Far From Home: Building Empathy in a Diverse Classroom Community
My students need literature and maps to better understand the experiences of their refugee classmates and develop a curiosity and appreciation for our diverse world.
Our public, Title I school serves a diverse local community with a growing immigrant and refugee population by employing the Montessori method. My classroom of 26 first, second, and third grade students includes 14 English learners.
In the past three years, refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Eritrea have joined our classroom community.
The students have welcomed their peers and worked to support a peaceful community within the school. Our English learners have worked diligently to improve their language skills. It is often years, however, before we begin to learn more about each student’s journey. Just last year, a student who had been a member of our class for three years was finally able to tell us about the orchard of fruit trees that grew in his former yard in Syria.
My students are kind-hearted and eager to learn—not just about language and math, but also each other!
My Project
My goal is to enrich our classroom with materials that help to convey the refugee experience and enhance my students’ global perspective. Montessori philosophy teaches us that elementary-aged children are looking outward to learn about the world around them. It is a critical time in development to cultivate both their global perspective and empathy for others.
These materials will make connections between our refugee students and their peers.
Before our refugee students may be able to share their story, these picture books will provide some understanding of the experience. I have also included maps and collected images of the world that introduce new perspectives. These additional materials will be used to draw upon the experiences of my students and foster curiosity about our world.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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