Rendering: Everybody Hates Chris - Helping the Homeless



Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIJ1D5SpLDw

One of my favourite shows I used to watch everyday when in high school, Everybody Hates Chris is a TV show that I can relate to in many ways. In this episode, it begins with Ms. Morello giving the class an assignment to help someone in need. I think this is a great way for students to get involved in their community and to help the homeless. If it were voluntary, even with the best intentions, I'm sure that very few students would commit to helping an individual living in poverty. But to introduce this activity as an assignment is extremely effective, as it gives students incentive to go outside of their comfort zone and make a difference in somebody's life.

I mentioned towards the end of my previous post, that all homeless people are looking for, is time. Time to be valued and respected by their community around them. At the end of the video above, we can see that Chris volunteered to take Killmoves (the homeless man) Christmas shopping, and this gesture was warmly appreciated. It's a win-win, as Chris helps someone in need and can get a good mark on his assignment, while Killmoves makes a new friend and finds that he can rely on Chris to help him get a present for his mother.

When I become a teacher, I can see how this type of activity can be very beneficial for both my students and the community at large. Instead of being limited to helping the homeless only during Christmas time, this can be a monthly activity where students can form teams and volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless youth shelter every month. Each team can be assigned a specific month, venue, and time, and can present to the class their experience the following week. This would be a step in the right direction to treat our homeless youth with more respect, compassion, and inclusion--one step closer to helping prevent future cases of homelessness in our community.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rendering: Poem About Drug Withdrawal

Image
Link to poem:  https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/meth-2 This poem, written by a teen struggling with drug addition, features a touching story about overcoming desires and breaking free from the slavery of an addition to drugs. What once promised "a better tomorrow" (line 4) and "peace of mind" (line 8) only ended up with him being deceived (line 10), still wanting (line 12), and filled with fear (line 15), shame (line 25) and pain (line 26). It is only from line 27 to the end of the poem where he speaks of his longing to "see life without depression" (line 29), and he makes up his mind to leave behind his old habits (line 39) and to look forward to the future, knowing that he is free (line 43) and that he has finally found himself (line 44). I was moved by this poem because I have been through addiction and depression (although not related to drugs), but I can certainly relate to the pain and shame he expresses. Students go through a rol...
Read more

Additional Rendering: Everybody Hates Chris - Company At Last?

Image
Link to video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXlTH6DQAXc Here is another rendering from the TV series, Everybody Hates Chris. In this episode, it is Chris' first day in high school, and after years of being conditioned and bullied for being the only black kid in elementary, he is so used to getting beaten up that he expects it in high school. The moment he find out that he isn't the only black kid at the school, he feels a great sense of acceptance and belonging...feelings that every teen longs for, whether they are marginalized or not. Professor Gaetz mentioned in one of his lectures how crucial it can be for teens to be accepted, regardless of their race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. Not only will this have a positive impact on a teen's life, but it can help to make social institutions safer and more inclusive.
Read more