June, from my greeting by the receptionist and security guard, to the tour from the students, to the presentation in his classroom, the message was the same….compassion and passion for teaching. He writes, “As teachers we must be aware of the climate of our classrooms and how the students are interacting with one another. We have to make sure that our students feel safe and comfortable and that they are able to focus on their education.” One of the most powerful staff development sessions that I ever embarked on was a bus ride. We all loaded on yellow school buses and traveled the bus route that some of our students do each day. We were able to see how long the bus ride was, etc. We don’t know for certain what some of the issues our students bring to the classroom each day, but this bus ride awakened me to this learning experience. Clark continues, “Once kids understand and realize the feelings and emotions of others, they are much more willing to respect those who are different from them.”
Also, Clark writes about having compassion for the elderly. Our school does a wonderful job with performing outreach service learning projects with local nursing homes, etc. However, this year, I want to take this task one step further. I want each homeroom to adopt a Grand. Think about someone in our community who may need a little compassion and “invite” them to your classrooms monthly to eat lunch, volunteer, etc. “What is important is that through these efforts students begin to realize how the elderly in our society should be honored, appreciated, and respectfully treated.”
On to Chapter 7……I look forward to your responses and start thinking about your Grand adoptions!
