Look a Little Closer

I sometimes am so mired in administrative tasks that I lose sight of WHY we do this work.  When each kid becomes a registration form and each teacher a slot in a calendar, I need to stop and back up for the big picture.  But apparently I can also get out a magnifying glass to get perspective.

I came across this article by Susan Erickson at the teaching tolerance website recently.  Erickson is a teacher, she sends a baggie of different colored sand to each student in her class in the week before school.  Then when the class gets together on the first day of school they have a ceremony of investigating with microscopes and combining their different sand.

" To the naked eye, sand may look quite dull.  But under a microscope, the students can see all the beautiful little rocks or shells that make it distinctive.  Getting to know my students is like that. Initially one may appear too shy or way too talkative. But when you look at a student under your teacher microscope, you start to learn and appreciate individual characteristics—what makes that student special. 

Equally important during the beginning of the school year is building community. Here the sand comes into play again. Once we scientifically examine the sand, it’s time to create our own “beach.” Sometimes we make the beach right away; other times, it takes longer. This all depends on how long it takes for the individual students to truly become a class."

Our classes are filled with beautiful children who are bursting with thoughts to share and experiences to add to discussions.  The strength of our religious education classes is the mix of people who are all searching for their own truth.    Just like the different colors of sand, we each bring beauty and our own qualities to the whole.

With all our diverse theologies, we do need to make an effort to create intentional community in the classes.  This can be done with the creation of a class covenant.  Another way is to use the community building games that are in your curriculum.  If you are nervous about doing the games, ask me or one of the older kids to help you - they love playing games!

At Channing, we all have something in common right from the beginning- our Unitarian Universalist faith.  Our covenant (the Seven Principles) calls us to celebrate our individuality while at the same time live in the benefits of community.   I am reminded of our water gathering celebration.  We bring our scattered experiences and combine them into something holy. 

It is beautiful!  See you Sunday!