I teach enthusiastic students who are excited to make their marks in the world. Like so many communities across the United States, we have endured economic upheaval and redefinition over the last few decades. Nonetheless, my students are resilient and eager to learn everything they can about writing, literature, rhetoric, and life. They are also eager to do good in our community and in our world. By giving students constant opportunities to do amazing things, we empower them to change anything and everything.
My Project
In my English 9 Honors class, we study Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. Before I read the book, I didn't understand why climbers from around the world would pay tens of thousands of dollars and risk their lives to scale Mt. Everest. Krakauer's writing changed that. In just 300 pages, he shows us why the world’s tallest mountain is so irresistible. Krakauer gives us the history, the lore, and the reality of the mountain. He also poses serious ethical questions about the environment, about culture, and about personal responsibility. These questions provide endless discussion for my students and me. I need to know more.
I would like to study the environmental and cultural impact of tourism and globalization in Tibet and Nepal.
These countries are the entry points for Everest climbers. In the book, Krakauer mentions the litter at the base camps and along the mountain. He also shakes a finger at the unchecked crowds and climbers. I would like to visit these areas and conduct first hand research that includes: taking photographs, conducting interviews, and journaling the landscape. Places visited will include: Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Pelkor Chode Monastery, the Kathmandu Environmental Education Project, Namche Bazaar, and several natural spaces. Everything I learn will enhance my classroom instruction for my ninth graders and for my environmental literature students. My students and I need a better understanding of the interconnected-ness of people and nature. How have we changed the planet, and what are our responsibilities going forward?
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