Grateful Friday

Yesterday some fifth grade girls came into my class with a small box and asked me if I wanted a poppy.

I said, "Did you make these?"

They smiled shyly and said, "Kind of...."

Fifth grade girls are cute and I appreciate whatever adult helped them and did the rest of the kind of.

I also loved my poppy pin.

I told my students about it.  Awhile ago, we had come across the word reckless and they thought it was the same as rebellious and I explained the differences.  I mentioned that it wasn't always bad to be rebellious.

One of my straight arrow rule following boys (I don't have enough of those!) was taken aback and asked, "When is it OK to be rebellious?"

That led to a talk about Rosa Parks and the Boston Tea Party. (3rd graders can get behind unfairness in all its forms and they were full of righteous indignation.)

We talked a little about the Revolutionary War.

Now, weeks later, I was telling them about World War I and World War II.  I explained whose side we were on.

One student said, "Wait!  Was this before or after the Revolutionary War?  Because why were we helping England?"

I explained it was after and we are friends with England now.  It was a great segue for a lesson on forgiveness and moving on (which is another skill they need at times) but we had math to get to.

The fact that we have school on Veteran's Day has always bugged me a bit.  Veteran's are worth remembering and appreciating and honoring.

Yesterday as I wore my poppy pin and talked to my students about wars and stood with them to say the pledge of allegiance, I thought maybe it's not so bad that we go to school on Veteran's Day.  It's not just a long weekend holiday.  It's an opportunity to talk about and remember.

I am grateful for veterans.  Our military takes risks and makes sacrifices that I can only imagine.  I'm grateful for their families too.  

When I think about the long list of freedoms I owe to soldiers who fought, I am grateful.