Local Resources in Global Education
The Peace Corps: The Peace Corps is based in Washington, DC and has many resources for teachers. The World Wise Schools program offers returned peace corps volunteers visits to the classroom, as well as offers a pen pal program with current peace corps volunteers. Many returned peace corps volunteers live in the Washington, D.C. area, so arranging a classroom visit can be easily facilitated. The office will provide a list of volunteers and the countries in which they served, along with their contact information.
Smithsonian Museums: Washington, DC is lucky to have so many Smithsonian museums, including our local zoo. All of these museums are free and many offer programs specifically for groups of students, as well as teacher training programs. In my personal experience, the museums which are less well known usually offer the best services to students and teachers. I highly recommend the following museums for student field trips: The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Sackler and Freer galleries of Asian art, the National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of American History (includes reenactments of historical events), the National Portrait Gallery (includes a wonderful space to eat a bagged lunch!), the Anacostia Community Museum, and, of course, the National Zoo. Opening soon is the African American Museum of History and Culture. A great summer project would be a visit to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which highlights 2-3 different cultures and countries each year. The Newseum: The Newseum is an interactive museum of news and journalism, which includes remnants of the Berlin Wall and docent-led sessions on the first amendment to the Constitution and other topics. Because of its interactive nature, students love this field trip. The World Bank Group: The World Bank Group is an international organization that offers loans, advice, and other resources to many countries around the world. The personnel of the World Bank is also an international melting pot of workers from almost every country around the world. The World Bank Group offers tours of their institution, as well as videos and other resources for teachers. Religious Institutions: As an international city, Washington, DC is home to almost every kind of religious institution. Students can visit mosques, synagogues, Buddhist and Hindu temples, Greek Orthodox churches, every kind of Christian church (including one of the oldest African American churches in Georgetown), and the non-denominational Washington National Cathedral. Restaurants: A resource everyone would enjoy is a visit to the many international restaurants in Washington, DC. Students and teachers can sample food from almost any country in the world. The National Geographic Museum: This museum isn't large, but frequently has new exhibits, which are pleasing to the eye and usually interactive. I've taken students, teachers, and my family there to learn about the Atlantic Slave Trade, Spanish exploration, the Middle East, the Titanic, and monster fish from around the world. |