In the Lower School, we help to foster discussions on how the world looks different depending on who and where you are. It is our hope that students find books that reflect their own identities, experiences, and motivations (mirrors) and also provide insight into the identities, experiences, and motivations of others (windows).

Last week, in our MA Café, Grades 1-3 were able to "sample" storybooks with different topics related to cultures, families, abilities, and identity. Students were then able to vote on favorite books which resonated with them and record "ads" for them.

Meanwhile, students in Grades 4-5 began their time in the MA Café with a screening of the Academy Award-winning short film, "Hair Love" (seen below). 

After discussing the challenges presented in the movie, students were encouraged to reflect on something that they had to learn to do. In the spirit of the movie, which barely had any dialogue and relied mostly on images to convey the message, students were invited to draw their experience with learning to do something new. 

The activities were a wonderful way for students to see a "mirror," where they might have only seen a "window."