冷え込みを感じる１日。外ではコート、家の中でももう一枚追加に着なければ安心できなくなりました。久しぶりに小学校での読み聞かせ。３年い組の子供達の元気いい朝の挨拶にこちらも気分上々です。今日は「しょうじき５０円ぶん」という絵本を選びました。買い物に行っておつりが５０円足りなかった時と反対に５０円多くもらってしまった時の子供の気持ちを表した絵本です。少しの葛藤があったもののもらいすぎの５０円を正直に返しにいってお店屋さんからほめられてご褒美をもらって気分最高、というお話しです。読む前に子供たちに「子供だけで買い物に行くことある？」と聞いたらほとんどの子が「ある」と答え「ない」と答えた子も少し。次に「今日はお金の話しだけど、５０円と似てるお金って何かな？」と聞くと「１００円！」とか「５円！」と想定通り。お話しの反応もよくほっとして校舎を後にしました。子供の時からお釣りの計算を習慣づけておくことは大事だなと、数字に弱いままこの年まできてしまった私は切実に思うのです。It was a day during which I felt "chilly". I needed to wear a coat outside, and additional clothes inside the house. Today, I went to a local elementary school for storytelling after a short period of time had passed since the last time. The third grader kids welcomed and greeted me with healthy, lively voices which made me feel very good. I chose a picture book titled "Fifty yen worth for the honest (person)". This is a story about a boy's feelings one time when he received 50 yen short in change at the shop and another time when he received 50 yen too much from the shop owner. Although he struggled a bit with what he should do, he finally decided to return 50 yen to the shop, and he received praise from the shop owner and he also got a nice reward for his honesty. Before I started reading, I asked the kids "Are there times when you go to buy something by yourself?". Most of them responded "yes", but few said "no". Next I said to them " Today, I will read a story about money. What other coins are similar to a 50 yen coin?", then they said "hundred yen!" or " five yen!" which I expected. I had a very good reaction to my reading so I was relieved and left the school. It is important for the children to get used to calculating change since they are at an early age. I really think that because I myself have never been good with numbers to this day.
