The following is the inspiring debut post by new blogger Shannon Denton. Please stay tuned to her blog, Denton’s Digest, to keep up with Shannon and her fifth grade class!
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Last year, after Sandy Hook I knew I had to do something in my own classroom for my students to see that there is more beauty in the world than there is darkness. At the same time I saw so many adults having a hard time finding the beauty, the kindness because of their own heartbreak. I realized it was time to continue using Peter H. Reynolds, Angela Maiers and Amy Krouse Rosenthal as my mentor authors in my classroom so we could create more beauty in the world. We needed to go back and reread their words and listen to them speak. We decided to begin to “Beckon the Lovely,” Amy K.R.’s call to action! This year, it is my mission to make sure my students know they MATTER and its our job to change the world!
This year we are going to read Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Peter H. Reynolds. I am going to give my students, and hopefully my staff a bag of seeds, with a mission.
Here it is:
This bag of seeds is just like a person filled with many different qualities. We must plant the seeds, water and feed them, make sure the seeds have the right amount of sunshine. We, the people who surround the seeds and each other, are the wind in the air. When we are kind and gentle, the seeds can grow, create more seeds and spread across the land. When we are harsh and cold, the seeds might not grow or the plants will wither just like the insides of a person get damaged. Ourjob is to either continue to nurture the seeds/people around us or to try to fix the damage that was done. We need to reflect on our actions and how we can make change.
- What do I need to do to create success around me?
- What do I need to do for myself?
- How can I affect the world in powerful ways?
- How can I create a gentle breeze to carry seeds and beauty to the world?
- How can I change the harsh wind I created into a gentle, nurturing breeze?
We need to blow the harshness away, change its course, and create the calm after the storm that allows for new beginnings!
You are POWERFUL, you MATTER and it is the CHOICES we make that can change the world!
Here is our mission: Lets make those choices kind and world changing! Let start by beckoning the lovely! Lets change the world one kind word at a time and make our mark!
Here is the google presentation I will also be using in the classroom before reading Plant a Kiss to see and hear Amy K. R. and see how we can make a difference!
