I am a nurse at a nursing home in a small town. The residents of the nursing home are all handicapped in some way, and are not able to get out. That is why it is so important for people to come in to visit them. They so enjoy when children come in. The other day, I was so touched to see the impact that a small group of children from a local school had on the residents. These fourth grade students came after school to spread some holiday cheer. They sang Christmas carols, sat and talked with the residents and worked on a craft together. Afterwards they ate some snacks together that they brought with them. THe joy on the faces of the residents was precious. And the fact that these students came on their own time, not school time, made it all the more special. I understand the children are part of a club that will be back to visit on a monthly basis. What a great lesson these students are learning. Hopefully it will stick with them for the rest of their lives, as I know they realize how important their visits are to our residents.
This post is part of the MAT@USC: Masters in Teaching Hope for the holidays event. Did you have an experience or witness something in 2009 which gave you hope for the future of American education? If so, please see this post for more information on how to share it.
