Excerpts from: "Coe Elementary: An International School in it's Own Right"

As the world becomes more accessible and the economy more global, we all must make adjustments to how we think and act. But how do we know what to do? What will our kids need to know in twenty years in order to be successful in this global village?

While we may not be able to predict precisely what skills they will need, we are calling for the basics: reading, writing and math. And most educators are looking for additional turnkeys to prepare their students for what is to come, whatever that may be. This is what has come to be called International Education and at Coe Elementary School they are starting young and running in the forefront.

You can see it right away when you enter the building. The glass case at the front entrance displays an Afghani burka, a map of the region and photos of the school for Afghani girls that students at Coe raised money to build. Every child rose to the fund drive challenge in 2003 and collected $3500 from their allowances, garage sales and families. Then in 2004, they did it again. What did they learn? They can help others, and a little bit of sharing can go a very long way.  Afghanis are friends.

The “Teddy Bear Ambassador Project” is just one of several international project collaborations going on at Coe this year. With the help of iEARN (International Education and Resource Network), many teachers at Coe are integrating online project work into their reading, writing and math curriculums. Kevin Crozier’s class is doing all three at once! Through the “Laws of Life Project”, students exchange essays with a class in Bogota, Columbia. First, they had to define their values (or laws) and distinguish between what makes them happy, and what is important to them. This information was treated as data, and compared with the same data collected by partners in Bogota. After tabulation and analysis, students could reexamine their initial laws and discuss their similarities and differences through essays and online forum dialogues. Students had some surprises, and empirical evidence to support them!

Teachers at Coe are provided in-class coaching, workshops and support by iEARN-affiliated educators throughout the year to help them implement various learning projects. From help with finding partner classrooms in other countries, to developing technology skills, teachers are aided in designing the projects so student learning goals are matched to those of the state’s.

Elsie Miller’s fourth graders are making an iMovie through the  “Local History Project” to exchange with Shobha Prativa’s students in Hyderabad, India. With an audience on the other side of the world, students must consider carefully how they relate what they have researched. And in return, they will receive a view of Indian history not contained in any textbook. But more importantly, they will know kids for whom that history is real, and they can ask questions about what they are learning and get answers directly from their global peers!

Inspired by a visit from Dalia Khalil, iEARN Egypt Country Coordinator, Melanie Perez’ third graders are exchanging with Egyptian students through the “Get to know Others Project”. As we speak, there is a classroom teacher Cairo wearing a Coe Elementary School t-shirt, and a bunch of kids with Coe pencils! They will be sharing many aspects of their curriculum, and using this real audience of global peers to inspire their best writing. We are hoping that their Animal Reports will be particularly interesting to students who have grown up in the desert!

Beginning in March, in a three-way collaboration, Ruth Camper’s third graders will explore Seattle and the Dominican Republic in an exchange called “Tours around the World”. Nellie Zambrano will integrate this project into her Spanish classes and assist with this bilingual exchange about tourism and the compelling reasons to visit these very different places on earth.

The world is their classroom at Coe Elementary.  Using technology to connect with peers in other countries, these students are being prepared for global citizenship at the most fundamental level: communication and friendship.