The Path – Part2, March 2007
By Catherine Wayland
Dear IF readers,
As
we follow the path of the shoes, I met with two wonderful teachers
for PS. 51’s fourth and fifth grade teachers, Maria Perlas
and Melissa Benowitz to discuss the shoe drive in cooperation with “Share
Your Soles” (
www.shareyoursoles.org).
Luana is our coordinator on the project. We discussed their calendars and the
current commitments to other projects and in particular, a big Math test. The
students are very hard working on test prep. So we agreed, I would present the “Share
Your Soles” video, followed by an open discussion with the children on
March 8.
We furthered discussed the shoe drive in the following timeline:
March 8-March 26 shoe drive in the 5 th and 4 th grade classrooms
March 23 reminder in the mailboxes
March 29 service day of polishing and cleaning shoes
March 30 shoes to ship to “Share Your Soles” in Chicago with Mona Purdy
Maria and Melissa are passionate teachers who began to get very excited about the children talking about giving shoes to children who have none. Maria in particular remembered a summer trip by a teacher to an impoverished country in which the families brought things in to give to the families abroad. She mused on how all the families pulled together and what a special experience it had been. We left the meeting feeling like the message of giving and gratitude was possible to be received by our children.
Tune in April to find out how the 4 th and 5 th graders from P.S.51 react to “Share Your Soles” Video and Discussion….
As
we follow the path of the shoes, I met with two wonderful teachers
for PS. 51’s fourth and fifth grade teachers, Maria Perlas
and Melissa Benowitz to discuss the shoe drive in cooperation with “Share
Your Soles” (
www.shareyoursoles.org).
Luana is our coordinator on the project. We discussed their calendars and the
current commitments to other projects and in particular, a big Math test. The
students are very hard working on test prep. So we agreed, I would present the “Share
Your Soles” video, followed by an open discussion with the children on
March 8.We furthered discussed the shoe drive in the following timeline:
March 8-March 26 shoe drive in the 5 th and 4 th grade classrooms
March 23 reminder in the mailboxes
March 29 service day of polishing and cleaning shoes
March 30 shoes to ship to “Share Your Soles” in Chicago with Mona Purdy
Maria and Melissa are passionate teachers who began to get very excited about the children talking about giving shoes to children who have none. Maria in particular remembered a summer trip by a teacher to an impoverished country in which the families brought things in to give to the families abroad. She mused on how all the families pulled together and what a special experience it had been. We left the meeting feeling like the message of giving and gratitude was possible to be received by our children.
Tune in April to find out how the 4 th and 5 th graders from P.S.51 react to “Share Your Soles” Video and Discussion….
For more information on “Share Your Soles” please go to www.shareyoursoles.org
Sincerely,
Catherine Wayland,
Editor and Co-Founder of International Family Magazine
