One of my favorite things we do all year (I think I say that for everything) is wrapped around 9/11. Six years ago, when I started teaching at SAA, I had a student in my class whose father was part of the Syracuse fire department. I had made it my goal that year to use parents and their skills as much as possible within my classroom. I came up with the idea to bring the firemen in around 9/11 as a chance to honor our hometown heroes; as a chance to say thank you to men and women who deserve it said far more often than it is. They have returned to my classroom every year since. It turns out to be a great activity where the firemen talk about what 9/11 meant to the firefighting community. They talk about what it means to them to be a firefighter and some of their favorite things about being a firefighter. The students are then given a chance to ask them questions. It’s great!
After the firemen had left, we took the time to write them thank you letters, and draw them a picture of a hero in action. I turn that into a booklet which I give to the firemen thanking them for coming.
Here’s the letter that I’ve used to preface this year’s book:
Dear Syracuse Firemen,
This has become a time honored tradition for me here in my classroom. I don’t know if it feels like much to you guys, but it really means a lot to me. I greatly appreciate your willingness to take time out of what I know are busy days to take a minute to come and talk to my students. They absolutely love it, and it works hand in hand with the lesson I teach around 9/11. They get to meet some true heroes.
It was a tragic day across the nation, but I’m positive no one group of people got hit harder than your brotherhood. Had anyone taken the chance to tell them thank you for putting their lives on the line before it was too late? I don’t want to be stuck in a situation where I have to ask myself that. With all the negativity in the world, I am honored to be able to have taken this day to introduce you to my students, and to give them and me a chance to say thank you for all that you do.
You guys truly are my heroes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
With all the respect we have to give,
Mr. Pratt and his class