By Alicia Rice posted on the Cooperative Catalyst:
My Global Life, Our Global Living:
In four short months, I learned more than I had in the rest of my educational career. And it wasn’t that the rest of my education wasn’t valuable, but that those 4 months were able to open doors to me that fundamentally changed who I was as a person.
In 2008, I flew to Thailand for the first time to study globalization and development. We were able to learn about issues such as mines, dams, and urban poverty. But, more importantly, we were able to live with people who were being affected by these issues. We got to sit down and hear exactly how they felt about how an underground mine would affect their lives. And while I had some issues with the way the program worked at times, it introduced me to concepts and ideas that nothing else before it had been able to do.
There’s something about sitting down with someone from another part of the world and sharing a meal. All of the cultural differences that separate you become blatantly obvious. The food, the utensils, the way you eat, the atmosphere: they can all be unfamiliar. But at the same time, a meal is the great unifier. It’s the thing that reminds us all that, at the bottom of it, we’re the same. We all value family, food, and love. And so no matter how many differences there are, it’s the similarities that stand out.
When we realize this, we are closer to creating a world in which we can all live together. Because, no longer is the man who eats with their hands a foreigner. No longer is the woman who wears a veil over her face radically different from us. These things become what they should be: semantics.
Because, the things that cause hate in our world are not caused, for the most part, by bad people. They’re caused by a lack of understanding. It’s an inability to see someone else’s point of view. It is when empathy does not exist.
The cultivation of global empathy is more important now that ever before. While my personal opinions of globalization are mixed, the fact of the matter is that we are all connected. And it won’t change anytime soon. Our lives are interconnected to people across the globe in more ways than we can recognize. If one of us falls, we all fall now.
And so, the lesson that the ways in which we choose to live our lives has an effect globally is more important than ever.
I consider myself incredibly blessed to have been able to begin to be exposed to this lesson. I was given the opportunity to travel to the other side of the world and live with people different from myself, different from anything that I’d known up to that point. I was able to eat, sleep, bathe, garden, cook, clean, and play the ways that they did. Every moment of it was an incredible learning opportunity, one that has profoundly changed my life.
But I know that not everyone is so lucky. Travel is a privilege that not everyone is afforded. So the question then becomes, how do we promote global understanding when not everyone has the ability to explore the global community?
One such organization working towards creating global empathy is Global Lives Project. What started originally as a little idea that seemed impossible has expanded to allow thousands of people around the world to get a glimpse into the lives of others. With the unique idea to film 24 continuous hours in the lives of people around the world, they are able to create an unbiased view of how others live.
It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to actually going and visiting another country. And in some ways, you’re able to get a more unadulterated view. As a foreigner abroad, you’re not always given a pure look into someone’s life. You are a guest and they are a host, which creates a different dynamic. But with these videos, you see people as they are daily. For those of us who aren’t able to fly across the world, it’s a valuable, and much needed, experience.
Personally, I take my privilege very seriously. I understand how incredible the opportunities I’ve had are and try my best to share them with others. I talk about my experiences to those around me. I write about the lessons I’ve learned. And I use film to try to bring the stories of those whose voices are often not heard. For me, my purpose in life is to help create understanding.
What personal experiences have you had abroad which have helped to expand your views? What do you do to create greater global understanding? How do you work towards helping students become successful and active global citizens?
The district where I work piloted a 1:1 iPad program starting in the 7th grade. The initiative will grow next year to include grades eight and nine. Recently, there have been some questions as to whether we should continue with iPads or switch to Chromebooks. I believe the push for Chromebooks stems from the fact that they are a cheaper alternative and that the integrated keyboard is better suited for PARCC exams. In short, brief discussions have emerged comparing the two options.
In the course of one conversation a colleague had the following to say:
I've seen how kids, first-hand, unkindly treat our the netbooks,
simply because they don't value them. Put iPads in their hands and it's
a different story. The kids cherish the iPads because they cherish the
experience that the device gives them. The tactile nature, the
immersive experience, the ergonomics of the thing...none of it can be
replicated on anything resembling a laptop. User experience is #1 and
there's no competition here in my book.
I was reminded of this comment last night during one of my daughter's choral concert. During the concert parents and relatives were filming and taking pictures of the performance with either an iPad or smartphone. After the performance we used our iPhones to take pictures of my daughter and her friends. It was on our way for post-performance ice cream at the local scoop shop where I connected my colleague's commentary about iPads and the popular device of choice for archiving the choral concert. I thought about why would we engage in another discussion that draws a separation between school and life outside of school.
I understand that there is a budget and our district is like any other in that a range of needs have to be addressed. Maintaining diverse programs and continuing to be innovative is a challenge under the current fiscal parameters. However, so many of us, and in particular our students, live in a connected world where we have the freedom to take pictures, shoot video and create content. In my mind moving to Chromebooks would establish a wall between how we observe, archive, reflect and create in and out of school. We should foster an organic flow between school and not school. Leveraging the potential of iPads to the fullest equally addresses any concerns about mandated testing and the desire for our students to see a connection between life in and outside of the classroom.
Sharing updated work for our Design School. Starting to build out a four year sequence for the Academy. The sequence is provided and a draft of descriptions for the individual course/experiences. We are particular excited about the Designer Practicum and Designer Portal which empowers our capstone architects (still searching for a name) to build a design team from our 10th and 11th grade design school students. We have to figure out how it will work so feedback is greatly appreciated. Our school is moving to an A/B schedule with 4 80 minute blocks each day. Sequence also reflect New Jersey graduation requirements.
Year 1
A Day (Design Day)
American Experience I
Intro to Technology and Design
Design Pathway
B Day (Traditional Day)
World Language
Math
Physics
Gym
Year 2
A Day (Design Day)
American Experience II
Design Theory and Practice I
Design Pathway
B Day (Traditional Day)
Math
Chemistry
World Language
Gym
Year 3
A Day (Design Day)
The Global Citizen
Design Theory and Practice II
Design Pathway
B Day (Traditional Day)
Math
Biology/Environmental
Gym
Elective (could continue with World Language)
Year 4
A Day (Design Day)
English Independent Study
Designer Practicum
Design Seminar
B Day (Traditional Day)
Design School Portal
Elective #1
Elective #2
Elective #3
*Design School TA experience
Description of Courses
American Experience and Global Citizen
American Experience and Global Citizen
are interdisciplinary humanities courses. Through the design school
students will be able to address core graduation requirements for
Language Arts and Social Studies. The course will be co-taught and
generally follow the thread of transitioning from American to World
History. Both American Experience and Global Citizen will take a thematic approach and be influenced by the design process. For example, students in American Experience could
examine the theme of economic disparity. Readings and a developing
understanding of American History will support students as they engage
in examining the the socio-economic divide in this country. Students
will research contemporary developments/scenarios and offer solutions to
disrupt the debilitating cycle of poverty afflicting countless
Americans. Global Citizen would mirror American Experience.
A potential theme could be the exploitation of natural resources.
Again, the core subjects will support students investigate and pose
solutions to current issues such as Global Warming, Deforestation,
Pollution, Water Deficits, shrinking Biodiversity.
Design Pathway
Design Pathway
is an elective option for students. The goal is for students to
“major” in a technical or performance arts content area during their
tenure as a student in the design school. Additionally, the opportunity
will exist for students to seek certification in the Design Pathway.
Intro to Tech and Design
Introduction to Technology and Design
furthers the current curriculum. The current version introduces
students to various technology systems such as structures, mechanics,
electronics, transportation, and aeronautics. In Introduction to Technology and Design
Students experiment with designing a problem solving process and using
technological systems to address design challenges. An updated version
will further the materials/systems students are introduced to. The
revision builds off a premise that students coming to the high school
have limited experience with the content presented in our elective
offerings. Introduction to Technology and Design would
provide a place for our students to experiment with samples from our
elective offerings and further shape the interests/passion of design
school students.
Design Theory and Practice
Design Theory and Practice
serves a dual purpose with both outlets connected to the design
process. Students would work on a series of mini-projects where they
are investigating a community or school-based need. Design Theory and Practice would
allow students to experiment on a smaller more controlled scale
gradually building the capacity of students to engage in the design
thinking process and enhance their understanding of core beliefs
expressed in the Design School Manifesto for Growth.
Additionally, the course will allow 10th and 11th graders to
contribute towards a 12th grade capstone project (see Designer
Practicum). 10th and 11th graders will be part of a team working to
address a need defined in a capstone project.
Designer Practicum
12th
grade students in the Design School will be required to develop a year
long capstone project. In conjunction with a mentor(s) a senior student
will have to uncover a human need and work towards addressing that
need. The senior will be viewed as the architect of the capstone
experience and initially, assume responsibility for interpreting and
defining the problem. Once a need has been uncovered, each senior must
build a plan on how to address the problem. A required part of of the
plan is for each senior (lead architect, head designer, capstone CEO) to
build a team which will assist in executing the plan. 10th and 11th
grade design students will be recruited (have to define what this
actually means) to join a capstone team(s).
Designer Seminar
Designer Seminar is a space for 12th graders to meet to discuss their capstone experience. Designer Seminar serves
as an internal network where capstone architects share ideas and
resources and seek feedback from peers. Additionally, materials
presented in Designer Seminar will stimulate discourse about leadership, conflict resolution and social entrepreneurship
English Independent Study
Senior
year English will function as an independent study. The contents of
each independent study will be dictated by the Designer Practicum
experience. The idea of offering 12th grade English as an independent
study stems from the belief that after three years as members of the
Design School, students are capable of collaborating with a mentor to
determine a personalized language arts experience.
Design School Portal
Once
the program supports four grades the plan is to group freshman and
seniors together on A Day and hold design school course for sophomores
and juniors on B Day. One reason for this arrangement is to allow
seniors to work with sophomores and juniors on the capstone project.
*Additionally,
we envision an opportunity for design students to serve as teacher
assistants. As part of senior year, as one of their electives students
will have the chance to spend the year int he classroom as a teacher’s
assistant.
I had the pleasure today to participate in a walking tour of Morristown, New Jersey. The tour was for students in our Latin American Studies course. Over the course of one hour, we were able to stop at several different locations within the town, interview residents and visit local businesses. At various points during the tour the group stopped to share insights and to discuss town geography.
The Latin American Studies course dedicates time to investigating the Latino history in Morristown. It aspires to build a historical picture of the Latino community in Morristown and engage students in examining present day circumstances. As part of the investigation for both the past and present, students take a critical look at how people from very different backgrounds interact in the town.
As students walked through the town they had to reflect on the architectural design of specific buildings, the use of commercial and residential space and designation of public spaces, particularly parks, in the town. Students had with them an iPad or phone and were encouraged to take pictures. They could further reflect on the tour through their pictures at home. Also, students were encouraged to interview residents and in a few instances, planned stops were arranged with owners of local businesses.
Being able to walk through the town provided a different lens for students. I'm sure our two Latin American Studies teachers could reference a familiar structure during a class discussion. However, it is a far different experience when stakeholders are walking around a structure, freely taking pictures and speaking to local residents. You could witness during the walking tour our students were considering different perspectives. A previously held opinion might not have changed but all those who participated were compelled to reflect, analyze information, assess new possibilities and formulate an informed response.
Being able to experience a topic in the physical world raised the level of discourse between classroom stakeholders. The ideas exchanged during the walking tour and what hopefully will continue to transpire in the next days and weeks was only possible through getting out of the classroom. I truly hope that in a world where student growth objectives influence evaluation systems and standardized tests determine a school's report card grade "field trips" will not slowly become something we used to do.
1. There Goes Pig Farmer Pete Langley (Stanford d. school)- application of design thinking to explore what makes us passionate about our heroes. The field of study includes the fans of the Dale Earnhardt Sr, Michael Jordan and Stephen Colbert.
Design thinking has always been keen on observing and interviewing
extreme users to learn how their needs and workarounds are amplified;
this tends to expose meaningful insights that aren’t easily visible in
the middle of the bell curve. But how does a superfan relate to an
extreme user and what exactly are they ‘using’? If we think of the hero
as a consumable, the superfan is its most ardent extreme user.
2. The Forefront of Performance-Based Design- insight into an attempt to build the greenest commercial building in the world. The building is seeking to meet the ambitious goals of the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most strenuous benchmark for sustainability.
The goal of the Bullitt Center is to change the way buildings are
designed, built and operated to improve long-term environmental
performance and promote broader implementation of energy efficiency,
renewable energy and other green building technologies in the Northwest.
3. How We Might Use Social Business to Improve Health In Low Income Communities (Open IDEO)- OpenIDEO has partnered with the Holistic Social Business Movement (HSBM)
of Caldas – a joint venture between the Grameen Creative Lab and the
Government of Caldas, Colombia – to consider how social businesses can
improve the health of low-income communities in Colombia and around the
world. Leveraging social business and the entrepreneurs who buil them to improve healthcare in low-income communities.
4. Innovation Enters the Classroom- more about the impact they physical classroom has on learning. Ideas for creating flexible learning spaces.
“We like to offer different types of spaces for students to work in so
that they can be intentional about what space they want to work in
during that phase of their process,” says Scott Doorley, a professor at
Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. “So we can
have students jump into a space that has low couches when they want to
have a discussion or reflect. Or a space that has tools if they want
to be building, or a space that has whiteboards and stools if they want
to have a brainstorm and be active about sharing ideas. We try to give
students an environment that allows them to be intentional about what
theyneed at any given time.”
5. Why Primary Kids Tweet (Cassidy)- sharing benefits of having primary school kids tweet. Development of key literacy skills through composing a message.
The tweets we composed together were authentic writing. They came from
something that the children wanted to say and were directed at a real
audience. Let’s see–meaningful text, authentic writing and a real
audience. Isn’t that a good recipe for successful writing instruction?
The development of empathy for people in another culture and the
beginnings of a worldview were just delightful side benefits.
6. Interactive User Experience On The High Line- One of my favorite spots in NYC. Also a great walking tour experience for students. School of Visual Arts students ere asked to create a networked, mobile or interactive installation that enhances or extends the experience of the High Line
park in NYC. Each group presented a concept document that included
research documentation and an experience journey of the concept to a
guest panel which included a representative of Friends of the High Line.
Another way to put it: we should help kids find the answers to their
answers. Our questions should be meant to elicit kids’ questions, not to
cue “correct” answers, reward “proper” behavior, or trigger deflective
behaviors that “justify” the punishments we dole out to kids. Inquiry
should be our foundational pedagogy, but not our only one. Questioning
our own beliefs and behaviors should come before questioning our kids.
We should ask and learn to discover, not to confirm.
Just had the chance to read through the President's remarks from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston’s South End on Thursday. Inspiring commentary for both the country, for anyone who has ever competed and for all who face obstacles.
Like Bill Iffrig, 78 years old -- the runner in the orange tank top who we all saw get knocked down by the blast -- we may be momentarily knocked off our feet, but we’ll pick ourselves up. We’ll keep going. We will finish the race.
In the words of Dick Hoyt, who has pushed his disabled son, Rick, in 31 Boston Marathons, “We can’t let something like this stop us.” This doesn’t stop us.
And that’s what you’ve taught us, Boston. That’s what you’ve reminded us -- to push on. To persevere. To not grow weary. To not get faint. Even when it hurts. Even when our heart aches. We summon the strength that maybe we didn’t even know we had, and we carry on. We finish the race. We finish the race.
And we do that because of who we are. And we do that because we know that somewhere around the bend a stranger has a cup of water. Around the bend, somebody is there to boost our spirits. On that toughest mile, just when we think that we’ve hit a wall, someone will be there to cheer us on and pick us up if we fall. We know that.
And this time next year, on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run harder than ever and to cheer even louder for the 118th Boston Marathon. Bet on it.
Just in time for graduation season, Johnny Bunko is here to remind you of the 6 essential lessons of any satisfying, productive career:
