Wisdom From The Wizard of Oz

Hi Everyone,

We know it has been a while since our last post, but we are back and better than ever. We have some new friends who have joined our class, as well as some returning students who have worked on the blog before.

To start the school year, we read the story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Did you know that Dorothy's ruby slippers are actually silver in the original story? You may be familiar with the famous film; however we learned much more from reading the book. We'd like to share our insights with you.

We wrote about a connection we felt with a character from the story. We also had the option to discuss our preference for the film or the book. Quotes from our writing:

“I feel like I relate more to the Tin Man because I do not understand emotions or show emotions well. In the story, the Tin Man wanted a heart because he thought he could not feel love. I feel as if it is hard for me to understand emotions, such as love, joy, and sorrow. The Tin Man soon found out he did not need a heart because just asking for one makes you a kind person. I know I do not need to understand emotions fully. People have always said how kind and creative I am. That makes me feel happy, and that is good enough.”

“I prefer the Dorothy in the book (as opposed to the movie) because at the end she saved the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion. At the time, she was portrayed as a little girl who could not do anything. She saved them by killing the witch, then she proved to herself that she had strength within her and did not think she was weak anymore.”

“The character I relate to the most is Dorothy because for the whole journey, she always thought about her aunt and uncle...She really missed Kansas and wished for good luck during the journey. I have a journey about how my life will be when I grow up. It has to do with education, respect and learning. When I was young, I always dreamed of many things I wanted to be or do.”

“Dorothy liked her friends and did the best she could in any situation.  She almost never got scared. She just went through the whole story and finally found the courage at the end of the book to go home.” 

We also described challenges we faced that helped us grow. Like the characters in the story, we found the strength within ourselves to face our challenges. Quotes from our writing: 

“I came to the United States when I was 13 years old, but I couldn't speak English. Learning a new language is really hard for me...Then I can speak and do the work, but I can’t do the work really well. I’m trying to do better.”

“I had to grow and change when I started high school. It was hard because the school is very big, and it was hard finding my classes. Now I have more confidence, and I am not scared or nervous about high school. Now I know where everything is located. I am really happy that I know what I am doing and where I am going. I am not lost anymore.”

“When I was growing up in Irvington, New Jersey, I was having trouble at school, so my parents moved me to Millburn. I finished fourth and fifth grade. Then, I went to the middle school where I grew a lot more with the help of my teachers and case manager.”

“I had a time in my life when I was able to change and grow, and it was when I traveled with my family...One time, my brother Nate got altitude sickness at the Grand Canyon. Then we treated him with medicine, so he wouldn't get altitude sickness anymore. I changed because I learned how to help others out for any cause.”

“Now I don’t feel like someone is after me anymore, and I can be left alone without being scared or hurt. I feel more comfortable at home. Just like the lion, I realized that I had the courage inside me all along.”

We hope you enjoyed reading our blog post. Please let us know what you think in the comments below!

Don't forget that "It's a great day to be a Miller"!

Signing off for now,

Room 370 Clubhouse