Kids Love to Talk About This! (And Umbrella Metaphors)

BY ANDREW DAVIS

I finally put my degree in religious studies to use during recess last Wednesday. Earlier, at Gather, we heard three student presentations: one on the Jewish High Holidays, another on alopecia awareness, and a third on Latinx Heritage Month. While enjoying apples and honey, I found myself in a lively conversation with a group of second graders.

Here’s a bit of our chat:

Me: “That was great that you shared about Judaism. I didn’t know your family is Jewish.”

Second-Grader (Proudly): “Yes, my dad is Jewish! We don’t go to Jewish church, but we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas.”

Me: “My family celebrates Christmas too.”

Another Second-Grader: “Are you Christian?”

Me: “Good question! I went to church sometimes growing up. My parents are now really involved in their Episcopal church.”

Chorus of 2nd Graders: “Episcopa-what?! Is that Christian?”

Me: “Okay, picture a big umbrella called ‘Christian.’” (I draw an umbrella on some paper.) “Under the umbrella are Catholics…”

2nd Grader: “My Grandma’s Catholic! My dad says she wishes he went to church more.”

Me: “That happens. Episcopalian is under the umbrella too. Those two were once together but split a long time ago. That was called the Great Schism.”

2nd Graders in chorus: “Oh!”

Me: “There are also Baptists, Methodists, and many others under the umbrella.”

2nd Grader: “Is Jewish an umbrella too?”

Me: “Yes! There’s Reform, Modern Orthodox, Orthodox, and more. Most religions you’ve heard of are like umbrellas.”

2nd Graders: “Cool! We’re going to get more apples and honey.”

Later, I learned from Jennifer Adams that her third-graders had a similar experience. After Gather, one student shared more about Sukkhot that she had learned during Sunday school. The class was intrigued and asked thoughtful questions for nearly twenty minutes, demonstrating a rare level of focus for nine-year-olds.

These moments highlight not a push for comparative religion courses at MTS, but a reminder of how eager our students are to both share and learn about their religious and cultural identities. In the coming weeks, we’ll hear from students celebrating Diwali and, in December, learn about the significance of Christmas. Through this, our students gain a deeper understanding of the world and strengthen connections with their classmates.

Now, I just need more umbrella metaphors!