Guest Speaker at St. Mary Elementary School Today for Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
Joyful afternoon on Pyjama Day at St. Mary Elementary School in Brampton on Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. I was delighted to be invited by Mr. Kalaparambath, Principal, as a Guest Speaker to speak to his students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight on the Relationship with Self and the Virtue of Love.
Following my public speaking presentation, Exit Tickets were kindly distributed to grade three to eight students by their teachers. After the question period, the Exit Tickets were also collected by these same helpful and lovingly supportive teachers too.
Below are excerpts from some of these Exit Tickets:
Today I heard/saw… “We are all different.”
This made me think… “I need to be more confident in myself”
Now, I wonder… “We need to be kind.”
Today I heard/saw… “A sweet, loving, caring person.”
This made me think… “That I should love myself more …”
Now, I wonder… “Can bullying stop?????”
Today I heard/saw… “A successful person”
This made me think… “That everyone is perfect just the way they are.”
Now, I wonder… “if we can always learn to accept one another?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard a public speaker told everyone her life. I saw a Public Speaker.”
This made me think… “About how bullying makes us sad.”
Now, I wonder… “how can I stop bullying at school.”
Today I heard/saw… “Her story and never give up”
This made me think… “Don’t give up.”
Now, I wonder… “Not to give up.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I saw Giselle teaching me that everyone is a child of God.”
This made me think… “I will try to help others.”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone is kind or if you have to be nice to be kind”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that Giselle made a difference in her life”
This made me think… “That I can make a difference”
Now, I wonder… “To always be kind to others no matter what. Thank you so much! You made a difference in my life”
Today I heard/saw… “A woman named Giselle not just any woman a kind hearted woman”
This made me think… “never let anyone get picked on and never exclude.”
Now, I wonder… “how does Giselle feel right now and how does it feel to be her”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle is also a gift from Jesus Christ / from God.”
This made me think… “that I’m not a bad person”
Today I heard/saw… “about Giselle”
This made me think… “about not putting me or people down.”
Now, I wonder… “What is your favourite sport”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw and heard the most beautiful thing”
This made me think… “that being nice could change a life”
Now, I wonder… “How do they communicate?”
Today I heard/saw… “that a Public come talk to us about love and a new start”
This made me think… “to love myself”
Now, I wonder… “How to self love other”
Today I heard/saw… “A public speaker talking about self love”
This made me think… “to love myself”
Now, I wonder… “How to self love others.”
Today I heard/saw… “How to be a better person”
This made me think… “I will try to be more in touch with myself”
Now, I wonder… “I don’t wonder anything.”
Today I heard/saw… “That a Public Speaker came to talk to us about love and her story”
This made me think… “That I can have people be who you are”
Now, I wonder… “How to be myself”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard things about her life”
This made me think… “To be nicer”
Now, I wonder… “If I can be nicer.”
Today I heard/saw… “A good person”
This made me think… “Who I am.”
Now, I wonder… “What she thinks”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard an amazing story about Giselle.”
This made me think… “I thought about how I take a lot for granted and I shouldn’t.”
Now, I wonder… “I should be kinder and just what if I was like Giselle. I pray for Giselle and myself. St. Mary’s rocks”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard a story and not to bully”
This made me think… “This made me think that I’m so thankful for who I am and no matter what don’t bully”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder if she going to be able to walk”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I listened to Giselle, a 22 year old woman tell us an amazing, inspiring story about her life.”
This made me think… “This made me think that no matter someone’s small differences, we are all perfect because God made us all perfect and unique.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how she stayed so strong and never let anyone’s negative opinions affect her and she is so strong and brave for that”
Today I heard/saw… “A story about Giselle an amazing story”
This made me think… “How could she be so positive her whole life”
Now, I wonder… “What made her want to tell her story to everyone ‘I’m really proud of her’”
Today I heard/saw… “a 22 year old woman with an amazing life story.”
This made me think… “that no matter what she will always be positive.”
Now, I wonder… “What motivated her to be a strong woman.”
Today I heard/saw… “An amazing story”
This made me think… “no matter what people say you can do anything”
Now, I wonder… “how I will reflect on this”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard to love yourself”
This made me think… “this made me think that you can get through hard challenges”
Now, I wonder… “what cerebral palsy is?”
Today I heard/saw… “A brave amazing woman named Giselle Gaylie. And she spoke about loving yourself and self worth.”
This made me think… “about how I should not be little myself and should listen and love myself more.”
Now, I wonder… “What my life would be like if I were in Giselle Gaylie’s position. And if I would be as successful as her. Thank you for coming to share your story with us.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle present her presentation”
This made me think… “How grateful and lucky I am.”
Now, I wonder… “What I can do to make a positive impact”
Today I heard/saw… “That you can do anything”
This made me think… “that anyone can be successful”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone can succeed like her.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie at my school”
This made me think… “How Giselle deals with negative people”
Now, I wonder… “if she will continue to spread her message for a long time”
Today I heard/saw… “about self love and the virtue of love.”
This made me think… “about all the challenges she must’ve faced…”
Now, I wonder… “about her twin brother and his point of view on this situation. ! I luv you!”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard and saw a very brave woman speak about her journey”
This made me think… “This made me think that anyone can be successful”
Today I heard/saw… “now I wonder what difference I could make Thank You”
Today I heard/saw… “How a person with a disability is like a completely normal person”
This made me think… “That is cool”
Now, I wonder… “How she gets around”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard and saw about her life.”
This made me think… “That I need to love myself to love others.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how it is to be in your shoe.”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw how her life is”
This made me think… “about how much fun you have, and you never let anything get in your way”
Now, I wonder… “What its like to be her”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that she tries to stay strong and love who she is.”
This made me think… “That people should show positivity and kindness to everyone.”
Now, I wonder… “That if some people love who they are.”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw Giselle tell us about the virtue of love.”
This made me think… “That I can’t let people’s words affect me.”
Now, I wonder… “Why do I always put myself down.”
Today I heard/saw… “How you can do anything no matter what”
This made me think… “Treat others how you want to be treated.”
Now, I wonder… “How many people are being bullied for their disabilities.”
Today I heard/saw… “I need to love myself and I need to know I am not alone”
This made me think… “I am lucky to be who I am”
Now, I wonder… “how I can help people that need someone!”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard and saw a loving person who had always seen the best in things.”
This made me think… “Of how I treat myself and that I should treat myself better.”
Now, I wonder… “Was it difficult for you in school? And how did you stand up for yourself.”
Today I heard/saw… “That Giselle and students like her can do anything.”
This made me think… “That anyone can do anything.”
Now, I wonder… “How are you going to change the world because I know you will, and I can’t wait to see!”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s life and her perspective of love”
This made me think… “Why do people hate on each other”
Now, I wonder… “How you had the courage to get through this.”
Today I heard/saw… “Someone that made an impact in other people’s lives”
This made me think… “I could do something good”
Now, I wonder… “What could I do to impact other people”
Today I heard/saw… “What my self is.”
This made me think… “That I can do anything.”
Now, I wonder… “That I’m grateful for what I have.”
Today I heard/saw… “A strong person that we should always love our self’s.”
This made me think… “We are all God’s children. And that we should love ourselves just the way we are.”
Now, I wonder… “Does she like dancing!”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard Giselle’s story today.”
This made me think… “This made me think that I sometimes think that I’m going through a lot of trouble but there are other people with more trouble”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help people understand people and be a better person?”
Today I heard/saw… “that we should live life to the fullest”
This made me think… “about how lucky we all are”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s story. She talked about how she always believed and never gave up.”
This made me think… “I should change the way I think, treat others.”
Now, I wonder… “If I become more confident, and have positive thoughts about myself, how will it affect me.”
Today I heard/saw… “people being nice to other people”
This made me think… “That made me that its really nice to be nice”
Now, I wonder… “now, I wonder what it would be like for everyone to be nice to each other”
Today I heard/saw… “How important it is to love yourself”
This made me think… “How other people sometimes can be struggling in life”
Now, I wonder… “If I could help someone else”
Today I heard/saw… “How to love and know myself by hearing Giselle’s story”
This made me think… “about how I can make myself a better person”
Now, I wonder… “If I can challenge myself more and understand myself”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard the story of Giselle and the challenges in her life.”
This made me think… “We are all God’s children and we should all be treated kindly”
Now, I wonder… “If we are all God’s children, why do we sometimes get treated differently?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard a touching story from Giselle about that we need to accept who we are and love ourselves”
This made me think… “that we are all perfect just the way we are and that we don’t need to change anything.”
Now, I wonder… “If I can do anything and achieve my goals just like Giselle.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about her experiences”
This made me think… “that anyone can do anything just like Giselle”
Now, I wonder… “How I can fulfill my life and accomplish so much stuff.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about her life experiences.”
This made me think… “of how you can do anything you want if you try.”
Now, I wonder… “If people in this school will stop bullying.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about her life / school.”
This made me think… “to be a better person.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder if Giselle had any other friends like her. Your amazing!!!”
Today I heard/saw… “What she experienced in her life How important it is to love”
This made me think… “how to love yourself. To be a good friend.”
Now, I wonder… “What her life was like growing up. If she has problems today with health.”
Today I heard/saw… “What her life was like”
This made me think… “how to love your self”
Now, I wonder… “What her life was like growing up.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I saw Giselle and I heard her story.”
This made me think… “To reflect about myself and to not let anyone treat me differently”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how Giselle didn’t feel mistreated.”
Today I heard/saw… “You have a gift.”
This made me think… “that we should not mind our differences”
Now, I wonder… “How she is so strong everyday”
Special thanks to Mr. Michalsky, who had all the technology amazingly set up for me when I arrived in the gymnasium. Also, a very kind thank you to Miriam, a grade eight student, who kindly wore my FM microphone and held the wireless one, during the question period. A sincere thanks to Ms. Marchese for taking and sharing some great pictures too.
From his kind introduction, to his closing inspired remarks to all his students, Mr. Kalaparambath made me feel so warmly welcomed today. I feel truly blessed to have been invited as a Guest Speaker and to have been amongst such wonderful students and friendly staff today at St. Mary Elementary School.
