https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n What does this look like for a Biology teacher? en-us 2017-05-14 18:55:42 UTC 2017-05-15 18:59:50 UTC hello@padlet.com emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171908629 - Respecting other cultures
- Encouraging students to consider other worldviews
- Emphasizing different is not wrong
- Incorporating multicultural experiences into subject content

]]> 2017-05-15 17:44:35 UTC https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171908629 emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171910598 - Understanding that my culture is not better or worse than any other
- Kindness, tolerance, and patience when visiting another culture
- Educating myself on that culture, especially social norms, to avoid any unintended offenses
- Realizing my choices affect people all over the globe]]> 2017-05-15 17:50:51 UTC https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171910598 emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171912222 Global citizenship is especially important in the area of ecology and environmental science. Important discussions take place in the Biology classroom around these issues:
- Human population growth
- Resource usage and management
- Pollution sources, impacts, and solutions
- Resource, both natural and human, exploitation
It is so fulfilling to me when students come to realize how even their small choices have global impact. I believe an important part of being a global citizen is being an informed consumer. ]]> 2017-05-15 17:56:54 UTC https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171912222 emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171913795 - Examining contributions to scientific discovery made by people all over the world
- One of my favorite activities is incorporating history into Biology when studying genetics. A text I use has a great article on how hemophilia spread throughout many of the royal families in Europe. Students construct a pedigree while examining how this affected world events, particularly the role it played in the Russian Revolution.
- Another interesting connection to gene pools, inheritance patterns, and mutations is looking at the connection between sickle cell disease, the global distribution of the trait, and malaria.
- Discussions about population growth and density with looking at population trends in individual countries
- Looking at how other countries are dealing with climate change and some of the issues accompanying this. ]]> 2017-05-15 18:02:34 UTC https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171913795 emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171914116 I think the most important understanding comes from helping students see they are part of a global community and economy. Their choices affect people all over the globe in terms of pollution and exploitation of resources and human labor. While not specifically related to Biology content, I think one issue often seen in the international school community is that of arrogance and or a sense of entitlement. When students really start to complain or get lazy, I always try to remind them what a privilege it is to get an education. I remind them the world does not revolve around them. And I remind them of real injustices people suffer. In my classes, everyone is responsible for their own lab clean-up. It amazes me sometimes how many of them don't know how to do what basically amounts to washing dishes. Everyone is also responsible for their group and for helping each other. Working together towards a common goal brings them together as a community of learners. This is always a great experience when students may come from different countries or religions that are commonly seen as "enemies" so to speak. ]]> 2017-05-15 18:03:28 UTC https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171914116 emilyfoster113 https://padlet.com/emilyfoster113/rf0c8548cs2n/wish/171914257 Here are two of my favorite examples:
- One small example I use is when broadly introducing the concepts of transcription and translation. I have students choose a word from their native language and write it on the board. This is especially good when their language does not use Latin script. Example:
     - The "language" of DNA= привет (Russian)
     - Transcribe it to mRNA= preevyet (Now we know pronunciation, but we need to translate from the language of nucleic acid to the language of protein.)
     - Translate to amino acids= hi (The end result is a language we have in common)
- I help sponsor a group of students that volunteer on Saturdays at a children's home for very young children with disabilities and a home for teenagers and adults with life-limiting disabilities. When we discuss mutations and ecological succession, we look at in-depth the effects of radiation. Belarus, where I teach, received some of the most severe fallout from the Chernobyl disaster. The repercussions are still felt to this day with around 30% of the country remaining uninhabitable. The rates of cancers, particularly thyroid, birth abnormalities, and other issues are higher than average, although clear data is hard to find. All of this makes for very interesting discussions in class. But this also leads to an awareness for my students that people need help. We volunteer at these places where conditions can be poor, funding is low, and resources are scarce. While the science is interesting, I encourage students to look at the human face of the story and give back to the community where they live. 

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