The Stuff Of History

I have to admit it was more than a little disheartening today to hear the kids coming into the classroom making jokes about 9/11. With grins on their faces, they made light of the firefighters who rushed in, the people on the planes, or the people who jumped out of the towers on that horrific day.

I had to remind myself that--to these kids--this isn't even real. No wonder it's easy to make fun of the people who suffered through that day. It's the stuff of history books to them.

For me, it was the first year I was a teacher. From the back of the Woodbrook library, I watched the smoke pouring from the first tower, wondering what could have caused that plane to fly into it. Then, in sheer terror, I watched the second plane hit.

I'm sure you all have your own stories of what happened on that day. I hope you have taken the time--or will take the time--to share them with your kids sometime soon, because I'm sure none of you were laughing or joking around about it on that day.