Heroes Every Day

Balto

"I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people who are convinced they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another. " Ellen Goodman American journalist (1941 - )

In my 8th grade class we are doing a unit of study centering around heroes. We had brainstormed what makes a hero, what words describe a hero, and quotes about heroes. Today when they had to sit down and compose a narrative about an act of heroism it was hard at first.

We had read about Balto and his heroism as a sled dog in Alaska last year and remembered that courageous act. They mentioned other big events like 911 and heroic acts that involved people being found by search and rescue dogs. That hadn't happened in our town with people they knew.

As we began to discuss other acts of heroism other people came to mind. One girl wrote about her mom being her hero because she went to work every day even when it was difficult because she wanted to be a stay- at-home mom. Another student remembered an aunt being a hero as she fought a difficult battle with liver disease and tried to raise her daughter while dying.

These heroes we meet in our everyday life are often the ones that touch are hearts deeper. Students were still moved by the dog that saved a family in a fire and the rescue workers in the coal mine. They did return to the heroic acts that were closer to home like their classmate returning to school and working hard after his mother ended up in a coma. He was their hero. We all remembered another classmate that returned to school the day after losing her niece to SIDS, keeping a brave smile on her face.

I look forward to our continued study of heroes and my students' observations and thoughts as we read stories, poetry, and news articles around the theme.