Quilt Stop Number 41: Ridgeline Montessori School in Eugene, Oregon on April 26,2010
Children's visions of peace read like a page out of Rabbi Kushner's once-popular book, Everything you Ever Needed to Know, you Learned in Kindergarten.
Both Montessori and Kushner would have been delighted by the heart-felt words and picture postcards created by these wee wise ones on Monday, April 26, in Eugene, Oregon. Five and six-year olds eagerly shared their ideas about making the world a peaceful place before designing cards to mail to Oprah. In Diana Fitzer's classroom, 29 children presented their visions-of-peace postcards to clip to the quilt.
Earlier, they had carefully prepared by thinking about their peace ideas for making the world a better place at home, at school and on the seven continents. Rough drafts were written on long strips of lined paper. Of course, they could revise later during the quilt visit with "the peace lady." Me.
By the way, I LOVED counting from one to forty-one with the children. It seemed important for them to know that they were a part of big numbers: The 41st stop on the butterfly peace quilt's trip around the world to gather 1,000,000 visions of peace.
It became obvious during this classroom visit that children and adult helpers understood the importance of spreading peace and of being peace doers.
Tender Peacemakers
Peace-filled butterflies
flutter on childrens' shoulders
guiding hope-filled thoughts.
Even though I've been immersed in this peacemaking venture of sharing children's visions of peace for seven months, I recognized a quiet truth last Monday. At every corner, in every stop, at least one serendipity (something wonderful out of my personal control or expectation) happens. Always!
For example, small Jayden particularly understood the importance of peacemaking. Cheryle M., a Ridgeline Kindergarten mom, e-mailed me these words after the quilt visit: "Jayden is sensitive to the hardship of others, and so she really connected to spreading peace."
Also, when 5-year old Tovi hung around before lunch and after sharing time on April 26, I marveled. He wanted to fold and to touch the mini quilt. Tenderly, he cradled the baby quilt, while we talked more about peacemaking. He asked to touch the mama quilt and to compare the two, the backs and fronts. Happily, he read the words: "Meet Me at the Peace Park" on the big and little cloth images of peace and beamed.
I salute this small guru who loves peace and notices the fine details and Jayden who seeks peace for others. Thank you, Teacher Diana Fitzer. You are one of those unsung heroes who are "carefully teaching."
A Few Children's Postcard Visions to Ponder:
"My vision of peace is quietly reading in bed and playing in my backyard." R.W.
"My v. of peace is that everyone would have a doll of their own." H.R.
"My v. of peace would be a world full of heart bubbles." O.M.
"My v. of peace is that picnics are better than fights." D.W.
"My v. of peace is walking to the park with Keely." A.S.
"My v. of peace is quietly holding and massaging my pet rat Sniffers." A.T.
"My v. of peace is that we would respect the class works by handling them carefully." M.T.
...and so many more wonderful ones have been mailed to Oprah! Butterflies in action.
No comments:
Post a Comment