Discussion Questions:
- What is Kamal worried about in the story?
Kamal does not want to go to the reptile show because he is scared of reptiles - Does Kamal try to tell anyone about his problem? Is it a good choice to tell?
Yes, and it is a good choice to tell so he can get the help he needs with his worry - Kamal tries to tell his worry to his teacher, parents, and sister. Does he succeed? Why or why not?
Kamal tries to tell his mom indirectly (may want to explain what 'indirect telling' means), but she did not know what he really meant
Kamal tries to tell his dad and sister directly (may want to explain what 'direct telling' means), but they were not paying attention - Even though Kamal doesn't seem to succeed in telling at first, does he give up?
No, Kamal does not give up and keeps trying to tell - Why is it important to keep telling even if you did not receive help before?
Sometimes adults may not understand what you were asking for or thought they helped when they didn't, keep telling until you get the help you need - How does Kamal indirectly communicate this through his words and body language? (show children the pictures of Kamal trying to talk to his teacher, parents, and teacher \u2013 what does his body language look like? Introduce the concepts of verbal and non-verbal communication and how we use both to express ourselves)
- Explain to children what words like 'indirectly' and 'body language' mean if these are new terms
- Does Kamal eventually clearly communicate what he wants to say? How does he say it?
Yes, Kamal says it directly, loudly, and clearly
Kamal says, "Listen to me! I have something important to say. I am terrified of reptiles. I don't want to touch them or hold them or be anywhere near them. And I really, REALLY, REALLY don't want to go to the reptile show!" - What does his body language look like when he finally says what he wants to say?
Kamal firmly stands his ground and clearly says what he wants to says (can show picture) - When we communicate, how can we tell if someone is really listening to us? How can we check? (Can choose a student to demonstrate what this looks like)
They are paying attention to us, they are making eye contact, they are nodding along, etc.
We can check if they are listening by asking if they are listening and if they understand what we are trying to say - In the end, Kamal seems to have agreed with his mom that the reptile show was a "precious memory". Does this mean Kamal was wrong about being afraid of reptiles?
Not at all. Kamal has a right to his feelings and he made a good choice to talk about it and get the help he needed. It is because Kamal clearly communicated his worry and received support that he is able to overcome his fear
Even if Kamal does not overcome his fear of reptiles at the end of the story, that is completely okay. He still made a good choice to talk about this and get help.