Project Cornerstone

I am Special because.... shields made by a Grade 2 class.

I have recently had the honor of joining the Project Cornerstone team at Eoin's school - Stocklmeir. Each month we get to go into a classroom and read a wonderful book and then do an activity based on the book. I have been paired with a Grade 2 class of 21 eager learners. Project Cornerstone is a project run by the YMCA that aims to help all children and teens in Silicon Valley feel valued, respected and known.

The specific part of this project that we are engaged in is the The Asset Building Champions (ABC)  in which adults volunteer at schools reading specially selected books and leading activities that help teach valuable lessons.

This months book was Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell.
Molly Lou Melon may be tiny, clumsy, buck-toothed, and with a voice "like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor," but she doesn't mind. Her grandmother has utmost confidence in her, and tells her at every turn to believe in herself. "Sing out clear and strong and the world will cry tears of joy," Grandma says. But Molly Lou's self-assurance is put to the test when she moves to a new town, away from her friends and beloved grandmother. During her first week of school, Ronald Durkin taunts Molly Lou Melon in the dull-witted but sharp-edged manner of career bullies, calling her "shrimpo" and "bucky-toothed beaver." Our heroine barely flinches as she systematically sets out to prove herself, and Ronald Durkin ends up feeling pretty foolish - borrowed from Amazon.com


I read the book to the kids who sat attentively at my feet. We talked about what certain things meant like to be fumble fingered. Then we talked about what it might mean to 'stand tall". We discussed how Molly Lou's grandma was her cheerleader and we talked about who might be in their individual cheer leading squad - teachers, parents, me, coaches etc.

For our activity after the story I chose to ask the kids to make shields. I asked the kids to write three things that made them  special and helped them "stand tall". Once they had added three things we as a class brainstormed for each kid to find a fourth thing they could add. You could visibly see the kids start to 'stand tall' one they heard their friends give them a compliment.

I asked the kids to remember their shields should they ever be teased or bullied. Remembering their shields and what makes them special will hopefully remind them that they are all amazing and unique. They have the choice whether to engage and escalate a negative situation or they can choose to remember to be positive and to "stand tall" and lead by example.

One little boy brought the whole lesson home for me when he quietly took me aside and related this story "Miss Saran  I have been teased 55 no 54 times as one person apologized. Next time it happens I am going to remember my shield and that I am special. Do you think it would be ok for me to share my shield with friends in my after school care?"

What more can I say? This is an amazing and awesome project that I hope more and more schools will adopt.