Our neighborhood walks continue to support the dialogues that open the world of interconnectedness we are trying to accomplish as a community of caring and curious individuals.
We came across a butterfly on the ground.
Eliotte: I know about Monarch butterflies.
Aiden: So do I.
Zelda: How did the butterfly die?
Aiden: Once they get too old, I guess.
Kai: It’s dead. It’s dead!
Zelda: It’s dead. Let’s bury it.
Eliotte: No! No. Look, this is not dead. It’s not dead. It will come alive soon. I know that about butterflies.
Kai: Maybe the butterfly is sleeping.
Eliotte: It’s flapping its wings.
Aiden: Well, just because of the wind.
Eliotte: Yeah, I know. It’s just napping. Guys, if you leave it there, it will come alive. It’s just napping.
Zelda: Just napping.
Death is a sensitive, even hurtful topic depending on our personal experiences. The children approach the topic then regulate themselves to a more comfortable place, “It’s just napping”. This moment of rationalizing whether the butterfly was dead or just napping and the possibility of it coming back to life could be everyone’s wish about our loved ones who have departed. However, when that is not possible dialogues like this offer a window for teachers to approach the subject within a context that is relevant and meaningful to the children. It is indirect, holds relatively little personal pain, yet it is real. And to support the children’s wondering using the found butterfly on the sidewalk, we plan on reflecting with this group of children and learning on a deeper level the inter-relations the butterfly has with all of us, our environment, our memories, our humanity.