The Clerc Center
Connection

WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

By Sara Gillespie

On April 3, students on every team celebrated diversity at Kendall School. The main hall was lined with posters made by the students to illustrate each team's theme. Students on Team 1,2,3 drew posters to illustrate their theme, "We work and play together. We respect each other." Team 4,5 students illustrated their theme, "We are proud of our diverse community." The theme for posters from Team 6,7,8 was " We celebrate diversity by respecting others." Each student who participated in the poster exhibit received a diversity bookmark. Please walk through the main hall at Kendall to see the wonderful posters that the students drew.

The ECE Team celebrated diversity by reading aloud many books about bread including the book, Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris. Then, the ECE students made different kinds of breads including corn bread, pancakes, biscuits, Swedish bread, tortillas, and banana bread. Everyone had a great time tasting the different breads

Team 1,2,3 invited guest readers to read different versions of the Cinderella story. Jun Yang read Yeh-Shen, A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie. The fairy godmother in this version turns out to be fish bones. The slippers are not made of glass, but are golden slippers. Following the story, she taught the student how to write Chinese characters. They compared Chinese writing to written English.

Evon Black read Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe. The story originated in Zimbabwe. Then, the students learned how to make paper snakes from construction paper.

Little Gold Star, a Spanish American Cinderella Tale was read aloud by Maribel Garate. The Blessed Mary touches Teresa's forehead with her finger, and a little gold star appears there. (There are no glass slippers.) Sonia Araujo, a parent of a student in Team 1,2,3, made tortillas with cheese with one group of students. They were delicious.

Evon Black reads "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale" to students on Team 1/2/3 as part of a multi-cultural comparison of the Cinderella story.

Steven Chough read aloud the story, Kongi and Potgi, A Cinderella Story from Korea by Oki S. Han. Aleysa Starayeva read aloud the Russian version of the Cinderella story, Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave by Marianna Mayer. Sam Yates also told a Native American story to a group of students.

On Team 4,5, learning stations were set up for students to learn about textiles from different countries. Students visited the Asian Textile Station where the book, The Long Silk Strand: A Grandmother's Legacy to her Granddaughter by Laura E. Williams, was read aloud. The students learned about silkworms and how silk cloth is made. In the Mexican Textile Station, following the reading of Abulela's Weave by Omar S. Castaneda, the students made crafts using the fabric. In the African Textile Station, students were treated to the story, Kofi's Magic by Maya Angelo. They learned about the meaning of the colors in the fabric. There was also a station for students to make friendship bracelets to give to their friends. During the break in the morning, refreshments were served consisting of plantains, fortune cookies, chips and punch. In the afternoon, Language Experience stories were written about the morning activities. Then the students played games from around the world.

Team 6,7,8 had a panel discussion on diversity in the auditorium. Dwight Alston discussed the meaning of the word "diversity" and then introduced the panel. Members of the panel included Tissa Pieira from Sri Lanka, an ASL/Deaf Culture teacher at the English Language Institute at Gallaudet; Nassozi Kiyaga, a practicum student from Uganda; Moon Teh from Australia; Robert Rice; and Dan Brubaker, the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs at Gallaudet were also on the panel. Ram Shenoy and Breanna Wilson were the moderators. The day before the panel discussion, the students on the team developed a list of questions for the panelists to answer.

The panelists were asked about their experiences with racial and ethnic discrimination as well as discrimination due to deafness and sexual orientation. Many of the panelists shared similar experiences growing up as members of minority groups. They experienced discrimination and learned that much of it comes from ignorance. The students learned a lot from the answers given by the members of the panel. In the afternoon, the students participated in skits related to diversity. They also saw two videotapes related to respect and diversity. The next day students participated in KWL and LEA activities.

The Curriculum and Enhancement Team planned special activities in the gym for Diversity Day. Students on all the teams participated in games originating in different countries lead by the CE/PE teachers. The students found out that Hopscotch is a game that originated in Italy. The oldest known Hopscotch board is etched into the floor of the Forum in Rome. Hopscotch is one of the most widely played games in the world.

They played Ajaqaq, a ring toss game from Canada. The Eskimos on the northwest coast of Canada played this game during the long dark winter. They believed that playing this game would make the sun return sooner. Chapete, a Mexican game, became Hacky Sack in the United States. In Stalker, a game from Botswana, children imitate adult Bushmen stalking a springbok, an animal similar to a gazelle, found in Southern Africa. The first game of Quilles was played hundreds of years ago in France. In the late 18th century, Dutch settlers brought it with them to America. Over the years Quilles became our modern game of bowling.

Each student (and a few teachers) had a chance to play all the different games. It was great fun.

DIVERSITY Day at MSSD

By Barry Elliott and Jessica Sandle

MSSD's second annual Diversity Day took place on February 26th, 2002. This year's event was a success. The theme for the day was: "Awareness leads to tolerance, tolerance leads to peace".

Students learn what life is like in a school for the deaf in China; one of 13 workshops offered as part of MSSD's diversity day.

The day began on a global level and then funneled down to the individual level. We began with a school-wide presentation by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees on what is a refugee and what is life like in a refugee camp? The UNHCR speaker presented about the results of intolerance on a global level. Following the presentation the students participated in three of the 13 available workshops. The workshops covered a variety of topics, and each ran for 45 min. The purpose of these workshops was to bring the focus to a national level; and allow students to learn something about a culture that they previously did not know. Many of the students commented on how they really enjoyed the workshops.

Students then participated in two team-wide activities that help them identify stereotypes, and bring the focus to a more personal level. The day ended with the students creating a peace garden. Each student wrote a statement of peace on a leaf, flower petal, rock, or blade of grass, which was then used to create a pictorial garden. The garden will serve as a reminder to students of their commitment to peace. We believe this event created a higher level of awareness among our students, and in turn will lead to a greater acceptance and celebration of everyone's uniqueness.