Today my students finished answering the pre-travel questionnaire I created, and as predicted, they knew very little about the Morocco and its culture. I have a great group of students who work hard and enjoy learning new information, so when I told them they couldn't look up the answers to complete the questions, I had some pretty frustrated kids. I began hearing "oh man, this is so bad," and "this is so embarrassing" being murmured across the room. I felt bad for my students, as they had been given an impossible task- yet I want them to realize their inability to answer correctly is not their fault. Much of our ignorance of other cultures is due to our relative geographic isolation as well as our country's role as a leader in foreign policy, economics, and mass media. This isolation, however, is diminishing with new technology and we are being joined by other countries in leading the world economy. While it may not have been necessary to have global awareness in the past, our students will be facing a world where interaction amongst cultures will become the norm. As my students turned in their papers with sheepish faces, I was encouraged by the reactions students were experiencing. The fact that my kids felt bad about not knowing even the most basic information about Morocco suggests that they recognize their deficit of global knowledge. Within a few minutes of turning in their papers, students began asking about the questionnaire- showing an eagerness to learn the answers. I love working with teenagers because beneath what others may see as a stubborn adolescent façade, there is still a genuine desire to learn more about the world around them, particularly when they feel content is relevant and important. Even some of the most intelligent adults do not demonstrate this desire for knowledge. I think the culture of being an adult often coincides with the notion that adults have all of the answers- unfortunately resulting in less inquiry when faced with topics we know little about. In the past few weeks, when asked where I will be traveling, I answer with simply "Morocco." Most adult responses consist of, "nice!" or "that sounds like fun". Whether or not they have any knowledge of Morocco is never revealed. On the other hand, when answering the same question from students, I am instantly bombarded with shameless questions. If anyone deals with insecurities in life- it's a teenager, yet they do not hesitate to admit their lack of knowledge and eagerness to become more informed. As I get ready to depart for my journey, I am making notes of the questions they have asked, and am excited to learn the answers- not just for my students, but for my own understanding as well.
Came across this while reading the news this morning. An artistic take on modernity, fashion, feminism, and tradition. |
AuthorI'm a high school AP geography and world history teacher, traveling to Morocco with Teachers for Global Classrooms to bring cultural insight back to my community. Archives
May 2014
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