by Tracy Nearhoof, Books as Bridges Coordinator, 2008-2009
Have you ever truly amazed a kid? The kind of amazed where their mouth hangs open a bit and they are practically dancing with anxiety to start asking questions?
As the IBP Books as Bridges Coordinator, I get to be the source of such amazement 2-3 times throughout a typical workweek. I visit Books as Bridges participant classrooms throughout the Bluegrass to facilitate cultural literacy lessons based on life in their pen-pal countries. Whether it be high school students designing a Moroccan “khamsa” hand-shaped good-luck charm, or elementary students enjoying a cup of Filipino punch, there is always a good time to be had.
Recently, I visited Robert B. Turner Elementary School in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. There, I was teaching Mrs. Thacker’s fantastic group of third graders about the exceptionally diverse culture of South Africa as the students and I began our tour of different occupations…
We started out as Cartographers. We crafted 3-D maps of South Africa, highlighting important landmarks such as Kruger National Park, diamond and gold mining areas, important ports along the coast, the Drakensburg Mountains, tribal regions, and the administrative capital, Pretoria.
We transformed into Culturally-Diverse Food Critics! We tasted South African cornbread and discussed the ingredients and their relevance to South African culture. We also sipped Rooibos tea, an imported black tea from South Africa. (Though some were a little too critical about the lack of sugar…)
Next, we put on our Professional Cultural Analyst caps. Comparing the similarities and differences of the South African and American culture was an enlightening and curiosity-charged discussion. We were able to see how and why people live differently, depending upon their history and heritage, geographical location, and resources.
Finally, we became Philanthropists! After hearing about IBP’s history and the story of Harriet Van Meter’s desire to make a difference, the students began to realize their own potential to make a difference in someone else’s life. Just by showing interest through their sending of pictures, letters, and artwork, Books as Bridges students are enriching the lives of youth across the globe with their friendship, while also building lasting positive impressions of America throughout the developing world.
After lessons like this, even though I am feeling mentally exhausted and physically worn, I am filled with such pride and even feeling of hope that our world has become just a bit smaller. It is truly an enjoyable experience to stimulate curiosity and a new enthusiasm for learning. Lucky for me, as they say, “It’s all in a day’s work.”
Tags: books, Books as Bridges, International Book Project, international books, international nonprofit, nonprofit
