A story about a caring little girl and her new friend is a great example to teach children about inclusion
Image source: Youtube
Children are like sponges. They absorb all the information around them and remember it for future situations. That is why it is crucial to teach children from a young age to respect everyone around and they treat them with kindness, no matter how different they are. Sponsors of the Future wants to highlight pieces of media that would serve as great resources to teach children about the importance of treating everyone around us equally. The short film Cuerdas is a great example of something that can be shown to children to teach them this important lesson.
Cuerdas follows the story of Maria, an ordinary Spanish girl in elementary school. As she is roaming through the hallways when she is supposed to be playing outside at recess she spots a new student in the principal's office. This student, Nicolas, has cerebral palsy. He is nonverbal and cannot move from his wheelchair. While the other students immediately find him strange and want to stay away, Maria does the opposite.
Image source: Youtube
On Nicolas’ first day on the playground, Maria immediately approaches him and asks him all sorts of questions. From there on, she makes sure to include Nicolas in every activity. She utilizes her jump ropes and ties them to his legs and arms so he can play games with Maria. From jump rope, to soccer, and even flying kites, Nicolas and Maria quickly become close friends.
Then one day, after Nicolas had been feeling more sick and tired than usual, Maria arrives to school and finds out that Nicolas had passed away. She is devastated at the loss of her friend, and decided to tie a piece of their jump rope on her wrist in memory of him. The film then flashes
forward 20 years later, and Maria is entering the classroom of a special education center and announcing that she will be their new teacher.
Cuerto is a beautiful story that teaches a crucial lesson to children. Maria loved spending time with Nicolas, and put in the effort to make sure he could enjoy the same activities as her. Even though the other kids called her weird, she did not care. She just cared about making sure Nicolas was happy, and that is how children should always behave. If we teach children from a young age that others with disabilities deserve to be treated normally, then this message will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
The director of this short film, Pedro Solís, created this film in honor of his own son who had passed away from cerebral palsy. Clearly, he knows exactly what children need to hear to learn how to treat others respectfully.
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