Resources for a Global Perspective
This page will introduce you first to Blair High School and staff resources that can help you connect to other cultures and communities. Then I will highlight local organizations right here in SIlver Spring and expand to state and national organizations and universal ones. I'll begin with connections I have personally been involved with.
Blair High School has a program called BLISS (Blair Interns for Student Success). High-achieving students with time in their schedule can volunteer to work in a classroom supporting a teacher. Students often choose a content area that they are particularly grounded in and enjoy. I have been blessed to have many fabulous BLISS tutors. I will introduce you to Eunice Machemi, one of the amazing students we have at Blair and a current BLISS tutor in my classroom. By sharing her story, Eunice offers the opportunity for students and staff to gain a global perspective of the world. By sharing her talents and skills in my classroom she offers my students the chance to gain a better education. Click on the link below to read the article about Eunice that appeared in the SIlver Chips, Blair's student newspaper.
http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/11438
Also within Blair's walls are an amazing collection of talented teachers who are doing global outreach and collaboration. James Schafer, a Physics teacher in the Blair Magnet program, has coordinated with teachers in Finland to create the Trans-Atlantic Science Schools (TASS) organization. A team of students from Finland and a team from Blair High School traveled to Switzerland to visit CERN, a physics research center. Visit their website below.
http://tass.mbhs.edu/index.php
There is always an opportunity to share my skills at teaching ESL and I found a great outlet in the IMPACT SIlver Spring organization. They work to empower community members to improve their own neighborhoods. Residents are encouraged to create their own special interest groups and receive support from IMPACT to develop it. Groups such as the Sewing Circle, the Cooking Circle and the English Circle have been created.
Once I was involved with them I took the opportunity to my students. They now work as teaching assistants in the English language classes and earn their Student Service Learning hours. In the process I have seen them grow in confidence with their own language skills and take on new responsibilities within the IMPACT organization. It is a wonderful scenario of cross-generational interaction. I believe my high school students are re-energized to take advantage of their public schooling as they see the adults in their community working so hard to obtain English language skills through these evening classes.
http://www.impactsilverspring.org
Montgomery Housing Partnership manages affordable housing programs in our community. Many of their buildings offer Homework Clubs for the residents' children, who tend to be second language English learners. They are always looking for high school students to volunteer at the Homework Clubs a few afternoons a week. Again, this can earn students SSL hours. They also have a summer teen program that can connect students to adult mentors and community resources. I also volunteered to teach an evening ESL class in one of their apartment buildings. Now they have expanded this program and plan to hire a teacher to continue this program.
http://mhpartners.org/programs-services.htm
As part of the TGC requirements, I set up a Pinterst site. It has many links to other websites, TED Talks and organizations that can boost your classroom "globalness"! Start your own Pinterest site. It's an easy way to share resources.
http://www.pinterest.com/cindyspoon/
This summer I attended a Habitat for Humanity orientation class. I have long been interested in this organization and finally acted on it. I larded about many opportunities for young people to participate. Those 16 and older can help at the construction sites and there are also opportunities to work in their offices and at their thrift stores. But I was most excited about the fact the Montgomery County chapter of Habitat for Humanity is partnering with a village in EL Salvador to improve their housing. Students can join this trip which takes place in July.
http://habitatmm.org
TakingitGlobal.org is an organization dedicated to getting young people involved in their communities and the world through education and action. Check out their website for great ideas for student projects and professional development opportunities for educators.
http://www.tigweb.org/about/our-programs/
World Savvy helps students connect to global experiences and offers professional development resources for teachers.
http://worldsavvy.org/community-resources/
Blair High School has a program called BLISS (Blair Interns for Student Success). High-achieving students with time in their schedule can volunteer to work in a classroom supporting a teacher. Students often choose a content area that they are particularly grounded in and enjoy. I have been blessed to have many fabulous BLISS tutors. I will introduce you to Eunice Machemi, one of the amazing students we have at Blair and a current BLISS tutor in my classroom. By sharing her story, Eunice offers the opportunity for students and staff to gain a global perspective of the world. By sharing her talents and skills in my classroom she offers my students the chance to gain a better education. Click on the link below to read the article about Eunice that appeared in the SIlver Chips, Blair's student newspaper.
http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/11438
Also within Blair's walls are an amazing collection of talented teachers who are doing global outreach and collaboration. James Schafer, a Physics teacher in the Blair Magnet program, has coordinated with teachers in Finland to create the Trans-Atlantic Science Schools (TASS) organization. A team of students from Finland and a team from Blair High School traveled to Switzerland to visit CERN, a physics research center. Visit their website below.
http://tass.mbhs.edu/index.php
There is always an opportunity to share my skills at teaching ESL and I found a great outlet in the IMPACT SIlver Spring organization. They work to empower community members to improve their own neighborhoods. Residents are encouraged to create their own special interest groups and receive support from IMPACT to develop it. Groups such as the Sewing Circle, the Cooking Circle and the English Circle have been created.
Once I was involved with them I took the opportunity to my students. They now work as teaching assistants in the English language classes and earn their Student Service Learning hours. In the process I have seen them grow in confidence with their own language skills and take on new responsibilities within the IMPACT organization. It is a wonderful scenario of cross-generational interaction. I believe my high school students are re-energized to take advantage of their public schooling as they see the adults in their community working so hard to obtain English language skills through these evening classes.
http://www.impactsilverspring.org
Montgomery Housing Partnership manages affordable housing programs in our community. Many of their buildings offer Homework Clubs for the residents' children, who tend to be second language English learners. They are always looking for high school students to volunteer at the Homework Clubs a few afternoons a week. Again, this can earn students SSL hours. They also have a summer teen program that can connect students to adult mentors and community resources. I also volunteered to teach an evening ESL class in one of their apartment buildings. Now they have expanded this program and plan to hire a teacher to continue this program.
http://mhpartners.org/programs-services.htm
As part of the TGC requirements, I set up a Pinterst site. It has many links to other websites, TED Talks and organizations that can boost your classroom "globalness"! Start your own Pinterest site. It's an easy way to share resources.
http://www.pinterest.com/cindyspoon/
This summer I attended a Habitat for Humanity orientation class. I have long been interested in this organization and finally acted on it. I larded about many opportunities for young people to participate. Those 16 and older can help at the construction sites and there are also opportunities to work in their offices and at their thrift stores. But I was most excited about the fact the Montgomery County chapter of Habitat for Humanity is partnering with a village in EL Salvador to improve their housing. Students can join this trip which takes place in July.
http://habitatmm.org
TakingitGlobal.org is an organization dedicated to getting young people involved in their communities and the world through education and action. Check out their website for great ideas for student projects and professional development opportunities for educators.
http://www.tigweb.org/about/our-programs/
World Savvy helps students connect to global experiences and offers professional development resources for teachers.
http://worldsavvy.org/community-resources/