What Matters to Kids Today

My laugh lines deepen every week. I know I’m in for a spiritual facelift when I spend time in my son’s fourth grade class. I help the students with writing, and as with everything that centers around children, they teach me more than I teach them. These students are astute, insightful, and curious. They pose a lot of questions, and with each conversation I see gears turning in their minds as they thoughtfully consider the answer. These are kids who see the world from a “we” versus “me” perspective. It’s awfully refreshing.

Yet, there are goings on in the world that plague them.

I’m sharing some of the essays my son’s fourth grade peers wrote. I haven’t changed a thing, so the characteristic charm of children’s writing remains. It’s been my privilege to work with these kids. I came home rejuvenated and encouraged, knowing our future is in their capable hands. I’ll be sharing their words in a series of posts. Let’s tune in and share to give these children a platform.

 

Problems in the earth by DS

These thing are tragic so tragic that they kill and it is these things that are causing it…

Pollution, hunger, toxic waste, and dirty water. Pollution is littered man made produce that causes dams in rivers or streams lie at my house or even kills the most precious to the most Fierce animals.

Hunger is a Thing that is tragic so tragic that you could starve to death from it. In some countries hunger is a big issue that you spend your whole day looking for food and you end up with a few bananas.

Toxic waste is another tragic thing.toxic waste Is like ashe from electric company’s or e waste which is Electric Tease like cell phone ,tablets,radios and even remote  controls toys.

The last tragic thing is  dirty water.Dirty water is small particles or bacteria that gets into water and then people drink the water and then get sicknesses like cancer.

So dont you think it is time for a change!

Money isn’t everything! by BB

Money. Wealth. I mean, why do people scramble for money?? It isn’t everything, you know. It can get you somewhere, but seriously. There are other qualities in life. So much

more than money. It seems its all people care about. Well? There is personality, kindness, love, and courage.Just because someone is rich, or poor you shouldn’t judge. I know a rich person, and he’s really nice.

If people have no money, they can get sick, and without medicine, they can die. If you keep judging, it’s not helping. People without money often live, or work in bad conditions that can cause illness. When they get sick, and don’t have any money for treatment, they either get even more sick, or use all their money trying to get better. They also might lose their job. It’s a bad cycle.

Again, money isn’t everything. I have actually seen, or heard people tease poor families. Its not cool. You should help them, not think bad of them. Money is money, whether you like it or not. Money is practically all people care about.

Smoking by OF

Don’t smoke! It is bad for your health and your money

Cancers you can get

First of all you can get cancer. You can get lung, throat, lip, and gum cancer. How I know this is that one day when I was in the car going to school my mom showed me and my older siblings a photo from facebook of a doctor comparing a persons who smokes lungs to a persons who is perfectly fine lungs.  The person’s lungs that was smoking was all black and the person’s lungs that was all fine were clear/pink and still pumping.

Addiction

Smoking also causes addiction. How you are addicted is because the Tobacco in the cigarette.  My uncle Andrew has been addicted for a long time and still is.

Environment

Don’t forget your environment! Smoking also affects the ozone layer were half of the worlds air supply comes from. The ozone layer also protects us from small asteroids hitting the earth. If people stop smoking we will have more clean air.

Money!

You need money to live so why waist it?!?! Cigarettes cost a whole lot of moola. My neighbor Roberto smokes and is cigarettes cost $7.25 a pack.

Think more!   

Maybe you should think more about cancer, addiction, environment, and you money. Stop smoking and you will feel better the next day.

 

Our schools, contrary to what the legislature and ed reformers want you to believe, are not failing. It’s the people who make education policy with no hands-on classroom experience or ulterior motives who are failing our students, teachers, and communities. There is magic sparkling in all corners of our schools. Teachers are making a profound difference every single day, and we are all to benefit. I’ve spent a lot of time in classrooms so I can speak firsthand about what our teachers are accomplishing. Despite the myriad needs and challenges in education today, teachers are molding minds and igniting imaginations, all with grace, humor, care, and elan. While we hack away at budgets and support, teachers carry on MacGyvering their way through the maze of education. Yet kids are learning and growing, a testament to the power of education and the difference a teacher can make.

Forget the old adage about children not being heard, we need to start listening to the voices of our youth. They are the ones who have wisdom beyond measure.