Some Things to Think about...

This week has been such fun!  We came into class on Monday morning to discover a butterfly had emerged from its chrysalis over the weekend. So our first task of the day was to release it to its new life. What a joy it was!

In chapel, Chaplain Koyama talked with us about the concept of respect. He likened our spirits to a candle flame burning bright. He told us that just as the candle flame flickers and sometimes goes out when blown or left unsheltered or unnourished, so our spirits can flicker or go out when treated with disrespect or lack of love. Respect is one of the three BE - ATTITUDES we have adopted for our MPI Elementary learning community - Be Respectful and Caring. Be Responsible. Be Safe. We came away from chapel shining brightly and mindful of how our actions and words affect others.

On Wednesday we were treated to music and dance performed by students from Cambodia. It was fabulous to see the entire school together for the first time. I was so impressed with the kindness, respect, and enthusiasm the student body showed for these guests. It was a heartfelt event, with dances about good wishes and friendship between the 

students of Cambodia and the United States. When we returned from class, the children discussed their favorite dance, instrument, or costume. We also found Cambodia on the globe as well as in the atlas. Someone mentioned that they had done an Internet search on Cambodia the night before with a parent. Our discussion also touched on the fact that the Cambodian students live in an orphanage in Cambodia. That brought about questions of what it means to be an orphan (a new perspective for some) and how lucky we all are to have loving parents.

Posted on September 11, 2008 12:59 PM | Permalink