My classroom has developed as a patchwork of diverse backgrounds. I currently have 3 recent immigrants from southeast Asia, as well as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita victims. These students all share a first-hand account with crisis- both last year's tsunami and the recent hurricanes. The remainder of my class has also shared in the recovery experience both within the classroom and in the greater Houston area.
My school is an authorized school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a recognized leader in the field of international education, encouraging students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals, and engaged world citizens. The philosophy at the heart of the Primary Years Program (PYP) is a commitment to structured inquiry as an ideal approach to learning. Teachers and students are guided by a series of basic questions as they design curricular transdisciplinary units for exploration and study. Ideas of local and global significance reveal concerns shared by people of all nations.
Ironically, the last planner in our 4th grade program of inquiry this year is titled "We are the World". It is an examination of how the world responds to human crisis-- which is no doubt a poignant topic this year. I am seeking to gather resource books about the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Students will examine how people are responding to come to the aid to help victims recover. It is my hope that this will lead to a greater sense of compassion among my students, as well as give hope to those in our class who were victims of these crisises.
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