I have to admit that fifth graders at Buchanan Elementary School
in Baton Rouge really do have the answers…the answers to life and living.
A few weeks ago I sat down with a randomly selected group of
fifth grade students who have had Manners of the Heart instruction since first
grade. I was curious to find out if the principles of Manners of the Heart were
a part of shaping their worldview and perspective on life.
I’ll let you decide as you read just a few of the answers to the
questions I posed to Christian, Dillon, Alexander, Adrienne, Ju-Woo, Jhansi and
Marcus:
What did Manners of the Heart teach you?
· Christian:
o
I learned a lot of new things that I never knew
o
Always have a kind heart
o
Manners fill your heart with happiness
o
To tell others about manners
o
Stay strong when someone talks bad about you
o
Show happiness to others even though they’re being mean to you
· Dillon:
o
Treat others the way you want to be treated
o
I knew it would help me
o
Give respect to get it
o
Teach other people about what you have learned
· Alexander:
o
Gulliver the Grumpy Guest
o
Gabriel the Grateful Guest
o
MOH gave me a chance to teach younger kids. I help with little
kids at my church and each week I would teach the lesson I learned at school to
the little kids
· Adrienne:
o
Be nice to someone even if they’re not being nice to you
o
Manners of the Heart changes your life—makes you a better person
o
Teach others the Golden Rule
· Ju-Woo:
o
The lessons are really good.
o
The lessons are things that really happen to you in your life
o
Makes you happier—if you’re nice to people, it makes them feel
good and you, too!
o
Show the manners in your heart in your actions
· Jhansi:
o
Showed us how other people would feel if no one was ever nice to
them and how big a difference it makes when people are nice
o
Treat people with respect because that makes the world a better
place
o
Taught me what is right and wrong
o
I put flies around Gulliver’s head in my drawing because he was
being rotten!
o
These are important lessons filled with meaning we will use
throughout our lives
· Marcus:
o
Be a good friend
o
Helps people be more friendly to you when you’re friendly to
them
o
If you’re more respectful of others than they are of you, you’ll
help them learn to be more respectful
o
How gossiping makes people feel really, really bad
o
Manners are how you make friends with other people
What would your world be like without Manners of the Heart?
· “A lot of
arguing” Alexander
· “I wouldn’t know how
to talk to others” Jhansi
· “Lots and lots of
gossiping” Adrienne
· “A lot different…I
wouldn’t treat people the way I do” Marcus
· “People wouldn’t be
respectful” Jhansi
· “If there wasn’t
Manners of the Heart there would be a bunch of fighting and it would be a very
unhappy place.” Christian
That last answer explains our world today, doesn’t it? The
reason we have fighting (kids killing each other, killing us and killing
themselves) and the lowest level of happiness our society has ever experienced,
is because we don’t have enough Manners of the Heart.
The answer from a fifth grader. It really is that simple.
From my heart to yours,
Wise Ol' Wilbur
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