respeto

This is exactly why I allow nothing less than respect in my class.  One of the first words my students learned from me (and probably the one they know best even now) was respeto, and they know it's not just for me.  I require them to listen to each other speak, to not laugh if someone answers incorrectly, and to respect each others' - and their own - artwork even if it's silly. One of the first lessons a second grade class learned from me is that words are important.  A boy teased another boy, who started crying, and the first boy said, "They're just words.  Words don't matter."  We stopped the entire lesson until everyone in that class knew that words do matter, and when you say something that can hurt someone's feelings, you make it better.  Because no one deserves to grow up feeling like they're not safe at school.  Everyone deserves to grow up knowing they have friends in their classroom.  Thankfully, I teach at a school where people are pretty nice.  I've been really impressed with my students.  Almost every classroom feels like a tight group of friends, as well it should.  I don't see them on the playground, so things could be different than they seem, but I'm thankful that they have learned to support each other, at least in the classroom.  Mistakes are made there all the time - it's a good place to learn respect.

___________________________________________

"He was standing erect on the rock again, with that smile on his face and a drum beating within him.  It was saying, 'To die will be an awfully big adventure.'"  - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

"De qué me sirve la vida," por Camila

This video is one of my favorite reminders that every single person - whether or not we know them, no matter their opinions or whether we agree - is a person, just like me.  Every person has hopes and dreams and fears and worries, just like I do.  It's easy to see people just as other humans walking around; it takes more effort to remember we're all so alike.

Basically it says, "What good is life to me if I have to live it without you?"which can be interpreted as just a love song, but I think it also applies to people around us.  What good is life if we have to live it without each other?  The point of this life is to learn to love and serve, to make families, and to learn to be Christlike.  If each of us were isolated with no human contact, what good would living do?  We need each other.

Yes, most of the examples in this video are sad.  That's not to say that every person is sad or has some depressing secret.  I, personally, am pretty happy.  I have bad days, too, though.  You never know if it's someone's good or bad day.  All the people in the video look "normal" and have something sad in their lives.  To me, it says that everyone has their own struggles and we don't always know each others', so we should be kind to everyone, no matter what.  "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Edit: Some of you asked what the song was saying.  Here is a "more or less" translation. :)

English translations of the posters people hold up:
"Your words are knives."  "I have AIDS. Don't be afraid of me."  "Listen."  "My family abandoned me. I have nothing."  "I am addicted to suffering."  "No one loves me. I am worth nothing."  "I have AIDS. Don't be afraid of me." (again)  "I also dream. I also am human."  "My name is Martín. My dad makes me rob people in the streets. I am not a criminal. What am I supposed to do?"  "My name is Julián. I am gay. I was kicked out of my house. They tell me I am a punishment, a curse / damnation."  "My name is Ana. I see myself as fat. Ugly. Horrible. I am disgusted by myself."  "My name is Beatriz. I am 13 years old. My stepfather raped me."  "They wrote this for me. I am illiterate."  "[Beatriz] And my dignity?"  "I am an alcoholic. My only friend is the drink. My family left me. I have nothing."  "Don't discriminate against me."  "[Beatriz] Will you also sexually abuse me?"  "They killed my brothers and now, who will protect me?"  "I am also gay."  "What did I do to you? Why can you not accept me as I am? Why can I not love without hiding?"  "I am María. I am 16 years old. I am pregnant. My parents don't know."  "I need love, too. Don't make fun of me."  "[María] My boyfriend left me. What do I do now? I am afraid."  "My husband hits me. I live terrified."  "In this second, a woman dies because of domestic violence.  She could be your friend, your mother, or even you."  "Should I tell that he hits me? Or should I be quiet? What would you do?"  "Respect others."  "Yes. I'm fat. Obese. And?"  "If you see or know about familial abuse, do something. Report it."  "Don't give up hope. All will be well."  "Don't waste time. Ask for help. Now."  "Don't hurt. Don't kill."  "I'm Julie. They shut me up in an asylum."  "Accept."  "[Julie] I carry solitude with me as I live."  "I live in a nursing home. I am a nuisance to my family.  Please don't ignore me."  "I want to commit suicide."  "You're not alone."  "I feel for you."  "Fight!"  "Don't be quiet. Break the silence."  "Don't ignore others' pain. Help!"  "Accept those who are different and think differently."  "I'm Esteban. I get beat up at school. My teachers and parents ignore me."  "Have hope."  "Open your mind. Open your heart."  "Never stop dreaming."  "Never stop acting / doing something."  "Learn. Change."  "Open your eyes to the soul."  "I also have rights."  "Share. We need you."  "Enough with violence."  "Live without fear. Love exists."  "Participate."