IJWC participates in Global Collaboration Week

The International Junior Writers Club participated in the Global Collaboration Week on September 23-27, 2019 as a host of an event, "War on Drugs" Debate. This activity was a writing extension activity of students from Alternative Education Center, Odessa, TX  after they had integrated published Philippine drug war statistics into their math lesson on linear equations. The activity helped US students become aware of illegal drug issues in other parts of the world, addressing the global goal of peace, justice, and strong institution. Participants of "War on Drugs" Debate argued on whether or not they were in favor of the implementation of government-sponsored "War on Drugs" campaign and suggested ways on how to address illegal drug issues.

The Global Collaboration Week is one of the annual events of the Global Education Conference Network that is open to all schools and organizations all over the world. This year's Global Collaboration Week was attended by over 800 people and organizations representing more that 60 countries and more than 40 states, all collaborating on more than 40 projects and events. Check the following links for more info:

Global Collaboration Week Events in US Central Daylight Time Zone
Global Collaboration Week Event Listings
Global Collaboration Week Participating Schools and Organizations
"War on Drugs" Debate

IJWC adviser completes Global Education 101

To enhance his expertise in global education, the adviser of the International Junior Writers Club participated in Global Education 101, an online course sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). The course objectives for educator participants included (1) define global competence and connect it to student success, (2) begin to understand the themes and concepts of global education and global competence, (3) develop instructional strategies to incorporate global competence into lessons and units, and (4) build resources for further learning and networking for global competence. The IJWC adviser shared with other participants what was done with the IJWC initiative to promote global education and competence.

IJWC members design their dream house

IJWC members from Odessa, TX designed their individual dream house after writing a descriptive essay detailing the kind of house they wished to have in the future. During the presentation of their final design, students explained every part of their house and discussed their future career in order to realize their dream house. The activity was the students' final project for their engineering design lesson in Geometry. The students used Planner5d to design their house. Their descriptive essays were sent to their international partners for editing and revising activity.

Spanish, American students complete a fiction story

Students at Instituto de Educación Secundaria IES Prado Mayor in Totana, Spain and students at Alternative Education Center, Odessa, TX, USA completed a fiction story about a secret passage in an Egyptian Pyramid. Spanish students, under the mentorship of Mrs.Trini Serrano Diaz, studied Egyptian Pyramids. Using a scenario where they pretended to have a field trip at the Pyramid of Giza and were curious about a secret passage in the pyramid, Spanish students completed a fiction story, describing what they would see inside the secret passage. On the other hand, as an introductory activity for their research lesson, American students researched Egyptian Pyramids online. Using the same material and scenario that the Spanish students used, American students completed the unfinished fiction story, describing their experiences after they opened the secret passage in the Pyramid of Giza while on a class field trip. After completing their fiction stories, American students compared their stories with the stories of Spanish students using a Venn diagram, analyzing if there were cultural features or elements in their stories.

Philippine, Texan students share unique culture

Philippine Science High School students from Dipolog City, Philippines and Alternative Education students from Odessa, TX, USA shared their unique cultures with each other using Padlet. As part of their lesson in Social Science under the mentorship of Mr. Araibo Elumba, Social Science teacher, Philippine Science High School students studied globalization and the cultural influences on globalization. On the other hand, as part of their paired texts lesson in English, Alternative Education students read Tehuelche and Linguist on Mission to Save Inuit "Fossil Language" Disappearing with the Ice and studied the cultures of the Tehuelche people and the Inughuits and analyzed how the loss of language as a cultural element important in both texts. After their respective lessons, as an enrichment activity, both student groups shared their unique cultures with each other online. Texan students enjoyed learning about some Philippine cultures and traditions such as bayanihan (strong spirit of communal unity, work and cooperation), harsh discipline, kamayan (eating with a hand), bahala na (come what may), mano (pressing one's forehead on an elder's hand as a sign of respect), parent-mediated courtship, kuya and ate as terms of endearment for older brother and older sister respectively, fiesta, extreme hospitality, extreme generosity, superstitious beliefs, 9-day funeral novena, and many others. Philippines students, on the other hand, were amazed learning about some Texan cultures and traditions such as quinceañera, Día de Muertos, Mexican food, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Easter, and many others.