Lessons We Can Learn From Children

One of the lessons I have learned from observing children, just over the first part of this semester, has been that children know a lot more than I thought they would know. When I initially considered becoming a teacher, I was more interested in the high school level because I expected that I would be able to relate better to students who were closer to my age. I have been very pleasantly surprised by the amount of intelligent conversations I have seen people hold with elementary school age students.

Ralph Fletcher seems continually impressed by the students he works with and points out several brilliant pieces of writing throughout the first part of his book. While the writing itself may not be refined, both Mr. Fletcher and the reader are excited at the creativity these children are able to use in communicating their thoughts.

Another lesson we can learn from the book “Walking Trees” is that children often have a better sense of humor than adults. Adults are often influenced by their agendas, but children are more innocent and unaffected by them. This is particularly evident in Steve Meyers’s classroom, where seemingly no topic is off limits. There was one instance in which Mr. Meyers poked fun at one of his students’ accents, and the student laughed and reacted warmly to him as he rubbed the back of her neck in a fatherly sort of way. The classroom seemed an environment where people could laugh at themselves and each other, but in a very positive way. The students did not need to be ashamed of being different, nor did they feel the need to be indignant about it.

Expanding Knowledge About Racial/Ethnic Groups

I think the best way to expand your knowledge base about racial and ethnic groups is getting to know people in the culture. For teachers, this is really as easy as taking a little extra time to ask students from other racial groups questions about their lives outside of school. This could also mean meeting with the families of these students in order to learn more about home life and culture.

When I worked in the receiving department at Barnes and Noble, one of the Hispanic workers there loved to play Reggae-Tones on the radio. At first, I absolutely hated this kind of music, and I perceived it as an annoyance that bothered me while I was trying to work. However, as I grew to know Ricky more, I grew more accustomed to his culture and the way he enjoyed life and music. After a while, we began calling our friend Ricky-Tone and got a big kick out of watching him do a little dance to his music. I believe that as we get more accustomed to other cultures, our appreciation for that culture will grow. If we expect others to learn American heritage and culture (and I believe we rightfully do so), then we can at least extend this courtesy to other racial and ethnic groups.