My dad, coming from the Scottish highlands, always has a story or fable to tell. One story he used to tell us often as kids is the "Stone Soup story". As I entered adulthood and the world of teaching, I realized that this  fable could be used to teach kids a lesson on how important it is that we work together as a community. I was thrilled to then discover that many European countries still hold “Stone Soup” evenings where the kids in a class, together with their parents,  come together and share a warm pot of soup. Each participating family is asked to bring something to add to “the pot”. This symbolises that we work together as a community to not only nourish the minds of our children, but that together we can enjoy our bounty so much more.

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If you have not yet heard of the old folk story Stone Soup, Wikipedia summarizes it as follows:

Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor. The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by travelers and villagers alike. Although the travelers have thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty and nutritious meal which they share with the donors. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Soup

The moral of the story is one of sharing, but it also suggests that by coming together as a community or team, we can create wonderful and “delicious” things. And this is the message that I want both my learners and their parents to receive. 

As parents and educators, we can only do so much and there comes a point where we not only need our students to cooperate, but we need the adults to play their part too. By coming together to enjoy a warm cup of soup and fresh bread on a cold winter’s evening, I feel that this is a way to build that sense off community and also remind each other that we need to cooperate and work together if we want our next generation (and ones thereafter) to reach their full potential and do amazing things!

Perhaps it is also a good idea to read a version of Stone Soup to your children or students, with the hopes that the story will grow with them and forever be instilled in their minds, like it did for me. My father is Scottish and has always told us wonderful folk stories. Such simple tales still have the magnitude to change the world! 

Much love - @sweetpea

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