AIM Academy - Global Thread Report Spring 2017

MAY 23, 2017

CURRICULUM VIGNETTES ALL DIVISIONS

AIM ACADEMY

STUDENT PROFILE SAM MCCORMICK

FACULTY PROFILE ERYN DOROSHOW

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL LEARNING ABROAD

THREAD REPORT:

GLOBAL COMPETENCY AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY The Global Studies Program will Expand into the Center for Global Leadership at AIM Academy Over the past few years, AIM Academy developed the 4 Threads to the Future program. This past year, Amy Cline dedicated a small percentage of her time to growing the Global Studies program, focusing on what it means to be a globally competent school. The goal of the Global Studies Program at AIM Academy is to further develop and enhance the current curriculum by including globally minded scenarios and conversations within many of our classes. An additional goal is to establish a formal community of practice around topics associated with global education, social sustainability and leadership. Like the other three threads, the strives to fulfill the mission of AIM Academy and collaborate with the AIM Institute.

Thread Report:This newsletter will feature examples of projects and programs

that fall under specific threads. This first newsletter is not exhaustive but rather explains a sampling of the globally connected initiatives that have taken place during the 2016-2017 school year at AIM. In the future, we hope to create additional Thread Reports. There are so many incredible units, courses, and programs taking place within and beyond the walls of AIM Academy that we would like to celebrate. See this as a beginning to finding more ways to acknowledge the excellent work faculty are developing for the benefit of student progress and community building. !1

MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

Global Competency and Social Sustainability Thread This thread focuses on the appreciation and exploration of culture, geo-political issues, communities, and critical awareness of the world. For those students interested in impacting local and global communities, doing governmental, non-governmental, and non-profit work, while engaging in critical analysis of the world, this thread provides a focus. GC & SS courses grapple with issues such as global poverty, education, health care, therapy, media literacy, raising awareness, and personal agency in one’s community. Other work in this thread includes student council, debate club, mock trials, global policy research, and engagement in courageous conversations, international service courses, and other leadership opportunities.

What is the Center for Global Leadership?

The Center for Global Leadership is being developed to meet the following goals at AIM Academy. The program helps students and faculty at AIM Academy to: • Understand their role as a global citizen in the wider world.

• Respect and value diversity at home and abroad through exploring views, values and assumptions, • Productively participate in the community at local and international levels.

• Demonstrate critical thinking on global issues in written, verbal, and collaborative forums.

• Connect all three divisions at AIM through an intentional curriculum that explores global citizenship, sustainability, and STEAM related projects.

• Expand service learning projects so that students better understand how humans of different backgrounds experience success.

• Create a community of inquiry and practice among the faculty and within the community on topics related to global studies. !2

MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

AIM Academy Curriculum Connections The curricular examples explained here are aligned with the OxFam Global Matrices. OxFam was established in Oxford, England in 1942 with the motto, “the power of the people against poverty.” The language used within these matrices is aligned with the themes, skills, and understandings taught at AIM Academy. These matrices help describe the work faculty are already teaching across grade levels.

Lower School Global Competency/Citizenship: Knowledge and Understanding Teacher: Eryn Doroshow, Grade 4 - Identity and Diversity - Globalisation and interdependence - Sustainable development Topics covered: - Geography - Novel takes place in Honduras - Poverty - What does it mean and how is it experienced in other cultures?

- Natural Disaster First Responders - Who are they and how do they respond to a hurricane?

Middle School Global Competency/Citizenship: Knowledge and Understanding Teacher: Heather Kramer, Grade 7 - Social justice and equity - Human Rights - Power and governance - Equity

Topics Covered: - WWII, 1940’s US and Eastern Europe - Fences and divisions between people - Holocaust Experiential Learning Activity: - Students were given an envelope of information about their identities before they boarded a train similating their trip to a concentration camp.

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MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

Upper School Global Competency/Citizenship: Knowledge and Understanding Teachers: Alli Gubanich and Jesse Korff Grade 11 - Social justice and Equity - Identity and Diversity Topics Covered: -

Intersectionality Identity Self Identification Homogenous Experiences Societal Racism Institutional Racism Differing Perspectives

Student-Made Intersectionality Projects 2017

Education for Global Citizenship Interviews During the 2016-2017 school year, Amy Holt Cline conducted interviews with faculty across divisions to find out how AIM Academy is already integrating OxFam global competencies across grades 1 - 12. In her initial sampling, the following teachers described their globally connected units. These teachers included: Caitlin Schlosser, 6th Grade Interactive Humanities; Beau Martin, 6th and 8th Grade English; Eryn Doroshow, 4th Grade; Heather Kramer, 7th Grade English; Alli Gubanich, 11th Grade English; and Jesse Korff, 11th Grade English. The hope is that through the development of the Global Leadership Center, all teachers will have a chance to share their lesson examples and develop more ways to make our current curriculum enriched with topics and materials that support students’ global citizenship skills. !

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MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

Global Citizenship Examples Student Profile: Sam McCormick Over the past four years, Sam McCormick (AIM ’17) has traveled to such places as Mexico City, Mexico; Buenos Aries, Argentina; Toronto, Canada; and now Eastern Europe with the Senior Seminar program. During his time in Mexico, Argentina and Canada, Sam studied his father’s international business through attending conferences and board meetings, all while broadcasting specific initiatives through social media. Sam said that “If I did not travel with my father or on the trips offered through AIM Academy, I would not have become as much of a global citizen. I now want to go into International Business."

Faculty Profile: Eryn Doroshow This year, AIM Academy’s 4th Grade teacher, Eryn Doroshow, traveled to Ghana to spend time at the Senase Semanhyiya American School, which is supported by the GodFred Foundation. While there, Eryn taught students in first, second, and third grade classrooms and ran four days of teacher training focused on literacy, classroom management, and resource use. Through the help of the GodFred Foundation and AIM Global Leadership Center, Eryn hopes to formalize the partnership between AIM and the Senase School. Eryn will be returning to Ghana in July 2017.

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MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

2017 International Travel Opportunities Senior Seminar Eastern Europe This spring, the senior class traveled to four different countries in Eastern Europe over the course of nine days.

While studying the effects of World War II in Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, students took notes, gave presentations, tasted new foods, laughed, listened, shared ideas, took etchings, and experienced the cultures of Eastern Europe.

This academic abroad program prepared students for their interdisciplinary capstone projects for which they focused on the the history, science and literature of a specific topic that inspired them during their studies. These enriching opportunities allowed students to develop their writing, presentation and ‘critical making’ skills. AIM believes that by participating in the Dual Enrollment program and the year-long senior seminar courses, seniors are well prepared for college and beyond!

These opportunities help students develop their thinking as global citizens and push them to apply 21st Century Skills.

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MAY 23, 2017

AIM ACADEMY

FOUR THREADS NEWSLETTER

Costa Rica: Turtle Conservation and Cultural Exchange

Over spring break, AIM Academy traveled to Costa Rica to learn about environmental conservation, spend time with the indigenous Bri Bri tribes, learn Spanish and much more.

Students went zip lining, snorkeling in the Caribbean, caving, and river rafting. They also studied turtle conservation on the Pacific Side of the country. The group, made of high school students and two 8th grade students, returned home with a newfound appreciation for the wonders of nature and time away from technology.

An International Service Learning Course with spring break travel to the Dominican Republic! Starting fall 2017 Past International Travel Opportunities at AIM Academy have included: Belize, Spain, Scotland, Italy, England, Dominican Republic

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