How quickly the fire of culture spreads!

Once the idea of an academic exchange had began and the word began to spread among my colleagues, several teachers have been eager to jump onboard.

Two science teachers in my building have joined a Google Group with Madame Vinoda and her classes in India who are researching global warming and agriculture. The plan is that the various groups will post their research on the group site and then be able to share their work with students on the other side of the world. Amazing technology! Amazing teachers!

In another development, one of my Indiana Writing Project colleagues from last summer has jumped on board the research project with me. Her school has similar demographics as mine, and as retired military, she is interested in cultivating the cultural experiences of her students, as I am. She and I worked together to develop a cultural sensitivity research project that reflects how personal experiences through writing may change the attitudes of our students.

In fact, she and I also wrote Robert P. Bell Education Grant proposals and were funded for the supplies that we will use with this project. Many thanks to the Delaware County Community Foundation and the Bell Grant Committee for providing our students with the means to learn to write and speak some Hindi and to send old- fashioned, tangible correspondence to our new penpals.

The exchange of knowledge and attitudes burns brightly!