For St. Patrick’s Day I had the children make some fun green snack foods in their Cooking Class. We made cucumber clover, open faced sandwiches with green cream cheese.
We also made a sweet treat using graham crackers (a very special treat to find here in China), green frosting, green Skittles and a Rolo chocolate candy. The Rolo candy was supposed to represent the leprechaun hat.
Xian Xiang, one of my TA’s, brought her camera and shared pictures with me, pictured below.
I also read to the students the true story of Saint Patrick and why he is celebrated in Ireland. Read exert below:
When he was 16, he was captured by pagan Irish raiders and sold into slavery to a chieftain named Meliuc in Ireland. He spent his teen years and time alone as a shepherd tending to his master’s sheep. During this time, his spirituality awakened and his belief in God became strong. He would pray many times in a day. After 6 years being in slavery, he had a dream that he would find a ship to take him to freedom. He escaped to follow his dream.
He managed to return to his family and home. Although Patrick was born a British, he considered himself an Irish because it was in Ireland that he discovered God. He had another vision. This vision would take him back to Ireland to preach the Gospel later. The Bishop, St. Germain recommended Patrick to the pope. He was called to Rome and made a Bishop by Pope Celestine in 432 before he went on his mission to Ireland. It was during that occasion that the name “Patercius” or “Patritius” was given to him. The name comes from two Latin words, “pater civium” meaning “the father of his people”.
More students with my second TA (teaching assistant) helper, Dorothy Zhang.
We have the true story of St. Patrick, too, and read it to the boys. I also have the St. Valentine’s one, too, and St. Nicholas. I love to teach them about the real people, not the mythical stories.