I was initially shocked at what I learned this morning as I worked with a group of six third graders. The lesson was about writing personal narratives. I selected the book A Picnic in October (written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, published in 1999) as the read-aloud for the lesson. The book is an excellent example of a personal narrative written from a child’s perspective. On the next to the last page there is a drawing of a family looking up at the Statue of Liberty with the New York City skyline in the background. The twin towers of the World Trade Center are prominent in the illustration.
When I finished reading that page aloud, I asked the children, “What do you notice in this illustration?â€
Silence. Slowly answers began to straggle in.
“The sailboat.â€
“The mother’s long skirt.â€
“They’re all looking up at the Statue of Liberty.â€
“The tallest building in the world.â€
Finally, “The twin towers.â€
I jumped on that response. “The twin towers,†I repeated. “What do you know about them?â€
Silence. Then hesitantly a little boy replied, “There are two of them.â€
More silence. I prompted, “The twin towers were part of the World Trade Center in New York City.â€
At last one child said tentatively, “Two planes hit them and they were gone.â€
The faces of the other children remained blank. It was obvious that the questioning and comments were not ringing a bell of memory or recognition for them. That can’t be, I thought. And so I persisted. I asked a few more questions, but soon it was obvious that, except for the one child who had vague knowledge of two planes hitting the twin towers, the children knew nothing of September 11, 2001.
These children are third graders – 8 years old. In 2001 they were toddlers of three. More than likely their families sheltered them from the horror of that day – as they should have. However, in the ensuing five years, these children have not been told or taught the events or lessons of that day.
As the children left to return to their classes, and as I thought about the lesson further, my incredulity slowly waned, but it didn’t go away. Is ignorance about an event that has so sharply defined the world we live in a good or a bad thing? Or is it simply the way it is? I am glad those children have retained their innocence about today’s dangerous world. At what point, though, do children need to know such things?
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October 4th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Your blog isn’t updating… Try this… I’m on WP too, and I had to use it to make my blog update on the blog rolls…
1. Log-in as Administrator.
2. Click on the “Options†tab.
3. Click on the “Writing†tab.
4. Enter http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/ in the “Update Services†window…
5. Click on “Update Options†button.
6. When writing a post make sure the “Allow Pings†checkbox in the Discussions menu is checked.
Once checked it will default there…
October 4th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Interesting blog. Sweet stuff was just 5 months old on Sept 11. And beside the normal feelings everyone had that day, I remember destinctly her sleeping with us that night and talking while she slept of how her world would never be the same and wondering how things would change.
I have to say, I have no idea when the right time is. We shelter our kids though from ALL news–school shootings, murder, kidnapping and war is all that is on the news these days — oh and Congressmen going after young children for sex. It’s too horrifying and scary.
I want our kids to be innocent as long as possible, I think the real world will be here before too long and they can hear all of the craziness for the rest of their lives. I think right now at their ages it is most important to instill in them our beliefs and then later they will slowly learn that not everyone believes the same way and that some people actually will really hurt you for those beliefs. That is a natural part of childhood. For example, right now instead of world affairs we deal with different values on a more kid friendly scale such as we believe in sharing and being nice and so and so doesn’t. Then we can talk about how if that person isn’t nice then we don’t have to play with them. However, it is a little bigger jump and takes an older mind to go to we believe in freedom and they don’t and they would like to kill us and our family.
In fact, I actually like that the worst thing anyone can say around our kids is stupid and booty. I actually love the gasp they have with those words, because it shows me that they are still so innocent.
I very clearly remember the shuttle exploding when I was in the fifth grade. I was home sick with I believe pneumonia and I remember watching the shuttle lift off and exploding. It had a profound effect on me even at that age. To this day I can’t see a space shuttle without thinking about that teacher walking on board. But I think I was old enough to understand to a degree, however it has always stuck with me. I wonder what the effect will be on the fifth graders who witnessed 9/11.
But 9/11 is a whole other level. We were attacked. Innocent people were killed for no reason. Children just like mine lost both their parents. It is just so horrifying and inexplicable that you can’t put your head around it logically at any age.
All that said your question is still rings in my head, when is it time to tell????? Though we want to shelter I don’t want them to be completely shut off to the world and what is around them. My kids aren’t quite 3rd grade, but in three years would they know, I’m not so sure. Interesting!!! HUM????????????
October 5th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Texas Fred - thanks for the advice. I made the changes you suggested. Thanks! (I need all the help I can get!
)
Larisa, thanks for stopping by. YOu have NO idea how happy that makes me! I remember very clearly that day you were home sick from school and the Challenger disaster happened -you and I watched the TV all day together. I don’t remember why you were home, but pneumonia sounds like that might have been it. I remember you were very sick. ILY!
October 6th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
It makes me think of those yearly riffs about “the new class” in college, all those things we saw changing, that have always been so for the next generation(s).