As some of you know, in addition to teaching in the Tel Aviv class, I also teach sixth grade religious school! This past Thursday, my sixth grade class entered the Tel Aviv classroom, where we meet each week, and noticed all the beautiful pictures of the class that are now hanging on the walls. The immediately ran to them and started commenting on the children and the activities depicted in the photographs. One of them decided to make a card for one of the Tel Aviv students, and so it began. As each 6th grader entered they started to “claim” their new buddy. Later in the class I game them some time to create a card/picture for their new
“buddy.” One of them wrote, ”I am so excited to be your buddy for the whole school year!”
So it looks like we now have a buddy system and I am ecstatic! On Friday I gave each Tel Aviv student their card and the whole class asked to listen as I read each card out loud in circle. The group was hanging on every word and loved seeing the drawings that the older students made for them. Jacob was happy that his buddy drew a train for him. Eli’s buddy had me take a picture of him sticking out his tongue to match the picture of Eli in hanging in the classroom. I love that both groups are so curious about the other and it is a neat opportunity to learn about other students in the Temple Beth Shalom community, and in our very own classroom. Hopefully we can continue this new “pen-pal” relationship and maybe have the opportunity to meet later in the year!
Who ever thought that sharing classrooms would bring such rich experiences the preschoolers and the older students who also use the rooms! I can't wait to see what other connections they make throughout the year!
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