First Grade UN Day Project

Each child must decorate their plain skin toned doll (they painted to match their own skin). The costume should be from your heritage and culture. Maddie decided she didn't want a cowboy this year so she chose a pioneer woman which actually fits exceptionally well considering we have a touch of mormon pioneer stock, though as Grandma Robinson always reminded us we were the smart ones and waited until the transcontinental railroad was completed across the beautiful USA.

Madison was great with ideas then I had to invent paper patterns of everything out of my head. From the dress to hair to bonnet and apron she was really involved. She did her very first ever needle and thread sewing project. She stitched the skirt together on her doll and I showed her how to gather it to make ruffles. She was incredibly impressed with how awesome it looked. She also learned how to braid yarn hair and was very pleased with the success. She also tied the red hair bows and designed the dolls arms. She wouldn't glue anything in place though because we used a hot glue gun and I kept burning myself with it so she was too scared to touch it.

Singapore AMERICAN School

This is the makeup of Maddie Mae's class:
22 kids
6 USA
1 China
1 Philippines
2 Indonesia
1 India
4 Korea
1 Netherlands
1 Singapore
1 Canada
1 Italy
1 Mexico
1 Malaysia
1 kid that didn't do their homework and put a poster on the board so I don't know where the last kid is from

I'd call that an international class! I went to hear the superintendent speak at the beginning of the school year and he relayed an interesting story. In my best four week ago memory this is what I remember. He was invited to a coffee of some sort with the president of Singapore and the head of education in Singapore was also in attendance. They discussed the things they were working on and found out they were striving to be more like wag other.

The Singapore Ministry of Education was studying the American school system to figure how to make their students better at thinks outside the box and being creative problem solvers. He said he had been studying the Singapore education system to help his students have a better foundation of those basic skills memorized so they can not get caught up there and move their skills beyond as in a student that has his addition, subtraction and multiplication drilled so well they are memorized can move through their work faster this getting more done.

Interesting the two were seeking to shift toward each other. Obviously this means there is an ideal location somewhere in the middle but the American school method must have some worldwide appeal if the clientele is so international.

Tomorrow is UN Day for the primary school (Maddie and Jake). Two weeks ago we got a flyer home in Maddie's backpack about coming to share something on our home country and culture with the kids in the classes. I was busy and frankly didn't know what to say about the USA. This is an American school after all so what's to tell?

Last Monday she came home from school and asked right off which day I was coming because Diego's mom had come that day and all the moms were coming. She asked the next day and the next and the day after that. Anytime I sweetly said I wasn't planning on it she would kindly but with genuine confusion say that EVERY mom was coming. It took seven days but she wore me down with her daily inquiries. I scheduled with Miss Sudesh.

The plan was to have them make personal size apple pie. I lost count but I handmade either five or six batches of my Aunt Marion's amazing flaky pie crust. Then made the apple filling and rolled and cut the dough to make 26 pies. Loaded the goods in my handy dandy garage sale wagon and went off to teach the kids all about America.

I think they had fun. The boys here at the homestead wanted to make pies too so we made some after dinner. Finally everyone is settled in bed and I'm on the verge of taking NyQuil for my aches and pains and throat tickle. Tomorrow is a much more relaxed day. Just bring some USA type food to the cultural food fest lunch. I'm on protest though and decided not to do it. Just showing up empty handed this time. Oh well.