Culture: What Is It?

Having viewed other students’ collaborative work has led me to the realization that there truly is a constant yearning for our students to express their choices through their own voices—through art.

Sharp Leadenhall Elementary School’s list of indicators of culture struck me in such a way that it truly sounded like poetry to me. The randomness, the openness, the authenticity, big ideas, details— all led to the accomplishment of defining culture. Culture embodies what we love, what we value.

Eagle Park Community School’s Puzzle Pieces—left me with a strong sense of community. I love the way that the project was completed…”after many hours of talking and cutting…” That was what made a big difference. Truly, arts integrated instruction helps build community and strengthens communication. I love it, love it, love it.

P723X  at Byron’s “Brainstorm then Prioritize” strategy was very student empowering. I was moved by the mere fact that art in itself is utilized to support character-building. The notion that New York City is so much like Chicago where diversity is celebrated and respected draws me even closer to the Big Apple’s beauty and charm.What an inspiration!

Ecole Primaire de Champhol Clase de CM1′s work was like music to my ears. As I read the words on the list of indicators of culture, in French, I ended up trying to identify words that sounded familiar to me. I could vividly imagine the beauty of France just through reading the words, going through the list, free-flowing. An experience that is always worth revisiting. 

I look forward to viewing more postings from all over the world! Keep them coming!!!

 

Opening Doors….Windows….Minds….Hearts

Teaching is not a JOB.

It is a JOY.

It’s a honor to be a part of the solution…be an inspiration, a guiding force…

A pathfinder to lead our students, their families….

I love the way that teaching entails

Opening Doors and Windows (of opportunity).

Opening Minds.

Opening Hearts.

Initial Ideas on Ways to Teach Students About CULTURE….

Some  ideas:

1. Have an international food festival. Encourage extensive parent and community involvement (e.g. contact retaurants and groceries in the neighborhood).

2.  Organize a fieldtrip to special exhibitions to various art galleries and museums that feature interesting information about different countries.

3.  Have the students take part in Socratic discussions tackling different issues (e.g. environmental, social, political) confronting our global community.

4. Organize a schoolwide town meeting. Designate student leaders to consider different discussion topics of interest to the student body.

5. Have an international dance festival. Invite students and parents to participate in showcasing their dance talents and gather everyone in the school and the community to attend the event.

6. Ask your students to bring a special symbol from their homes that their family members consider important to their lives. Emphasize the definition of culture in terms of the way it is defined in the home setting.

Come to think of it…..

Culture is not entirely what we perceive externally, but what we practice and live by.  Living in a multicultural global environment implies that in order to understand one another and live in harmony, we must keep not just our eyes and ears open to all other cultures…What we need to keep open are our hearts and minds as well.

The arts will pave the way to meaningful, multisensorial and multimodal learning! With that in mind, I am all set to learn along with my students!