I did a little current events with my 5th graders last Thursday. I had seen an article on a Tennessee woman who had polio as a baby and lived for 58 years in an iron lung. I talked with my students about this amazing thing -- the gift that the family gave to this bed-ridden woman, taking care of her and nurturing her for nearly six decades. I talked about the dangers of bed sores over such a long time and the incredibly physical work of taking care of someone in an iron lung. I tied it all into my experiences with my dad.
I had forgotten that I had one girl, Morgan, who is acutely sensitive to strong stories and images. It affects her and makes her ill. (B, you are 180 degrees in the opposite direction from Morgan!) After we came to the end of the story it was time for recess. As the kids were lined up and heading out, one girl said, "Morgan what are you doing?" She had bumped into another girl and then bumped into the door jam. I was a couple of feet away from her and caught her as she fainted. I lowered Morgan to the floor and sent another student to get some help. When Morgan regained consciousness, she was mortified that she had fainted. I think it was worse that she got so much attention. She is a very quiet, reticent young girl. Mom came and took her home, and she was fine.
This was a first for me. In 35 years, I have never had someone faint like that! I felt badly that my comments had caused such distress in young Morgan. Morgan's mom expressed appreciation for the tender care we gave her daughter, and Morgan was just fine the next day. So now I can add to my resume that girls swoon in my classroom!
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3 comments:
Way to go! :) I have a senior boy who faints at blood and his freshman sister who can't even hear about anything medical (try reading a story about an appendectomy in class as part of the required curriculum when even that makes her queasy). I have to warn them anytime something even slightly bloody comes on a video -- there were many times on "Hamlet" when I had to let him know when to look away. I may not be as eager as Beth to dive in to the medical field, but even I can get through life without fainting!
wow. all I have to say is wow.
If your 5th grader lived with Beth, she would never be conscious. :) but seriously, I can't even imagine being that sensitive to blood or even just stories!!
I can understand that. She's maybe not sensitive to medical stuff so much as sensitive to feelings - empathetic probably. Or not. Bed sores are pretty icky.
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