Hopeful Places

I have the good fortune to be working alongside grade seven and nine students in the Hope-Focused Service-Learning program. Today we wrote about 'hopeful places' in the grade nine classroom. This is not as easy as it sounds. I was proud of how the students worked hard to generate a list of words to describe how hope feels when we are in these places. There were a couple of students who had difficulty thinking of a 'hopeful place' - past or present in their school or community. I wonder if they will remember a place when their classmates share stories of their experiences in these places next week.

In the grade seven classroom we created collages of 'hopeful places' in groups. And then using the collages, filled in a T chart to describe what hope looks, sounds, and feels like. We also brainstormed 'hopeful places' and how the places are hopeful in the community surrounding the school. As I said, we worked in groups in the grade seven class and so we were able to talk about the skills we were developing as 'team' members. We discussed how group skills will help us when we go out into the community to bring hope to others. As we encounter the challenges that go with an inquiry project it will help to know how to contribute to the team.

I leave you with a poem that one of the grade nine students gave me to share with you about what she is learning about hope.

Hope is...

Laughter, tears, and strength.
It's the weakness facing it's opponent to prove
the power and will be become stronger.
It's clarity developed from the frustrations
and confusions of our lives.
It's that feeling of accomplishment, of victory
after experiencing the 'battle of anger, sorrow and loss'.
It's the comfort and love of our family and friends, ~
the trust, loyalty, honesty, bravery, faith.
It's the never ending story of the world's diversity, completely
different and unique and one.