Residency in Edgewood

2/2 - 2/13 2009. Edgewood 3rd grade classrooms. The Edgewood Team: Margaret O'Farrell, Palmer DelMonaco, Dylan Cadalzo, Michelle Boyum, Lisa Forte, Anne Stokes, Helen Pasternack, Jeff Weigel, and Paul Tomizawa.

The residency in Edgewood went quite well. In many ways, it was a similar experience like the previous ones in Quaker Ridge and Fox Meadow. The first week was spent with the classroom teachers and the second week was with the special teachers. Students were very enthusiastic in learning about Indonesia: culture, geography, family, schools, children games, government, economics, animals, plants, art, music, sport, and folk stories. 

They asked lots of interesting questions, and responded to the reflections very well. They were happy to learn the Indonesian children happy song, "Di Sini Senang, Di Sana Senang." They also learned how to do batik. And most importantly they enjoyed the stories of the "mouse deer," a famous trickster character in Indonesian folk tales. 

A very special connection in my residency was to find a lot of Indonesia-related families in Ms. Margaret O'Farrell's class. There were three students whose parents or grandparents come from Indonesia. I was invited to come for lunch during my residency here, and the families helped enrich the students' learning experience by lending the Indonesian artifacts such as authentic clothes, wooden crafts, and decorations. Even on one day, the Indonesian families had their children wear Indonesian traditional costumes to school. It was a very special moment! Margaret did an amazing job in organizing my residency, and maximized any possible opportunities to enhance the intercultural experience for her students.