GO AS A RIVER

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Go as a River  ( go like a river ) is a phrase from the Buddhist monk Thick Nhat Hanh that I used to reflect with the students on the nature of the river we were skirting during the activity  Water  (Water) by Inglese Sistemico Aldini-Valeriani 2021.  

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Some questions the teacher can ask to stimulate discussion:

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What does 'Go as a river' mean for you? (What does 'Go like a river' mean to you?)

What are the characteristics of a river that make it 'go as a river'?

(what are the characteristics of a river that make it 'go like a river'?)

Is it an action? Is it a state?

(Is it an action? Is it a state?)

Do you ever feel that you 'go as a river'? In what circumstances?

(Do you ever feel like you 'go like a river'?  Under what circumstances?)

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The survey is developed following the students' answers and their questions, with a methodology close to  Philosophy for Children .

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THICK NHAT HANH  AND PLUM VILLAGE

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Thick Nhat Hanh's words are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for interconnected education. I found his reference texts particularly useful for planning Systemic English activities  Happy Teachers Change the World  ( Teachers Change the World , which he co-wrote with Catherine Weare) and Planting Seeds ( Seeds of Happiness ).

His Plum Village monastery is an amazing place he created in the south of France, and it is also online with materials and activities. A Story of a River for example is a short story by Thick Nhat Hanh available online and useful for in-depth reading.