[ncte-middle] Current Tragedies and Teaching Tolerance

["Sheila Newell" <slnewell@academicplanet.com>]

Hatred reared its ugly head in my classroom today. I teach transitional
ESL in Houston.  Most of our students are Latino, but we are a pretty
culturally diverse school with immigrants from at least 30 different
countries.  Four of my students are Muslim. None of them came to school
today--I cry that their families were so concerned for their safety.

To make matters worse, when I was checking roll at 1st period, one kid
remarks loudly, "Yea, they're probably at home celebrating like those
people on television."  Needless to say, we had a looonng discussion about
hatred and intolerance and ignorance.  We also talked about how speaking
without thought can lead to words that hurt, and how words can lead to
hateful actions. We've got to talk to our students about these things--God
knows what they're hearing at home.

I hope my students come back to school tomorrow, though I'm concerned for
their emotional well being given the current climate. I don't know whether
to call their parents at this point or not.


Sheila
slnewell@academicplanet.com

"There are two ways of spreading light; to be
The candle or the mirror that reflects it."

--Edith Wharton