Mindfulness & Harmony Storytime - Listen & Wonder by the Giving Tree, One-On-One

Important Note:  CEFR:  all levels.  

Learner will relax and listen to the story, "The Giving Tree", by Shel Silverstein, a story about the endless Kindness of a tree.  The story is about being kind, giving of oneself, and realizing that sometimes all it takes for a person to be happy is to be understood, appreciated and loved.  Others may say the story is about selfishness and selflessness.   Reading will be interactive, wondering about different parts of the story, and promoting reading comprehension.  For example, why is the tree a "she" and not an "it"? Is the tree a metaphor for something else, maybe a reference to Mother Earth or to the giving nature of Mothers in general wanting their child to be happy?    Learners will be invited to do a random act of kindness a day to someone in their family, and to observe the ripple effects of being a thoughtful, giving & caring person. This class is ideal to foster reading appreciation, critical thinking, and reading comprehension, as well as it may serve as an evening story for the end of the day.  Class is one on one, so the child has ample opportunities to participate freely.  For these reasons and for gauging Learner's interest level and to be able to adjust accordingly, I require open mics and video in my classes so there is a sense of community and engagement with the material.  Depending on learners' level of participation, and time, we may even add a true story of a group of people who saved one beloved tree from a wildfire.  Class will end with a mini mindful breathing exercise & affirmation.