El Colibri Community Center, Venezuela
Themes 1-3. Elementary Grades, teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
Teachers Iris and Magaly have been carrying out activities on Themes 1-3 in accordance with the ideas suggested in the Curricula Materials. For example, the teachers were promoting such concepts as “goodwill, friendship, concern for others, and sharing.” Students were asked to put together drawings about friendship. Other than drawing, they also visited different classrooms in the school, sang songs, told jokes, and greeted students and teachers. Another suggestion was to compose an essay about ‘respect’ as a response to reading a story and to draw illustrations about the value of kindness. Afterwards, the students discussed what kindness meant to them. One more activity was carried out in pairs: each partner was supposed to demonstrate a gesture of joy to each other. Finally, in groups they discussed such key concepts as honesty, respect, understanding, kindness.
Teacher: How does kindness feel?
Sofía: Kindness feels good. Kindness is when you help somebody. Kindness is when, if you are feeling sad, a friend gives you a happiness card. And kindness is when you help your mother. And kindness is when you share something with your friends. That is kindness.
Teacher: Very good! An applause for Sofia.
Theme 2. Kindness Boost. Teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
For this theme the children were shown the drawing by Laurentiu B. from Moldova. First, the children were shown Moldova on the map so that they could realize the distance between Moldova and Venezuela. Then they were asked to create some beautiful things, such as a flower, for example. This became a gift that they were going to give to someone in their house – their mother, grandmother, or another relative. Finally, they reflected on this activity based on the questions provided in the Curricula Materials. At the end of this activity, they took the flowers they had made to give it to the person who always takes care of them at the school building, or brought them home to present to their grandparents or parents.
Another activity, as recommended, was to reflect on the feeling of being at peace. On this occasion, the children were taken to a place where they could sit on the green grass, listen to the relaxing music, participate in some relaxing movements with the teacher, which made them feel the importance of their bodies and how critical it was to be in a calm and peaceful place. They also spoke about their own importance for their families and how much beauty and joy they manifest for their parents, and how important it is to acknowledge and respect their teachers and classmates. Listening to the relaxing music the students were asked to feel comfortable while they were invited to think and talk about these important concepts.
Theme 3. Kindness Boost. Teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
Theme 4. Elementary Grades, teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
In the spirit of kindness and care of the community, the children created paper bracelets, then visited a nearby Barrio Bolívar Medical Care Center. There they talked with a few patients and wished them to recover soon. Then they presented them with paper bracelets, said kind words, and in some cases gave them a hug.
Theme 5. Elementary Grades, teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
Theme 6. Honoring/showing respect for kindness exemplars or ancestors/heroes. Elementary Grades, teachers Magaly Arias and Iris Guerrero
Teacher Iris introduced the theme to the children and then discussed the concept of heroism and heroes with them, thus preparing them for the upcoming activities. First, they role-played games with superheroes as main characters. Then, the children together with the teacher were involved in the conversation on how to identify local heroes. As a result, they managed to find and name such people in their neighborhood. The main criterion was all the good that local heroes have done for the community. Lastly, children celebrated the heroes in many different ways.
