Worthington Park gets cultured for International Week
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| SNP photo by Dan
Trittschuh First-graders at Worthington Park Elementary School take part in an "audio description" exercise Monday, Dec. 1, during an assembly in the gymnasium presented by Dancing Wheels, a Cleveland-based wheelchair dance troupe. The exercise was one of many planned this week to introduce students to the world's many cultures firsthand. |
By PAMELA WILLIS
Worthington Park Elementary School students are going global
in the gymnasium this week as they learn Greek and Spanish
dances, West African drumming, Japanese paper sculpture and
a myriad of other cultural activities during International
Week.
Teacher Nerys Thomas said International Week began Monday, Dec. 1, with a concert by Sakura, a Japanese koto (harp) group, followed by a school assembly featuring Dancing Wheels, a dance troupe with dancers in wheelchairs as well as on foot.
"Our purpose for the week is to expose our students to the world and world cultures," Thomas said. "We are a very multicultural school -- at least 20 percent of our students speak another language besides English. We'll also have a lot of parents coming into classrooms to share information about their cultures."
Thomas said some of the countries represented include Japan, India, Mexico, El Salvador, China, Korea and Panama.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, Japanese sculptor Yasue Sakoaka taught students to make three-dimensional paper sculptures, and Hanamizuki No Kai, a Japanese women's chorus, performed for the entire school.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, individual classrooms will host parent and staff visitors, Thomas said.
"The parents will present activities from their native cultures, dress in their native dress and often bring native dress for the teacher," she said. "Our own custodian, Paul Robson, will share the culture of Panama with students, and I'll share my native Welsh culture."
On Thursday, Dec. 4, Sogbety Diomande, a West African drummer, will hold workshops with students in all grade levels, Thomas said.
Activities Friday, Dec. 5, will include an all-day international fair in the gymnasium, with parents bringing in food from all around the world.
"It will be a truly international eating experience," Thomas said. "The gym will be transformed into a world tour, with artwork, music and student presentations from around the world on display. We'll also have Mexican and Greek dancing workshops for the students."
Thomas said this is the third international celebration for Worthington Park.
"It's a valuable week, especially for parents who maybe don't speak English very well and may not always participate at their child's school," she said. "During this week, they can come in and participate in a way in which they are familiar.
"We want students to see we are a very small part of a very big world," Thomas said.
Thomas said it takes a committee of teachers and volunteers to pull the week together.
"It is always a very positive experience," she said. "Everyone pulls together to make it a success and the children really learn a lot. The event grows every time, and every time it gets a little bigger."
"We want students to see we are a very small part of a very big world."
--Nerys Thomas
Teacher Nerys Thomas said International Week began Monday, Dec. 1, with a concert by Sakura, a Japanese koto (harp) group, followed by a school assembly featuring Dancing Wheels, a dance troupe with dancers in wheelchairs as well as on foot.
"Our purpose for the week is to expose our students to the world and world cultures," Thomas said. "We are a very multicultural school -- at least 20 percent of our students speak another language besides English. We'll also have a lot of parents coming into classrooms to share information about their cultures."
Thomas said some of the countries represented include Japan, India, Mexico, El Salvador, China, Korea and Panama.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, Japanese sculptor Yasue Sakoaka taught students to make three-dimensional paper sculptures, and Hanamizuki No Kai, a Japanese women's chorus, performed for the entire school.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, individual classrooms will host parent and staff visitors, Thomas said.
"The parents will present activities from their native cultures, dress in their native dress and often bring native dress for the teacher," she said. "Our own custodian, Paul Robson, will share the culture of Panama with students, and I'll share my native Welsh culture."
On Thursday, Dec. 4, Sogbety Diomande, a West African drummer, will hold workshops with students in all grade levels, Thomas said.
Activities Friday, Dec. 5, will include an all-day international fair in the gymnasium, with parents bringing in food from all around the world.
"It will be a truly international eating experience," Thomas said. "The gym will be transformed into a world tour, with artwork, music and student presentations from around the world on display. We'll also have Mexican and Greek dancing workshops for the students."
Thomas said this is the third international celebration for Worthington Park.
"It's a valuable week, especially for parents who maybe don't speak English very well and may not always participate at their child's school," she said. "During this week, they can come in and participate in a way in which they are familiar.
"We want students to see we are a very small part of a very big world," Thomas said.
Thomas said it takes a committee of teachers and volunteers to pull the week together.
"It is always a very positive experience," she said. "Everyone pulls together to make it a success and the children really learn a lot. The event grows every time, and every time it gets a little bigger."
"We want students to see we are a very small part of a very big world."
--Nerys Thomas