EMBRACE Their Wonders … Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
~ Helen Keller
It WASN’T that simple, though. Nothing EVER is! We walked away inspired and wiser. But, we STILL had SO many questions. Embracing our students’ sense of wonder, we reconnected with Tim, hoping that he would answer a few more. You’d think that THAT would have been it … case closed … time to move on. Nope. We STILL had more questions!
Tim put us in contact with Mosqoy, a non-governmental organization working in Peru. They were VERY willing to Skype with us. Little did THEY know … eight year olds have a WONDERFUL sense of curiosity … and the questions just KEPT on coming!
Because of this INSPIRING relationship with Mosqoy, for FOUR years the Grade Threes at Battalion Park School have helped to build a LIBRARY in a tiny rural weaving village in the Andes Mountains of Peru. We’ve learned AMAZING lessons about the ups and downs of International Development and building capacity. Mosqoy has helped us to move FAR below the surface of the cultural iceberg, deepen our understanding of life in Peru beyond anything a book or google search could ever do, flatten the walls of our classroom through Skype, connect with a global audience and bring books AND a library to children a continent away. Grade Threes as CHANGE makers … how empowering!
When you are open to wondering … and finding experts to help ANSWER those wonders … there’s no TELLING what you can accomplish when you work TOGETHER!
Laurie Renton (@RentonL) is a lead learner, blessed to work with amazing Grade Threes at Battalion Park School. Their wonders and passion inspire her.