Lesson Plan from Teaching Workbook 1 (for ages 6-9 years)

Value: Love
Lesson 1.9 CONSIDERATION
Objective: To stimulate thinking how consideration for others may bring about our own happiness

Quotation/Theme for the Week

Consideration for others is...

...the key to harmony

 

Story

THE DOCTOR’S KNOBBLY BAG
by Sara John (A story about Dr. Ernest Oppenheim of St. John’s Hospital, London)

Years ago, there was a doctor who was loved by all the boys and girls who met him. To them he was the most special doctor in the world. His name was Dr. Ernest Oppenheim and he moved from Vienna in Austria to England where he worked in St. John’s Hospital in London. St. John’s was very small at that time and there was only room enough for thirty sick people, but it was a happy place to be if you were ill. Dr. Ernest grew to love the hospital and all the patients, especially the boys and girls and wanted nothing more in the world than to stay and work there. He didn’t even want any money for doing the work because his love was so great. The patients got better quickly because they felt safe with him. He had such kind hands and a kind heart.

One very special thing he did for which the children loved him was, on every Sunday each week, he would bring to the hospital his knobbly bag. Everyone knew what was in it - bright, new shining pennies which were given, one to each child, many of whom never got any pocket money. Every week Dr. Ernest Oppenheim did this, bringing smiles of joy to the children as he helped them to get better. In those days, people were very poor and a penny was worth much more than it is today. He never failed to bring his knobbly bag every week until end of his life. When he died he left a fund so that the children could still have their gift from the most special doctor in the world.

Questions:
1. Why did the boys and girls love Dr. Oppenheim?
2. What special thing did he do for them?
3. How did Dr. Oppenheim’s behaviour affect the health of his patients?
4. If people are kind and considerate to you, does it affect how you feel?
5. Can you think of a time when someone was considerate to you and say how you felt?
6. What did the story mean to you?

 

Silent Sitting

Steps 1, 2, 4, (See page 52 of Teaching Workbook 1)
Step 5: Imagine a shining golden ball in the centre of your chest ....
Imagine you can move this ball around your body with your thoughts …
First you take it down to your legs to your feet....
First one leg ..... then the other leg ..... Your legs feel warm and soft .....
Now take it through your tummy and chest, letting it warm you .....
Then down each arm to the hands .....
Now through your neck, let it float up to your head .....
The golden rays of light shine down through you .....
Imagine the golden ball of light is a ball of goodness .....
Every part of you will shine with goodness .....
It will help you to be good, kind and considerate to others whenever you remember.
Step 6. (See page 52 of Teaching Workbook 1)

 

Group Singing

CONSIDERATION
(music and lyrics by Sara John)
Consideration, consideration, Consideration is the key.
If I consider you And you consider me Then there’s no doubt We’ll be in harmony.
Understanding, understanding, understanding is the key.
If I can understand And you can lend a hand Then we’ll be The finest friends in the land.
Communication, communication, Communication is the key.
If I’m in touch with you And you’re in touch with me Then there’s no doubt We’ll live in harmony.

 

Group Activity

1. Each child pretends he/she has an injury e.g. broken arm or leg, bad back, toothache, etc. Consider each case and the ways we can help that person e.g. wheel them in a wheelchair, help them across the road, make them food, read to them, etc. How many ways can we think of helping?
2. Make a card for somebody who does not feel well. Close the lesson: If the teacher wishes, the lesson can be closed by asking the children to get in a circle and say, “We will be happy and make others happy, by always being considerate to others and to ourselves.”

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