Post #2: Making a Difference in the Classroom

Hi Everyone!

     This week I found myself thinking of things that I enjoy and would like to incorporate into my future classroom. Something that I have always enjoyed in life is giving back to others, be that in my school, my community, or in some international way. This is also a passion that I would really like to instill in my future students through its incorporate in my classroom. I want them to know that they can make a difference in this world, be it large or small. That every seeming little action they may do has the potential to make a better tomorrow, not only in our school, but possibly in our community, or even the world.

Retrieved from Mrs. Wideen

     One idea that I admire is that of Mrs. Wideen and her teaching partner, in which they wanted to teach their students that they could make a difference in the world, be that big or small. In doing so, they had the students identify a need or an issue in the school, community, or world, create a plan to approach this issue, and reflect on the outcome. The students became very engaged in the project and brainstormed ideas as to what they could do to make a difference, resulting in the idea of #kidscancreatechange. These students want to show the world that children can make a difference in this world, and encourage other children and classes to send in their our stories about how they have made a difference in their own schools, communities, or in the world, to be compiled into a book of ways children across the world can and have created change. Overall, not only showing students that both actions that are big and small can make a difference, but also allows them to connect with other children across the world, educating them on issues that they may not realize other children face. This is something that I believe should be taught to all students, and when this project is finished, and the book is compiled, it is something that I would love to have in my classroom to use as a teaching tool.

     Something else that I believe to be important when discussing giving back, creating change, or making a difference with students is that, as previously stated, the size of the action does not matter as long as it is positive. Making a difference does not mean making a global difference, it could done on smaller scale within one's own school or community, and still have a large impact on the lives of others. Ms. Cassidy demonstrates this with her class through their support of a young woman, Emily Barr, trying to improve her business. Her students emailed other teachers in the school asking them for support, planned and created posters to encourage voting around the school, and even contacted radio and news stations to enlist their support. These actions may not have an impact on the world, but they will certainly have an impact on Emily Barr's life, and hopefully her business as well.

     Projects such as these require students to use a number of 21st century skills and literacies, including collaboration, teamwork, and creativity through brainstorming, developing, and putting to action their ideas. While also demonstrating technological literacy through their use of difference aspects of technology such as the internet and email, to contact others and gather information. Along with media literacy skills in knowing and using effective advertising strategies to assist their cause. Meanwhile, projects such as that of Mrs. Wideen's class can incorporate global and multicultural literacy into their making, as the students could potentially be learning the issues faced by children from different parts of the world, from different cultural backgrounds. While finally being linked to character education, through allowing students to see the struggles that others face, and teaching them ways that they can be positive members of society.

     I believe in the saying "where there's a will, there's a way", and think that change in this world can be made possible by all members of society, no matter their age. This can be seen through not only the examples I have outlined above, but also through the actions of many other students, classes, and organizations working with children today. Our children need to believe that the differences they can make in society do not need to be in the future, but can start right now, and that is something that I hope my future students will take away from my classroom.