Students in Brooke Morris’s Early Childhood Education 3 class at Alexander High School recently delved into the world of sewing, making comfort bears for children experiencing stress.
The sewing exercise was part of a lesson examining the causes and effects of stress on young children.
Morris said her class discussed how everyone has fears and worries. Students also read a children’s book on the subject, helping them understand that reading books can be helpful for people with different needs.
Morris’s grandmother even visited her class and showed the students the basics of sewing and helped them make the comfort bears.
Morris said many of her students gave their comfort bears to children experiencing stress — either a child they know personally or through counselors at elementary schools in the district.
This is the second semester Morris has taught the sewing lesson as part of her class. Last semester, Morris said her church purchased the materials, and, with the help of her students, 75 bears were given to all of the second graders at Burnett Elementary School.
“I just came up with the idea this school year, so it was a learning experience for all of us,” Morris said. “My students — and myself included — loved it so much last semester that I hope to continue doing it and serving our community at large in the future.”