Supporting Our Little Helpers
Supporting Our Little Helpers
Our Beginning School classrooms are filled with activity. Counting, coloring, stories, building, writing, games, and all manner of painting. Yet they all have a hard time competing with another event that generates excitement: the Republic Services truck emptying our dumpsters. The sound of the truck, the crash of metal on metal, and watching the giant dumpster lifted into the air sends the children who are lucky enough to be outdoors when the truck arrives up to the highest point on the playground to observe. On really lucky days the driver notices his audience and sounds the horn and waves.
Children are fascinated by this event and some express the desire to become a Republic Services driver as a future dream job. This started me thinking about other ideas children have about future careers. Popular answers when small children are asked what they want to do when they are grownups include police officer, nurse, teacher, firefighter, doctor, garbage collector, and veterinarian. A majority of the answers are jobs that are “helpers”—and it’s not surprising when you think about the other things our students enjoy in Beginning School.
Every day, we have classroom helpers. Students cannot wait to have a turn to be the line leader, the calendar helper, or the teacher assistant. They love the responsibility and the good feeling that comes from being helpful and contributing to the group. If someone drops something on the floor, we often have near misses where children almost trip over each other rushing to help. Watching our little ones makes me hopeful that the innate desire to be a helper remains a part of their future lives.
One way we continue to foster this is through community service—an integral part of The Meadows experience. During the quarantine of spring 2020, the Upper School Student Council reached out to me seeking ways to help teachers and younger students. This was greatly appreciated. Students across campus find ways to serve others, whether as a group or individually. Developing the habit of being helpers as young people is important as they prepare to be contributing members of society.
Helpers in the larger community outside of our school are more important than ever. There are needs everywhere, and one person can make a difference. I may not be able to cure a person’s physical disability, but I can lighten the load for a moment by holding a door. If I do it with a smile—a smile that can be seen in my eyes over my mask—even better. I even think about how excited the Beginning School students are to be the door holder when they have the opportunity. The needs in our community are great at this time. Food insecurity, economic hardship, and isolation are widespread. Fires and extreme weather events are rampant across the nation. Finding ways to help when we are able is important to set an example for our children.
A now-famous quote by Fred Rogers tells us, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” I think Mister Rogers would be gratified to see a new generation of young people with the desire to be helpers. Perhaps he would join me in feeling hopeful that adults across our society will model this behavior.
Children are fascinated by this event and some express the desire to become a Republic Services driver as a future dream job. This started me thinking about other ideas children have about future careers. Popular answers when small children are asked what they want to do when they are grownups include police officer, nurse, teacher, firefighter, doctor, garbage collector, and veterinarian. A majority of the answers are jobs that are “helpers”—and it’s not surprising when you think about the other things our students enjoy in Beginning School.
Every day, we have classroom helpers. Students cannot wait to have a turn to be the line leader, the calendar helper, or the teacher assistant. They love the responsibility and the good feeling that comes from being helpful and contributing to the group. If someone drops something on the floor, we often have near misses where children almost trip over each other rushing to help. Watching our little ones makes me hopeful that the innate desire to be a helper remains a part of their future lives.
One way we continue to foster this is through community service—an integral part of The Meadows experience. During the quarantine of spring 2020, the Upper School Student Council reached out to me seeking ways to help teachers and younger students. This was greatly appreciated. Students across campus find ways to serve others, whether as a group or individually. Developing the habit of being helpers as young people is important as they prepare to be contributing members of society.
Helpers in the larger community outside of our school are more important than ever. There are needs everywhere, and one person can make a difference. I may not be able to cure a person’s physical disability, but I can lighten the load for a moment by holding a door. If I do it with a smile—a smile that can be seen in my eyes over my mask—even better. I even think about how excited the Beginning School students are to be the door holder when they have the opportunity. The needs in our community are great at this time. Food insecurity, economic hardship, and isolation are widespread. Fires and extreme weather events are rampant across the nation. Finding ways to help when we are able is important to set an example for our children.
A now-famous quote by Fred Rogers tells us, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” I think Mister Rogers would be gratified to see a new generation of young people with the desire to be helpers. Perhaps he would join me in feeling hopeful that adults across our society will model this behavior.
Sara Carlson
Beginning School Director
- Beginning School
- Service