Paper Clips Are More Than Just Office Supplies

In class today we watched a very touching and emotional movie called Paper Clips which follows a project led by students and educators at a middle school in Whitwell, Tennessee. When learning about the Holocaust, it was hard for the students to comprehend the idea of 6 million people which is the number of individuals Hitler is responsible for annihilating. After some research, students discovered that paper clips had connections to its history and could be used to represent each person who was a victim.

At first they had struggled to get 6 million paper clips, but once their project became more well known they received thousands of letters and clips. They even received feedback from famous individuals like Tom Hanks, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The Paper Clips Project was featured in the Washington Post and on many news stations. Paper clips and letters came piling in from around the world. The middle-schoolers, teachers, and community members made a memorial at their school for the survivors and victims of the Holocaust which included a railroad car which transported many Jews to concentration camps. The students also listened to talks given by Holocaust survivors and their families. The students were proud to show them their memorial and efforts.

As I watched this video in class it was hard to hold back the tears. I believe that this project was so meaningful for the students, educators, Holocaust families, community, and the country. It is amazing how much students learned about intolerance and prejudice through this learning experience. They also learned about the powerful effects of letter writing, how community members can give insight to historical events, and how to work in a classroom community which has the same goals. I feel that all educators should watch this movie and reflect on their feelings and views of others. There is no place for prejudice in our classrooms or outside of the school building. Without the teachers' direction and scaffolding this project may not have become so meaningful. As teachers, we must absorb this responsibility that we have to our students to encourage learning that truly touches them and connects with them personally.

I found many other bloggers who had also watched this movie and shared their summary and feelings about it. I have included some of these links below. Feel free to check them out.


http://notoverthehill.com/blog/view/id_12844/title_paper-clips-and-butterflies/

http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2006/08/paper_clips_pro.html

http://blog.iamequalproject.org/paper-clips-project/

http://kidsoffthecouch.blogspot.com/2009/04/paper-clips-jewish-memorial-kids-off.html