Fifth graders at Spencer-Van Etten had an impactful learning experience this week as part of their study of Wonder with teacher Michelle German. Students had the opportunity to meet Jeremy and his mother, Kristine, who visited the school to share Jeremy’s story about living with a facial difference, a central theme of the novel.
Jeremy spoke openly with students about his experiences and answered their thoughtful questions. After the conversation, many students reflected on what they learned, describing Jeremy as “a super chill dude,” “so funny,” and “cool.” The visit helped students form meaningful text-to-world connections and deepened their understanding of empathy, acceptance and kindness.
Inspired by both the book and the presentation, the fifth graders expressed their commitment to being “kinder than is necessary,” echoing one of the novel’s core messages.
The district extends its sincere appreciation to Jeremy and Kristine for spending the day with students and helping bring the lesson of Wonder to life.