We had visitors tour our school last week as part of our Personal Pathways and Paradigms institute here at Sabot. As the guests toured, we worked to answer the question "How has America's story of immigration impacted you and helped make you who you are?" Here are a few peeks at the children's thinking and representations.

 

 

These cups represent a happy life full of good things and a life full of darkness and struggle. The child who made this said that at first they thought their life was like the dark cup. As they started hearing the stories of immigrants, they realized there was more good in their own life than the child had realized. Hearing the struggles of generations of the past, gave the child a new lens for their own life and challenge. It has helped to reframe the child's own experiences.

“When I studied immigration I realized that we are lucky to have what we have because there are people who don’t have what we have.”

 How does our study of immigration bring a fresh perspective to our own lives?

 

  

"This ball of wire represents a person who is an immigrant.

The purple gem inside is their heart full of a desire to start a new generation.

The propeller represents determination.

The wooden tubes with colors shooting out represent flairs.
They symbolize happiness when they finally make it to America.
The dark veil is like darkness and fright. It covers the whole journey.
The green glass piece at the end is the new generation that came out of this journey."

 "The point of this collage is that without the determination of our ancestors, we wouldn’t be here. The thing that really sent them forward was the thought of future generations."

 In response to this work, another student commented, "I don’t know if you mean it, but the flairs of joy are holding up the veil of darkness and making it possible for the immigrant to pass through. It is making the journey possible.”

 Another child said, “Our ancestors probably wondered if we would remember them and their sacrifices.”

Did our ancestors think of us during their journeys?            

Did past ancestors think of future generations?