Throughout the world, we are experiencing an alarming decline in cultural richness. Indigenous cultures are being diminished or wiped out, and with them we lose valuable medical traditions, solutions to problems, the richness of art. We lose a diversity in points of view.

Just as we seek to preserve the biosphere in order to ensure a sustainable planet, we must seek to preserve the ethnosphere. It is essential that we consider cultural learning and celebration as a central feature of our teaching.

We live in a time, when we have unprecedented access to technological tools by which we can share our cultures. We also live in a time where multiple intelligences and learning styles on an individual level have deepened our understanding of education, so, too, will celebration, and a sharing of cultures deepen our work with our students and with each other.

In Course 4:

Resources

Course material; Conversations with global colleagues.

Assignments

Assignment 1:

Assignment 2:

Assignment 3:

Assignment 4:

Assignment 5:

Assignment 6:

Assignment 7:

Assignment 8:

Assignment 9:

Assignment 10: Active Reading and Dialogue

Assignment 11: Survey for Course 4

Timeline

4 weeks

Suggested Reading:

An extraordinary curriculum exploring culture through art. PDF file below:

Exploring World Myths and Legends Through Art

HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT MODULE:

Usually, you just click "Next" to go to the next page. When you finish a section, however, (as you're about to do when you finish reading these two paragraphs), you need to click on the "Outline" button, which is on the bottom, right-hand side of the page. Look underneath the blue bar and click on the word "Outline."

When you click on "Outline," a screen will come up that will show you the outline for Course 4. Look for the next section to read and click on the first topic in that next section. For example, when you get to the outline now, look under the next section called "Developing a Sensitive Eye" and look for the first topic in black lettering called "A Teacher's Story." Click on "A Teacher's Story."