This year, we began our celebration and understanding of our Hispanic neighbors’ heritages when students from our sister school in Madrid, Spain- the Altair School, came to visit us for two weeks. Twenty students and two teachers joined host families and were welcomed on campus. Students learned about each other’s culture and language, while last year, fifteen students went to Spain and experienced, first-hand, the culture of their host families.
During the month of October, in further effort to celebrate our Hispanic community through Hispanic Heritage Month, our students in elementary and middle school connected with others from different Hispanic countries, real-time, and engaged in different projects and/or conversation about cultural differences and items of interests. This week, our teachers will be providing real-time English and Spanish classes to one another.
Throughout the month, students and their Spanish teachers engaged in Hispanic culture through cooking, literature, games and Latin music. Lessons also included Chapultepec, Dia de la Rasa as well as plans for the upcoming Dia de los Muertos. Last week, three schools in Spain (Altair, Castro Verde, and Potes) worked with Mrs. Hudephol’s class on the topic of creativity and ‘Where Ideas Come From.” This is just the beginning of a wonderful learning relationship with our friends from afar. Fifth grade students have been working on an Hispanic artist project, and upon the completion of their research, they will present their favorite Hispanic artist. Our music department joined with the PE teachers to teach the children two Hispanic dances and this is part of an overall ‘International’ theme for the dance assembly that includes Hispanics widely.
As always, but especially in the month of October, we spend time learning about and celebrating the presence of The Cushman School’s Hispanic and Latino families’ heritages and cultures, and how they continue to positively influence our school community.
Arvi Balseiro