Flattening the Globe, One Voice at a Time

 

This year, in order to expand student understanding of others' lives and perspectives, I designed a course called Voices Across the Globe. Initially, the plan was to have regular communication with a couple of different classrooms around the globe. However, I realized that if I wanted students to develop empathy and respect for others, I should not expect other teachers to alter their curriculum to fit my vision. Moreover, a key skill that the students will need to have in the future is the ability to make global connections. I changed the course design to teach students how to make and develop those connections in concert with an issue that mattered to each individual student. During the term, students tried to make contact with a variety of people around the globe who had involvement and interest in their topics. They kept a process journal to log their contacts, reactions, questions, obstacles, and solutions for overcoming the obstacles. Their culminating assignment was to present their findings to their classmates. A sampling of the topics, students chose to explore included:

* the plight of orcas in captivity by Paige (grade 10)

* pop art around the globe by Eunhye (grade 12)

* global food security by Laura (grade 11)

* plastic pollution in the oceans by Elizabeth (grade 10)

*how people around the world respond to Alzheimer's by Rita (grade 12)

Some of the highlights of the presentations included:

*Global Water Crisis- Haley (grade 11) introduced us to a new device, The Drinkable Book , whose case serves as a water filter container. Each page provides safe water information and then is placed in the case as a water filter;

 

*Global student film-making- Brooke (grade 10) created this film with the combined voices of student film-makers around the world

* Spoken word poetry-Chanler (grade 11) inspired an internationally known slam poet to create a googledoc in which dozens of students from around the world have added their thoughts, poetic lines, and inspirations. Chanler developed her own "open poem" by starting with the line "I have yet to find an alias". Each author was invited to add a few lines. Here it is:

"The Poem"

I have yet to find an alias

(Chanler, 16, Baltimore, MD)

 

For years I have put on capes and masks;

A musical chair of identities

(Alex Dang, nationally known slam poet, Portland, OR)

 

But what will I be when the music stops?

(Carolyn, 15, Baltimore)

 

A scarecrow guarding a dead crop-

Someone pretending to be who they're not.

(Diane, 21, Canada)

 

Maybe I'll yank 'me' out of a top hat,

Or maybe I'll be hiding under wood shavings

Stuck, stuck, stuck at home

Until someone else lifts my plastic house away.

(Caroline, 21, Alabama)

 

This search is a series of illusions,

One after another,

Each more mysterious and playful than the next.

(Julia, 19, Albany, NY)

 

I have yet to find an alias; but the music leads me along my way.

Perhaps, the search is the source.

Perhaps, a disguise is all I need.

(Chanler, 16, Baltimore)

 

 

Their sharing and learning was a joy for all of us.

Connect with a student about her interest

For the next month (and for two weeks already), my students are trying to take their learning well beyond the walls of our classroom. Take a look at their topics. Perhaps you have an insight to offer. They would love to hear from you.

 

 

 

GLOBAL STUDENT PROJECTS

The following students are examining topics important to them and appreciate any feedback, comments, or contacts you can provide. Feel free to contact me, their teacher, with questions, too (BethRuekberg@gfs.org)

Peace Studies  -developing action plans to try to make a difference

Katherine Bartlett- KatherineBartlett@gfs.org- Hunger in Easton, MD, USA

Megan Blibaum- MeganBlibaum@gfs.org- Children’s cancer in Maryland, USA

Maddie Braman - MadelynBraman@gfs.org - Conflict in Gaza

Mimi Cottingham- MimiCottingham@gfs.org - Domestic violence against men

Blair Foreman- BlairForeman@gfs.org - Homelessness in Baltimore City, MD, USA

Virgina Leach- VirginiaLeach@gfs.org - Conflict diamonds

Miana Massey - MimiMassey@gfs.org - Animal abuse in Maryland, USA

Isabelle Tinati - IsabelleTinati@gfs.org - Dieting excess/ Making peace with your body

Luci Shepherd- ElizabethShepherd@gfs.org - Camdodian sex trafficking

Mandy Witherspoon - AmandaWitherspoon@gfs.org - Girls’ Rights in Afghanistan

Voices Across the Globe -  examining how communities and individuals around the world view & respond to these topics

Katherine Bartlett- @katherinebartl -

Victoria Bennett- @vicbennett16 - sexual abuse

Rita Eisner- @ritaeisner - Alzheimer’s

Brooke Fruman- @bfruman - student filmmaking

Elizabeth Gallo- @elizabethg1116 - environmental conservation

Chanler Harris - @cmhno2 - global value of college education

Haley Keller - @haley_keller5 - student actors

Eunhye Kim -@kimenhye3- Pop Art and communication

Madi Phin- @mphin96 - sex trafficking

Clare Powderly - @cpowderly14 - conservation of coral reefs

Megan Rossi- @megrossi4 - dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan

Paige Simmons- @PaigeSimmons12 - opposition to keeping orcas in captivity

Laura Straus - @laurastraus14 - global food security

Madison Williams-@Madison23715375 - global literacy

Ruby Wang- @RubyWang0719- writing from a cultural perspective

Scraped knees, mud, and development

"By engaging in risky play, children are effectively subjecting themselves to a form of exposure therapy, in which they force themselves to do the thing they’re afraid of in order to overcome their fear.  But if they never go through that process, the fear can turn into a phobia."

Ellen Sandseter, a professor of early-childhood education at Queen Maud University College

In the 21st century, we have provided so many opportunities for our children. At the same time, we have become so protective of them that we have denied them some essential skills.In her article this month in Atlantic Monthly , Hanna Rosen points out how over-protective we have become of our children, especially when they play. We keep a constant eye on them, assure that they are in safe environments, and too often, catch them before they fall. As a result, we do not give them enough opportunities to fall down, scrape their knees, and even fail. If we catch and protect, we are not giving them opportunities to solve problems, to develop resilience, and to work through difficulties, Moreover, we are not giving them some wonderful opportunities for creative exploration.

Hiking in the Ho Rainforest in Olympic National Park this summer inspired me to create a space in our yard where our five year old daughter could use her imagination as she played. We spotted a section among trees that seemed to call one in to explore, create, and imagine. Once home, we gathered random objects to create what I called an "imaginarium":

• instruments were created with
• the top of an old firepit turned upside down and two old metal hooks became drumsticks
• a peanut bar jar filled old nuts became like a maraca
• old parts from benches, a defunct lawntractor, pvc plumbing pieces, and more became whatever our daughter wanted them to be
• I built her a climbing wall when she was two and we moved that and a slide down to the imaginarium
• when she had an idea, we would try to find something that she could use to create it. Pulleys and cord with clips become messaging systems.

She LOVES to take her friends to her imaginarium when they come over. They don't know what she is talking about when she mentions it, but once they see the space and random objects, they let their ideas flow freely. They can get dirty, silly, creative, and totally lost in a world driven by their imaginations and curiosity. We do not set rules there. They make them up. We do not hover to be sure they don't fall. They take care of each other. It is my favorite space in the yard and it is one that Mother Nature herself inspired.

And what of mud? Who doesn't love to jump in a mud puddle? Yesterday my daughter said we really needed to take a walk. She said that it was my "day off" and she planned our adventure. We grabbed our dog and hiked for about an hour and a half. Between snow and rain the past week, the ground had plenty of wet spots, but it was a beautiful Spring day that called us to hike. As we reached the end of the trail I spotted a very large puddle. I asked my daughter if she would like to jump in it. Her eyes lit up and she inched over. Then she looked over her shoulder at me as if to be sure I was serious that she could jump in. I nodded. First, she tiptoed in, then with relish, she jumped away. Her smile was beyond measure. It didn't cost a thing. It didn't require rules or safety guidelines. The time outdoors simply involved a sense of adventure and some time. There is so much to gain from the outdoors.

Let's encourage children to get outdoors more, to create, experiment, dare, and take risks. We must let them fall, pick themselves up, and feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with each of these.

Reflection: an essential element of teaching

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action."

Peter F. Drucker

As educators, we spend tremendous amounts of time planning lessons for our students and working through those lessons with them. Too often, when we complete one lesson, we are quick to move on to the next one. However, in doing so, we miss a vital step in the learning process; that is one of reflection.  We can feel so rushed to get through the material we are supposed to cover that we skip over an opportunity for true, deep, and rich learning.

Upon my own reflection, I have reminded myself of the importance of taking the time to include this step with my students. Now, I intentionally include a reflective component in all of my major assignments. Sometimes I offer prompts such as: 

* I believe the strongest parts of my project were:* I believe my project would have been stronger if:
* Am I proud of what I am turning in?  Why?
* What lessons did I learn from this assignment or experience?

These reflections may or may not be graded. If students need a bit of a carrot, I may include the reflection as a percentage of the grade. Any grade is based on the depth of their thoughts, not the length, the depth. I would like them to show me that they truly took the time to learn from the experience of the lesson.  At other times, the reflection is not graded. I simply encourage the students to take a step back, slow down, and process what they have been working on.

 

A colleague of mine likes to say, "we schedule what we value."  If we value reflection, and I do, we need to model it and offer time for it. We learn far less if we blaze forward without paying attention to where we have been.

Creativity + Diverse Perspectives = Deeper Education

When one considers the word creative, it’s easy to think of the arts. After all, what is more creative than the expression one gives to her work with a musical instrument, including her voice, a photograph, sculpture, or painting, or the way an actress embodies on stage? In English, one can be creative through a work of prose or poetry.  Creativity can be found in every subject area. Thinking outside-of-the-box involves a creative approach to problem-solving. 

As teachers, creativity is found in the way we plan and execute our lessons. It is also found in the way we collaborate as faculty. One of the most enriching and creative means of professional development I have been engaged with occurred over the last two years. Through the facilitation of Renee Hawkins, Director of Instructional Technology at Garrison Forest School, we had three teams of faculty working with the organization Powerful Learning Practice. These teams were not organized around a single discipline or division but rather across them. By spending time together working on similar goals, we learned a great deal about each other, about the students we teach at each level, about our subject areas, and about our approaches. We pushed ourselves out of the “silos” of our teaching areas and united our collective energy, enthusiasm, intellect, and curiosity together toward learning that enriched all of us.

Then, we shared what we learned with our colleagues both formally in professional development days and informally through conversations and meetings times that we created to discuss new ideas.

We have embraced the kind of sharing that not only helps education grow deeper and broader, it helps create new products. In a story aired on National Public Radio in January celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the first Apple Mac products, the story described a design team which included a medical doctor, musician, “self-educated drop-out”, artist, archaeologist, as well as computer experts. As the current Apple CEO, Tim Cook noted, “We define diversity with a big D…. It's not just the traditional measures of diversity, which are incredibly important, but also diversity of thought.” (Morning Edition)

At Garrison Forest School, we embrace diversity in all respects, including a diversity of thought and experience. Each person’s experience, expertise, and perspective adds to our learning and growth. Opening ourselves to each other’s creative approaches and views enriches us.