Deliveries come to the school nearly every day. Today I had
the joy of bringing a special delivery of a large envelope addressed to the SK
class. Spot the dog had “written” to the class and he had sent an enthusiastic
letter encouraging students to write back. He promised to write the students
back if they wrote to him. Some students happily and willingly went along with
the teacher’s imaginative ploy to get them to practice writing even though they
seemed to understand it wasn’t real, while others seemed to be quite convinced
this was all very true.
Upon returning to my desk, I thought this through. Loads of fun to be sure. Was it
deception, or fun with imagination? I’m
pretty sure it is the second option, but it made me wonder where the line is
between imaginative play and leading students away from the truth. I remember
reading a short story with a grade eight class years ago about an imaginary
trip to the moon. Poverty gave no space for a family holiday, so the father
gave the gift of a what the very young children believed to be an actual real
trip complete with home made shuttle, space suits, moon rocks, and a rolling
screen outside the “window.” A wise student summarized the story with a
question: “What is better, the truth which brings a tear, or a lie that brings a
smile?”
As a parent, I know it isn’t that simple. We want our
children to know and love God’s truth. Does that crowd out imagination and
willing suspension of disbelief? Matthew 18 warns about causing children to go
astray by willful choice, however imagination is clearly a gift that God gives
us all – especially in the precious years of childhood.
I'm thankful for wise LCES teachers who embrace truth and imagination at once.
SJ
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