Soon, schoolchildren from all over the country will come to solemn lines, and teachers will receive several dozen expensive bouquets. But in St. Petersburg, parents and children decided not to follow the irrational tradition: they will give the class teachers one flower each, and transfer the saved money to charitable foundations. For example, within the framework of the “Children instead of flowers” campaign, one can support the Petersburg organization “Perspektivy”, which helps children and adults with severe disabilities, the “Vera”, “Rusfond” hospice fund, or even plant a tree. "Sobaka.ru" talked with teachers and participants of the action about why this not only does not spoil, but also makes the holiday better for everyone. Ksenia Golovanova, mother of a second grade student of school 98: “My 8-year-old son Sasha himself found out about the action and told me that on September 1, instead of an expensive bouquet, you can buy one flower, and transfer the rest of the money to needy children. He asked to contact the parents of his classmates with a proposal to join the action. I, of course, was very surprised - I have an ordinary boy, before I did not notice this behind him. She asked why he thought it was important, and he replied that not all children have parents, and someone has no money, he felt sorry for them and would like to somehow help. We discussed the idea and the vast majority of the parents agreed.
More and more often I hear from my friends that they somehow participate in charity - this is welcome, they talk about it with children. I hope that our class will become an example for the whole school, and next year there will be more participants. I am sure that my child's teacher will only be glad of such an initiative. And children like to be all together involved in something greater - it seems to me that they will have feelings of pride and joy on the line when everyone has flowers in their hands, and they have badges on their chests that were presented to them in a charitable foundation " … Olga Vinogradova, primary school teacher of school 365: “I found out about the action on TV - I looked on the Internet and came across the program of the organization“Perspectives”. To be honest, I don’t understand the tradition of giving flowers to teachers: just imagine - 36 bouquets, what is this, the grave of an unknown soldier? I myself invited my parents to join the action, almost everyone agreed. I am sure that a person is more important than external attributes. Instead of helping specific people, we erect symbols of success, wealth or goodness around us. I am a second grade teacher, and all the children gladly responded to the initiative, they are confident that in this way they make the world a better place. Thanks to this, they will know that there is pain, that someone is feeling bad right now. I hope that these children will be able to change something in the future - so that people still turn their faces to each other. " Svetlana Mamonova, Director of External Relations, SPbBOO Perspektivy: “In 2017 we held a campaign for the first time, not many people joined us - about 10 classes. Many parents and teachers reacted with suspicion to the initiative, there were doubts about how transparently the collected donations were spent, although Perspektivy is a well-known organization that has been working with children and adults with severe disabilities since 1996.
In 2018, we received a warmer welcome - 19 schools became participants. Then we raised money for the operation of a day care center for children, which prepares them to study in correctional schools, and also gives their parents the opportunity to work. We traditionally sign letters of gratitude for participating schools, and parents told us that during the year, second-graders come up to the diploma on the wall in the classroom, re-read the text. They had the feeling that they did something important and kind.
This year there are twice as many schools - 38. Teachers and parents call us themselves, having learned about the action from friends and the media. This year, all the money raised will go to the program to help children of the Pavlovsk orphanage-boarding school - additional classes with teachers and specialists in adaptive physical education. Eating with a spoon, drinking from a cup, learning to communicate - these are small but important steps for our children to become independent. Marina Bulkina, primary school teacher, school 504: “Last year I learned about the action from the head teacher for educational work. She invited all teachers to join her, I expressed a desire - only our class took part from elementary school. I told the parents of the students, almost all the idea was supported. The children reacted well: we regularly do charity work with them: we help the children's hospice, we prepare gifts for the inmates of the orphanage for the New Year.
In general, I am a supporter of not destroying all living things, I always feel sorry when they give me cut flowers that stand for a day and then wither. I have been working at school for many years and I always ask: if you want to donate something, it is better to let it be potted plants. And the mountains of bouquets standing in buckets in the classroom never made me happy - before, every September 1, I distributed them to my friends. So I really like the action”. Natalya Veselova, mother of a second grade student of school 504: “It is a normal human need to do charity work, especially in our country, where many people lack something. For my child's teacher, I'll bring flowers from the dacha, I grow them myself, so in fact I won't spend anything on them. And such actions, it seems to me, can be carried out even several times a year - the soul feels good when you help.
My oldest child spent three years in a wheelchair. Now he is healthy, but we know how hard it is for families who find themselves alone with such a disaster. I discuss this with children, and they know that helping is important. A small person should understand that he needs to do good at any time of the year, but this action is convenient because it is centralized."
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