We Are a Family II (March 06, 2009)

HBO's doing an Oscar marathon and one night I saw the movie Dreamgirls. I have this favourite song called Family and thus for this entry. I had been singing that when the movie came to the big screen last year. My former students can hear me humming the melody and singing the song unconsciously.

One day, one of the child wanted to do things his own way and he was being insistent. I explained that being in a large group might be intimidating for him so a small group was suggested. It did work! It seemed that he was lacking in confidence to do new things so he insisted on doing what he was good at without trying to learn something new for social purposes. The children made an effort to help out the child. We worked together and achieved a better result.

This situation was explained to the class by singing the lyrics to the song. During circle time, I told everyone that there were things that can be done individually and that there were things that we should do together. I also made a comment that we were a family.

We are a family like a giant tree,

reaching out to the sky (I changed this part)
We are a family we are so much more
than just you and I
We are a family like a giant tree,
growing stronger, growing wiser

we are growing free...

Our classroom was a microscopic unit of a group that relied on support and collaboration. The teachings and the learnings were intertwined with both groups working as a family unit. In the end, success was accomplished and lives were enriched, both the life of the teacher and the lives of his students.

We can lead and we can follow but best of all, we can work together to achieve something good.