This is a reflection from Cathy Dalimonte, the 3rd grade teacher at Clyde Erwin Elementary School in Jacksonville, NC whose class I correspond with from Ghana each week: (and below is a local news article from Jacksonville, NC that was published about the program)
"How Cultural Correspondents Program has been a great experience"Cathy Dalimonte’s Third Grade Class – Clyde Erwin Elementary Magnet School One experience that stands out for me is the teaching of how to write a friendly letter. The students were writing letters to Mary and Sarah – two Ghanaian girls we have “met” through Carly, our Cultural Correspondent. With knowledge that these girls are just starting school for the first time and just learned to write their names, the students were very careful to write a letter that is grammatically correct. I did not have to remind one child to capitalize or punctuate. Students were so engaged and even asked to take it home for homework to get it just right and to share with their parents.
We are now working on multiplication and the post-test for my students will be to create a booklet for Mary and Sarah explaining what multiplication is and the strategies they learned to help them understand and remember. Ms. Carly will print off the PowerPoint and make it into a booklet for them. This not only lets me know that they know what multiplication is, but they are showing it in a way that is meaningful and important to them.
Through this experience so far, I have noticed that my students have risen to challenges by suggesting and then acting on making a difference in the lives of others. They initiated the actions and have now spread it to include others at our school and in our community. We want to grow future leaders who have a sense about global issues and care enough to take action. These students, ages 8 and 9, are well on their way and unlike our adult counterparts do not want to turn a blind eye, but rather try to understand why others are being treated differently and what we can do to bring unity.
On a personal note, this experience has had a profound impact on me as a teacher, a learner, and a human being. It brings to light the harsh life of others, but even through that, hope and promises of tomorrow shine through. I see it in the faces of my students as well as in the faces of the children in Ghana. This makes me hopeful for our future if we can instill this in today’s children, tomorrow’s global citizens.
Here are some student responses:
Orianna – “It’s important that we look at kids as kids, not as beggars where people push them aside. It has been cool to learn about Ghana.”
Emily – “It doesn’t matter if we come from different cultures – every child should be able to go to school to learn, especially to learn how to write their own name.”
Satchel – “This experience has helped me learn better about another country I had never even known about before. I learned in Ghana that babies are not even named until the 8th day, and the sad part of this is that it is due to the great chance that a baby may die. I have also learned about Ghana animals with bizarre names and picked one of these to do further research for our trading card project.”
Tatyana – “This program shows you how to love and care about people you don’t even know.”
Alexander – “This program shows us how lucky we really are. I learned how many people don’t have money to learn and get educated. If we can give someone a little help, it can go a long way.”
Reagan – “There are children begging for money to eat – there needs to be action taken so no one goes hungry.”
Nautica – “Everyone should get clothes and be able to go to school.”
Shy – “I have enjoyed learning the Twi language.”
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"Clyde Erwin’s pupils connect with the world"Clyde Erwin Elementary School's third grade is working to make a difference - and learn a little along the way.
Through O'Ambassadors, a joint project between Oprah's Angel Network and Free the Children, the pupils are being connected to people around the world to "create lasting change."
The pupils learn about, and address, problems facing Ghana including hunger, poverty and limited access to education. They've joined forces with a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill pupil who is studying in Ghana for the semester. Through Carly Brantmeyer's blog and frequent video conferences, the pupils learn about Ghana's everyday life and culture.
The young ambassadors also learned about Mary, 12, and Sarah, 10, whose family couldn't afford to send them to school. The group wanted to help the girls get an education.
"In the end, that's what's going to raise you up - if you help raise up other people," third-grade teacher Cathy Dalimonte said.
Nine-year-old Reagan, whose last name, like that of other pupils at Clyde Erwin, was not released by the school, is pleased with the program.
"It just makes us so happy to raise money for children who don't go to school," she said.
The pupils have raised almost $100 to help the girls go to school.
"We like raising money for them so they can be happy and go to school," Nautica, 8, said.
Orianna, 9, saw a similiarity between Mary's and Sarah's school and Clyde Erwin.
"They have to wear uniforms just like us," she said.
When special needs teacher Crystal Pettit heard about the O'Ambassadors project, she wanted to get other pupils involved, so she began an O'Ambassadors homework haven.
"... I want them to know they are making a difference in a family's life by helping Mary and Sarah," she said. "I think that's really the main goal - changing people's lives for the better."
Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.