★ Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Social and Emotional Learning in 1st grade
By Francis Carlier
Today we spoke about these key words: prejudice, tolerance, intolerance, feelings, mean, bully, violence and self-esteem.
The goal of this lesson was to teach kids that words have the power to hurt and to heal. Our words have power and they have meaning. Our words impact those around us.
After introducing the class to their new classmate “Charlie”, each child said something kind to Charlie and then something unkind to Charlie. As they said unkind things to Charlie, Charlie was taken apart and the piece was given to the student who said the unkind words.
After Charlie was in pieces, it was time to put Charlie back together. Each child who said something mean to Charlie had the opportunity to apologize to Charlie and then tape the doll back together.
When the torn body is fully repaired — no matter how hard the students have tried to piece him back together — Charlie will not look the same as when students met her/him for the first time.
Charlie’s feelings were hurt, and the scars remain. Chances are those scars will never go away.
Charlie serves as constant reinforcement of a vivid lesson in kindness.
Sarah Le Boyer
