《声音》启明星专刊 VOICES for Daystar Academy VOICES Fall/Winter Edition 2018 | Page 15

DS BEIGAO ELC meaningful way with my students. You see at that time, there was also a Grade 1 student who had broken his leg so badly that he had to be escorted around in a wheel chair. Every time my students went to the cafeteria to have lunch, they would walk past this boy. In the beginning my students were very curious about what had happened, and were shy to approach him. But after a few weeks they got used to seeing the boy and treated him like any other student in our school. I think it is safe to say, that when I read the above- mentioned story to my class and told them that it is ok to have wheels, my students immediately thought about the boy they were seeing every day. Some of my students immediately wanted to know how can it be ok to have wheels when the boy in the wheel chair could not go to and from class or bathrooms as easily as the other students. This led to discussions about our school having limited access for people in wheelchairs and a renewed sense of empathy towards the boy we saw every day. The second memorable thing happened when my students wanted to learn how to draw like Todd Parr. The thing is, I am not an art teacher and therefore did not know what the best way would be to teach them how to draw like Todd Parr. So I put on my “thinking cap” and after a while had a great idea. I am a firm believer in 21st century learning and a passionate advocate for the use of technology in the classroom. So I decided to use our iPads and an app to teach my students how to draw like Todd Parr. The end result was amazing. My students had a really great time using the iPads and enjoyed experimenting with various colors to create their pictures. My students were very proud of their art work and could not wait to show Todd Parr their pictures. So I took their pictures and decorated the wall behind where Todd Parr was going to sit. Those smiling faces, when Todd Parr told my students that their pictures were even better than his own, was sight I will always cherish and remember. Reading Todd’s books, doing activities related to his books and eventually meeting Todd Parr in person were all great and amazing experiences. This whole event was a very memorable experience to my students and to myself. 13