Spreading the word: UBUNTU

The concept of “ubuntu,” a Nguni word, is found in many southern African cultures and means that we are part of all humanity and we are who we are through our interconnectedness with others. Ubuntu means kindness, respect, friendship and being helpful within our community. We are learning about UBUNTU because our class is learning about Africa. We are trying to make our school community better. We have noticed that sometimes students aren't always respectful. We want to build a better community here at The Conservatory School (TCS). Our goal through this work is to improve the feelings of togetherness and community within homes, classrooms and  entire schools.

This is a picture of people working together on a green screen to show Ubuntu. By Kellan Gillespie, Editor.

At Home

If your brother or sister is sad you can help cheer them up. You can also help by doing chores. By doing chores you are helping your family. Your family is a smaller community that lives in your home. Some chores you can do at home are taking out the trash, washing dishes, cleaning your room and doing laundry. Even something as simple as reaching a high toy for a younger sibling is showing UBUNTU.  Little things make a big difference. 

In The Classroom

We can show UBUNTU by helping our classmates. Like if your friend gets hurt on the playground you can help by telling your teacher or helping them up. If you are writing or making a book you can give them feedback. Giving feedback is kind because you can show them how to make their work better. We want everyone's work to be successful. You can help a friend if they are getting picked on or bullied. You can say "Hey that's not nice. Can you stop please?" It is important to stand up for others in our community because ignoring the bully is kind of like being a bully too. We need to help make things better not worse.  We should even tell others not to bully. Sometimes even showing kindness to the bully can change their behavior. Something else you can do is inviting friends to play. Being left out doesn't feel good at all. But if you do get left out then you can just ask someone else to play.  You should also be nice and respectful to your teachers and friends too. We should always use the Golden Rule and treat others the way we want to be treated. 

In Schools

We can show it throughout our whole school by sharing it with friends in other classes and grades, and they can then tell their friends. It can keep passing from friend to friend and before you know it, the school school knows about it! At TCS we have exhibitions of learning. An exhibition is when we present our work to an audience like other classes and parents. They get to learn from us and ask us questions.  If there is an exhibition and your friend is nervous you can help them feel positive. We want everyone to feel good about their exhibition and be successful. When going to another class or grade level's exhibition you can give them positive feedback. Giving positive feedback makes people feel good about themselves. Then, when that students goes to an exhibition they can give someone else feedback which will make another person feel good. Spreading kindness is UBUNTU.  Our whole school community needs to connect with each other so everyone is happy. How can you help your school show UBUNTU?

Our class has been traveling around Africa and one of the most interesting places we’ve been is definitely Kenya. They have an Indigenous tribe there called the Maasai. They are one of the oldest and most respected throughout all of Africa. Watch this green screen video made by a group of students to help celebrate their unique culture.