Students Use Theater to Learn About Global Campaign for Education

I am a second-grade teacher at a public elementary school in Moreno Valley, CA.  Several of the schools in our area have been taken over by the state as failing schools, yet our new school, Chaparral Hills Elementary has been successful so far in meeting its targets even though we have a student population very similar to those schools that struggle.  Our students come largely from low-income, bilingual homes, and many have very difficult family situations and emotional struggles (in fact, several students have parents who are nearly illiterate in any language). I am also a long-time RESULTS volunteer and have involved my students in advocacy for the poorest children in the world since 1990, when we wrote to encourage the President to attend the original World Summit for Children at the United Nations.  When I had the opportunity to chair a committee to put on an International Week Program at my school on the SAME week that the Global Campaign for Education events would be happening all over the world, I jumped at the chance. Generally this involves a week of fun singing and dancing and crafts events, but I was determined that this would also expose students to the goals of the campaign.

           On the morning of April 23, 2008, at 8:15 am, we began our International program with a 12 minute Readers' Theater program performed by four 3rd grade students about the Global Campaign for Education.  There were roughly 380 students in attendance and 30 adults there for that performance.  Meanwhile, the rest of the program included songs and dances by different grade levels about children in other places in the world.  We had kindergarten students reciting a poem, singing a song, and dancing a German folk dance.  Next, second grade students sang songs in Japanese and in French.  One third grade class performed a Ugandan dance taught to them by a parent volunteer who was from Uganda.  Another third grade class performed, in authentic costumes from five continents, a song about world geography and children.  A 4th grade class performed a skit about a bull-fight that ends in a friendship between the matador and the bull.  Another 4th grade class sang "Tomorrow People" and we finished with a review of the points from the "Biggest Lesson" before our rap song finale about everyone getting along with different people.  

Immediately after that assembly, at 9:15, we did a second performance (again, using our Readers' Theater piece about the Global Campaign for Education) and at the second assembly there were roughly 340 students and about 20 adults.  In the evening we performed the program for the families of the performers to a standing-room only crowd, again over 300 people.

My class, of 19 second-graders, has already written our letters to our Rep. Mary Bono-Mack. We certainly have made our community aware in a new way to the importance of education worldwide.

The thrill and enjoyment that our students experienced will certainly leave an impression for years to come.  The parents and other teachers were emotionally touched, as well.  It is my intention to build on this for the future so that we can emphasize the importance of education and take a stronger stand including the local media and political leaders, etc.  

For many years I have experienced the increased enthusiasm and careful focus that overtakes kids when they write what they consider meaningful, important letters to politicians.  There is almost always the benefit of impressive replies from political leaders.  By the end of this summer, I expect to have a website for teachers of elementary school for a sort of hero-of-the-month writing project, to involve kids in thanking the members of Congress who support legislation toward Universal Primary Education (and, perhaps, the other child-friendly MDG's). 

Again, I am honored to have been involved in your campaign and hope that it is only the first effort in a successful multi-year effort to benefit every child on Earth.

Thanks,
Mrs. Lynne E. Patalano
Teacher
Chaparral Hills Elementary

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