I teach in an interesting school with a very diverse population. We have students who live in public housing sitting beside students who's parent make six figures each year. Whenever we would have fundraisers or money collections, our less fortunate students always seem to be at a disadvantage as they are unable to fully participate; however, this was not the case last year. We had several student organizations who worked individually and cooperatively to provide relief for the Japanese disaster. Many of our economically disadvantaged students were able to take a more active role in the fundraising efforts and were thrilled that they could contribute in a non-monetary way. It was truly amazing to watch the students take the reins and put forth so much effort to help others.
I think that it is important for students to develop empathy for others, and I think that showing them eyewitness accounts of disasters could be one way. I do not mean that they see real-time footage but interviews with survivors or footage of the damage. I want my students to understand that there are many different groups and ways that can be affected by natural disasters. I love animals, and they are an often forgotten group when natural disasters strike. While this is my own passion, I hope that my enthusiasm will help my students find their own.
