Finding Home Part 2: A quick story & journal prompts for kids
One of the many things I miss about being in the classroom is sharing stories with my students and in return getting to hear theirs.
Last month, I turned a voice memo from my iPhone into a blog post about the idea of home. I can’t help but think about how exciting it would have been to be able to share my meaning of home with students. I am still in deep thought about this idea of home. My thoughts continue to spiral as I think about how home has a different meaning for each of us. For some, home is where you’re from, where you grew up. For others, home is wherever you are when you feel most like yourself. What I’d be most excited to share with students is the irony in my story: The couple that bought our house is originally from Cincinnati…moving back to Cincy. We moved back home–to Lexington, where I grew up, where I graduated high school, where I went to college, where Bradford (my husband) and I met. The people we bought our new house from moved back home-to Korea. I’d ask students, what do these 3 instances have in common? What is “home” in this situation?
The simple question, “what is home” has me thinking how BOMB-of-an essential question that could be… for reading, social studies, math, science… ANYTHING! Even a professional development or staff meeting topic! WHAT IS HOME?! All of this goes back to my belief that the idea of belonging should be rooted in everything we do. Belonging is about creating and nurturing safe spaces. Having a classroom that is centered around belonging is all about showing up as yourself and empowering others to do the same. As I’ve shared before: when teachers share parts of who they are with their students, students feel more deeply connected to their learning and their class community. That type of connection is when transformational learning happens.
Per usual… I came up with a list of discussion questions or journal prompts.. Whichever works best, for students to engage with:
What is your definition of home?
Where are you when you feel most like yourself?
Do you consider home to be a place or a feeling or both? Why?
What does home sound like?
What does home feel like?
What reminds you of home?
Draw a picture of what comes to mind when you think of home.
What songs make you think of home?
Where is home?
Why is home important?
If home is a place, can it be multiple places? If it’s a feeling, can it be more than one feeling?
Our experiences and our backgrounds shape how we view the world and how we engage with others. Your story matters. Our students’ stories matter. Our stories are our power.
After months of transitions, pivots & unknowns.. sometimes you just need a nap at home. On our second night at the new spot, my 6 year old looks me in the face and says "mommy, we're home!" And I've yet to unhear the joy in his voice.
