Newsletter January 20-24, 2020
During our short week in Room 8, we continued our discussion on peace and Martin Luther King, Jr. We explained in last week’s newsletter that the theme of peace and respect falls under the Wise Learning Process pillar of Ethics. We decided to dive deeper into the concept of ethics. What does the word ethics mean? Why is the Wise Learning Process symbol of ethics a diamond that is half black and half white? We began this discussion by asking the children these questions. All of the children in Room 8 recognized that the symbol was a diamond, but they were curious why half of it is light and half of it is dark. We like to use the Wise Learning Process symbol to explain the concept of ethics because it allows us to break down this advanced idea into simpler terms. We continued the conversation by asking the children if they can name any characters from a movie that are considered the “bad guy.” They named a few characters including Darth Vader, Romeo, Maleficent and the Joker. We discussed why each character is considered “bad,” and the actions they perform that make them a bad guy. Then, we inquired, “What is the opposite of the dark side?” The light side is when people make the right decision and think about how their actions affect others. For example, if someone asks for help and you do not help them, we consider that the dark side. If someone asks for help and you gladly lend a hand, we consider this the light side. Throughout the week, we listened closely to the conversations during work and play to point out examples of both the dark and light side of ethics. We love seeing the children apply this concept and shout out to a friend, “Remember to be on the light side of ethics!! Don’t go to the dark!” Another piece of ethics that we touched on and tied into Martin Luther King Jr. is the idea of equality. We went around the large group circle and asked each child what color hair they had. Some have blonde, some have curly, some have dark brown, and some have pin straight hair. Then, we asked, “How would you feel if only the curly haired kids were allowed to play with the Legos for the rest of the year?” They immediately responded by saying, “That’s NOT fair!” Equality means being treated the same no matter our differences. If we treat everyone how we want to be treated, we, explained, this how to stay on the light side of ethics. We continue to bring ethics and equality into daily conversations, as this is an essential life lesson. It is important to instill the values of ethics and equality at a young age so that it becomes a norm in their everyday life. They will grow up understanding that mutual respect is not an option, it is just a way of life. Room 8 will continue to emphasize the idea of equality and ethics throughout the rest of year. Whether it is in play or in the next holiday story, it is essential to recognize that these values appear everywhere in life. We also want to thank Chloe’s family for joining us for Shabbat this week. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and Shabbat Shalom! Mari and Aaliyah **MOST IMPORTANT REMINDER -- 1/29 is SPIRIT DAY. Please send your child in anything Disney-themed dress-up! REMINDERS:
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Pre-K Room 8Mari Greifer Archives
March 2020
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