Grade 2 Update

I hope that some of you have had the chance to see the words over the window in our classroom.  I started by putting up "KINDNESS", "RESPECT","GRATITUDE", "INNER STRENGTH", "FRIENDSHIP" and "JOY".  Some of the students then suggested we add "RESPONSIBILITY".

 For the last few weeks while the older kids are busy with their electives and class level prayers we have incorporated these themes into our midweek prayers.  We have discussed what each of these concepts means and I have been asking each student to think of which one of these concepts touched them that day.  We have heard about students acting kindly in school and about students who were the recipients of kindness.  Some students spoke about finding inner strength when they were able to meet an academic challenge, or finding strength in a social situation.  We have shared about being responsible and respectful, and always there are children who tell about being grateful or finding joy  (happiness) during the day.  The students have been very respectful to their classmates as everyone has a turn to share.  We then sing the Sh'ma and "Oseh Shalom" as a class.  It has been a great way transition from different schools and carpools and to come together as a class.

On Sunday we read "Molly's Pilgrim", the story of an  Jewish immigrant girl in the early Twentieth Century.  During the course of the story Molly learns that her mother is a sort of modern pilgrim, coming to this country from Russia to be able to live freely as a Jew.  We also read that the Pilgrim's may have had been inspired to celebrate Thanksgiving partly due to reading in the Bible about the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.  The kids loved that connection!  We all then wrote what we are thankful for, drew pictures and  put them up on the board.  One of the students said she was thankful for her stuffed animals-not because it was fun to play with them but because they make her clam and comfort her.  This comment helped me see the world through her eyes a little better, and for that I was grateful.

I wish everyone has a joyful, restorative and Happy Thanksgiving.