Outcomes

*How we related our Multicultural class to our project*

During our project, we were able to perform some research on these concepts in our schools. Finding out about SES and disabilities in each school we worked in gave us a better understanding of those faculty members and students that we were working with. We feel that by having this better understanding, we were able to communicate with our students and teachers in a more personal and respectful level.

· Example- in Gustavo Barroso (Fortaleza) where the SES is not very high, students do not get a lot of parental support. It was important to be aware of this. When we observed our classrooms and found it odd our teachers did not assign many homework assignments, it was helpful to remember it was because most of the parents would not be there for support.

· Example- At Gustavo Barroso, social constructions about gender was clear in our classrooms. It is understood there that boys are typically expected to act in a certain “masculine” way. When one boy sat with his legs crossed, a girl asked her teacher, “Isn´t it wrong for him to sit like that?”

Thanks to our multicultural classroom, our answer was “No, boys can sit like that just like girls can too.”

*Beneficial Outcomes for our Public Schools*

The students’and teachers’ overall experience with an activity that was out of the ordinary. In public schools in Fortaleza, we think it is very rare to have a student from another country help out in the classroom. It’s great that the students got to see what someone from another country looks like, sounds like, especially for them to be able to hear another language, look at pictures from another place, and also know that on the other side of the world there is another 6-year-old who is also learning to read and write just like they are. The students’ enthusiasm serves as evidence, in addition to their letters that demonstrate improvement in their writing skills.

· Introducing students and teachers to a few different types of technology (Digital camera, computers, and e-mail). Evidence: Most of the students had not seen a digital camera and this was their first experience with one. The way in which the students became excited and wanted to see the picture on the back (most did not even realize that there was a picture on the back) which was an extreme shock. I did not realize the children would react that way. Also, when the children went into use the computers, they were so excited to just sit at the computers and watch the ads pop up and see what pictures there were.

*Beneficial Outcomes for our Teachers*

Having their students associate with people from a different place (culture). Evidence: the teacher was really excited to help explain to the children what they would be doing. She was also very excited when they received the letters from the other students. She was very willing to participate in the activity.

· Helping their students improve on their hand writing in a creative way. Evidence: it was really important to the teacher that the students learn how to set-up and write a formal letter (date, introduction, body, closing/signature) and additionally that the students listen and followe directions.

· Helping their students learn to think and express themselves on their own. Evidence: after the second letter was written, several of the teachers made various comments about how the students really did well at expressing themselves and participating.

*Other Beneficial Outcomes*

· Teaching a certain concept in a different manner: Practicing hand writing through writing letters. Helped improve the student´s handwriting, yet the student can learn about other things as well (example: basic set-up of a letter).[La1] This was something that was stressed in Amy’s classroom. I did not plan on teaching this or did not realize that I would need to teach the students about the basic set-up of a letter, but when I got there to write the first letter, I ended up teaching the students how to put the date at the first, then their name, then came the body, and then their signature. This was really neat because during the second letter I was able to see that most of the students remembered the basic set-up and were able to help the others with this. For example, a few of the students did not sign their names at the end, but the other students that remembered when over to these students and said, “you forgot to sign your name.”

· Bringing in objects to teach certain concepts and help the students visualize what they are learning. This was done in Maria Angela’s and Amy’s classromms. For example, students [La2] brought in boxes (large to small) that represented the world, continents, countries, states, and cities. Also, the children were able to visualize what they were learning through maps there were able to color.

· Group activities. For example, students were able to participate in what was written during the letters. They were able voice their opinions and take part in the discussion.[La3] In Amy’s classroom during the first letter, most of what was written had already been decided before hand. However, during the second letter, which talked about their city, I asked the students what they wanted to tell the students in Fortaleza about their city. At first the students sat there quietly and I was able to give a few examples, then after that everyone wanted to say something and had an idea of what to say. From all of there ideas the letter was put together and written on the black board for everyone to copy. At the end Professor Estela and I told the students that they had to close now, but the some of the students said, “shouldn’t we tell them thank you for the letters and that we enjoyed receiving them?” This was exciting to see the students willing and excited to participate in the activity.

· Using technology in the classroom to enhance a child’s learning experience. Example: The children were able to see how a digital camera works, computer, and e-mail, making them aware of these possibilities for learning in their future [La4] . In my classroom (Amy), the SES of the students is fairly low, which has had the outcome that most students have not been exposed to that much technology. At the beginning of the project this was not my objective to use technology or even introduce the students to it. However, as I began working with the students, I brought in my digital camera to take their pictures. To my surprise I was almost knocked over when I took the first few pictures and they realized that it appeared on the back of the camera. They all came running to see it. At this point I decided that in the classroom that I was working in I would like to at least expose them to a few different types of technology. They were able to see how a digital camera works and a few were able to take pictures with it. Then the second type of technology used was a computer, to view the power point presentations that were prepared of each classroom. The students were amazed at the simple ads that popped up on the screen of the computer. Also, they were able to click the mouse and flip the on/off switch of the computer. These are simple things, but if you have never used a computer before, they are exciting and important for the students to learn about.

Learning they have a voice and an opinion. The students had become a lot more involved the second time than the first time and were able to visualize what they were doing once they got a response to their first letter. In Amy’s classroom the students became more alive and excited about writing the second letter. I was able to ask the students what they wanted to write about and the students responded with their own ideas, which formed the letter.

Learning about who they are and that everyone is different. Evidence: when writing the first letter the students were able to introduce themselves and write things that they like to do. This helped the students use their cognitive process.

· Learning about different people. Evidence: when students received the letters in response to the letters they had written, they became really excited about reading their letters and learning what that person likes to do. Also, they loved when they were able to see the pictures of the students to whom they had written.

· Students in Logan were very surprised at the classrooms in Fortaleza and how different they were from their own. They commented on the lack of nicer chairs and desks.

· Students were able to conceptualize the size of the world and become acquainted with maps. They made comments about how far away their country is from the other. During the powerpoint presentations, the students were very intrigued with the difference in landscapes between the two cities and countries.

· Introducing children to a few different types of technology (Digital camera, computers, and e-mail). Evidence: Most of the students (Amy’s classroom) had not seen a digital camera and this was their first experience with one. The way in which the students became excited and wanted to see the picture on the back (most did not even realize that there was a picture on the back) which was an extreme shock. I did not realize the children would react that way. Also, when the children went into use the computers, they were so excited to just sit at the computers and watch the ads pop up and see what pictures there were.

· Learning about who they are and that everyone is different. Evidence: when writing the first letter the students were able to introduce themselves and write things that they like to do. This helped the students in Amy’s classroom to actually think about what they were writing. They had to think about themselves and identify who they are (likes and dislikes, hobbies, background, etc.), in order for them to express these ideas to other people.

· Learning about different people. Evidence: When my classroom (Amy) received the letters in response to the letters they had written, they became really excited about reading their letters and learning what that person likes to do. Also, they loved when they were able to see the pictures of the students to whom they had written.

· Learning about a different place (culture). Evidence: the students were able to learn that every place has characteristics that define that place, some are the same and some are different. The students had to think about their own city and describe it and then were able to receive the letter from their pen-pal and learn about that place. For example, misconceptions were corrected in Amy’s classroom about what the students had already heard about that place from television (for example: novelas). Students in Logan were very surprised at the classrooms in Fortaleza and how different they were from their own. They commented on the lack of nicer chairs and desks.

· Students were able to conceptualize the size of the world and become acquainted with maps. They made comments about how far away their country is from the other. During the PowerPoint presentations, the students were very intrigued with the difference in landscapes between the two cities and countries.

Helping their students learn to think and express themselves on their own. Evidence: after the second letter was written, several of the teachers made various comments about how the students really did well at expressing themselves and participating.