Beyond Book Learning
Learning comes in many forms – and a recent Tuesday in Michele Sander’s fifth grade class was a perfect example. Her students were making a video to send to a class in Pretoria, South Africa. So how did that come about, you might ask?
It all started when a group of educators from a school in Pretoria were on the Michigan State University campus and lined up a visit to Mason Public Schools. One of the educators was eager to have his students benefit from his connection – the net result is the virtual pen pal initiative.
By way of introduction, Michele, a member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee, volunteered to pilot the idea in her classroom by creating a video of the school and providing context about their community, including climate, geography, occupations and more.
Students at Steele Elementary selected what they wanted to showcase, wrote scripts and - with support from the communications team - filmed spaces including the playground, their classroom during a lesson, lunch in the cafeteria, library learning, gym and with their beloved therapy dog, Willow.
After the much-anticipated exchange, lots of questions will no doubt emerge and relationships will be established. Who knows where the initiative will lead? Long term virtual pen pals? A potential student exchange when they reach high school?
At the very least, they will have acquired an organic way to celebrate diversity – realizing people are more alike than different. They have the same basic needs. Their differences are explained by their geography, culture, economic resources and other factors. While a book version can provide a perspective, learning from each other and their experiences provides another “spin” on learning. Beyond books? You bet!
