9/11 at school is Kindness, Peace, and Love Day. How do we help young children honor the brave people on 9/11? By remembering and celebrating how people were united in brotherhood and came together to help each other. We talk about heroes – firefighters, police officers, nurses, doctors, teachers…
Yes, heroes. They are the ones who face a tragedy and find goodness and strength. We can, too. Children can be heroes. There is a hero in us all.
Today we held the American flag. I talked to a whole school of children filled with big eyes and wearing red, white, and blue. I showed them how to stand and put their hand on their heart. We sang “God Bless America.” Then I asked, “Who is a hero?” The shout-outs were terrific:
Firefighters! Police officers! Teachers! Moms!
“You can be a hero, too. Yes, you can. You can help a friend. You can spread kindness. And when you see a firefighter or a police officer, please say ‘thank you’. So who’s going to celebrate Kindness, Peace and Love Day today?” Every hand went up.
We then sang one of our favorite songs about America, “Red, White and Blue” by Debbie Clement. While the song is a book, based on quilting America, it is the children’s favorite.
We will never forget 9/11, and we will always celebrate Kindness, Peace, and Love Day. Today was a wonderful day.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Amen to kindness peace and love.
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No better thing to teach. Nice job, Jennie.
Thank you, John! 😀
Wonderful way to reinforce this with children!
Thank you, Becky!
Great work, Jennie! Have all a blessed day! Michael
Many thanks, Michael. Best to you!
I love the gentle way you teach the children about the bad things that happen in the world and that it’s not all bad. What a great little book. I’ll have to look for it. 🙂 I love your books. 😉
Teaching goodness. I think that’s what I do. And while there is bad, there is always good. The book has a CD of the song. You would love it because she is a quilter, and the illustrations are the quilts she has made of America. If you need more info, let me know. 🙂
Amazon doesn’t seem to have it. 😦 I am NOT musical in any sense of the word except for appreciation. 😉
You are right, Amazon does not have the book. Fellow teachers who attended the national conference for early educators discovered the author and her book and got it for the school. I would like to get this for you, Marlene. The quilting and the song are awesome. Children are the toughest critics, and they are in love with it. Send me your address and I will get it to you. Please. 🙂
What a beautiful tribute to the heroes of the day 😍
Thank you, Ritu. 😍
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Kindness, Peace and Love Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the heroes that surround us, the hero that is all of us, if we let it be.
It has proven to be a wonderful way to appreciate heroes and see there’s a hero in us all. Definitely a good thing for children.
I was off that day, and watched the events on the news until late, unable to leave my sofa whilst it was still going on, even to eat or drink.
As an EMT, I felt for the emergency services crews especially, aware of the insurmountable task facing them that morning. It reminded me of what we used to say in London. That we walk toward the disaster that everyone else is running away from in terror. They will never be forgotten.
Best wishes, Pete.
The event will never be forgotten, particularly the actions of EMTs and firefighters. Yes, they were all running toward the disaster, like you did in London. I have been to Ground Zero once. The remarkable story is of the old little church close by. While most everything in the vicinity was in ruins, the church was untouched, not even a broken window. The pews became beds for the firefighters and EMTs. Heroes for sure!
A wonderful message for every nation. Who will ever forget the horror of 9/11?!
Exactly! You said it well.
What a wonderful day and lesson for the whole school!
It was, Deborah. Thank you!
Jennie, what a wonderful and thoughtful way to help the children understand the importance of the day! – Susan
Thank you, Susan!
Jennie, Although I did not ever get to be in your classroom, I will always remember you as one of the best teachers of the little ones, my favorites to teach too. I had one such teacher in my life, and she was in my high school. She was kind to me at a time when my own life could not have been more difficult. After a writing assignment, I will never forget that she whispered that I was going to be a great writer. I remembered that and years later when I ran into an old schoolmate, I told her of this wonderful happening. She then told me that the teacher had told each and every child in that class the same thing. When I think of the amazing things a teacher can accomplish with her class at any level, I salute you. Your children are blessed to have you for their teacher. We never know what any of these children are facing at home, and the teacher is their first line of defense. Thank you for making them all good citizens and for learning what it is to be a hero. Peace and blessings, Anne
What a beautiful story of your teacher, Anne. And what kind, inspiring words you say. Thank you!! You have touched my heart.
I have been reading about the areas that produce these terrorists. We need to understand the root cause of such hatred. It is important to honor those innocent victims and to understand why this happened.
Exactly!
schönes Wochenende mit hoffentlich vielen schönen Momenten.
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The warmth and love in your gentle tribute shines through, Jennie … in such horror you unite and honour. I’m particularly touched how you find ‘There is a hero in us all.’
Thank you so much, Annika. 😊
Absolutely those are the heroes, Jennie! This is a lovely post. I couldn’t say it any better than Annika. TGIF hugs!
Indeed they are, Teagan! Hugs to you.
A wonderful way to remember this tragic day and make it positive.
Thank you, Robbie.
Beautiful way to teach the little ones about that tragic day Jennie. 🙂 x
Thank you, Debby. Not an easy way to navigate tough waters. 🙂