We had our think-a-thon for Haiti today. The letter I wrote to students sums it up. At the bottom of the letter there is a list of words. After the 45 minutes were up, each student shared a word that expressed how they felt during the 45 minutes. You'll find those at the bottom of this post.
Dear Students, January 29, 2010
Thank you for being so tuned in to the struggle our neighbors are experiencing in Haiti. It’s hard to feel connected to something so far away, but you have worked hard to imagine what it might be like to be a Haitian living with the effects of the earthquake.
Think about it—Everyone in our school is spending this 45 minutes doing something in honor of Haiti. Everyone from our kindergarten buddies to your second and third grade teachers to your friends in other fifth grade classes is taking this moment to pause and send hopeful thoughts about Haiti into the world. Listen to the silence in our room. Can you hear those hopeful thoughts?
You have a few choices about how you can spend this time. You can sit/think/contemplate/meditate in silence. You can write in silence. You can write your Hopes for Haiti on the slips of white paper I left at each table. If you would like to sit on the floor as a symbol of your understanding of how hard peoples’ lives in Haiti are, that’s okay. The most important thing is that you listen to your gut and do what feels right.
We have made a commitment to being silent until 10:00. Please make every effort not to talk or communicate during this silent, thoughtful, serious time. Please only talk to me if you really need to. You may go to the bathroom if it’s an emergency.
Thank you again for being so mature about your choices this morning. I am glad to be sharing this moment with you.
Love,
Lauren
together
uncomfortable
peaceful
thoughtful
sad
sitting
sad
sad
situated
sad
focused
relaxed
hollow
helpless
peaceful
sad
anxious
different
unpredictable
determined
depressing
cryable
unusual
uncomfortable
hopeful
sad
broken-hearted
hopeful
sad
determined
sad
helpful
sad
part of community
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this is so cool!!!!
ReplyDelete-caitlyn
dear lauren this is amazing and its good because haiti will realize
ReplyDeletehow the world will always help a wounded country.
-henry h.
The blog is so cool and thanks for the blog.
ReplyDeleteLove,MAX
When we did the thinkathon I wrote 2 1/2 pages about Haiti! -ROSA
ReplyDeleteI love the whole thing peace out from Henry G.
ReplyDeleteAMAZING It's great and it makes me want to cry from Henry G.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing. It touches my heart.
ReplyDeleteHenry G.
This is a really cool blog.I like that you put up the moment of silence. Maybe other schools will read this and do something like we did.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Viktoria
i love that we are trying to do something for haiti!
ReplyDelete-murell
I love the blog. Thanks for making it.
ReplyDeleteLyndsey
Dear Lauren (B.),
ReplyDeleteI think it's REALLY cool how our class has a blog :) and not just any blog but a cool blog! :D
Love,
Maya :)
THIS IS SO AWESOME!!!! I LOVE THIS. WE CAN ALL LIKE CHAT THROUGH THIS!!!!! The haiti thing we did was so wonderful and nice for the hurt Haitian people!
ReplyDelete--KaYa Scheman
Thanks for your thoughts everybody! I'm glad you like the blog. I don't think we'll be using it to "like chat through," though... :)
ReplyDeleteThis is prity cool it's like an email but the whole class can see all of it
ReplyDeleteHaha. :) Yeah.
ReplyDeleteThe message from february 5 was from Rosa
ReplyDeleteI think we did really well on the 45 mins of silence. And This blog is wonderful Lauren. Thanks! :) - Lauren (the kid)
ReplyDelete