Marshall teacher returns from Bangladesh

Joseph Dunn, dressed in a Panjabi, a traditional outfit worn in Bangladesh, gives a student a sample of fruit chutney. Photo by Susan Arensman

Joseph Dunn, seventh-grade teacher at Marshall Middle School, is teaching his students about the culture of Bangladesh with the voice of experience. Dunn recently returned from that country, as one of two teachers in the U.S. selected to be part of a teacher exchange program through Relief International Schools Online. Dunn has shared with his students about life in Bangladesh, including the music, the clothes, the religion and the food.

One day he had his students sample different snacks from Bangladesh, including Dal, fried peas, charachur and chutney. The students were asked to write reviews of the snacks. Some students liked the items and some didn't, but Dunn stressed the important thing was to try them.

"The best way to learn about a different country and culture is to experience it," Dunn said. "These kids weren't able to go, but they were excited to hear about my trip. It makes that country a real place to them."

Dunn communicated with his students on-line during his trip. He kept a blog and posted videos of different places and schools that he visited.

Dunn’s students have been involved in a cultural exchange with a school in Bangladesh since the beginning of the school year. The students have communicated via the internet and mailed items to each other to explain what life and customs are like in their countries. Dunn’s students also have shared items with students in Israel, Spain, Brazil and Taiwan.

http://www.usd259.com/news/express/2008-2009/032309.htm#marshall

Questions that we still have about Bangladesh...

Ms. Bennett's language arts students were asked to consider questions they still had about Bangladesh. This is what they came up with:

My Dear students:
I would like to say that I am quiet impressed with many of your questions and I am so happy that you have taken a interest in Bangladesh and its people.
I will be able to answer many of your questions in detail when I get back to America. But I would like to tell you that many of your answers are just a "click" away.
That is right, I am going to ask that you look for some of the answers yourselves. You may use the internet and go to Google and search for some of the answers.
I am telling you to do this because it will help with time management. I hope that many of you take time to look up this information and find out for yourselves the wonderful culture and people of Bangladesh.
*I would also like to note that I have addressed several of your questions in a previous posting on this blog. Check them out!
I miss you and will see you soon!
Mr. Dunn :)

Sandra Paz: I think I would like to know more about their culture, like who they are.
Yuliana Mejia: I would like to know if they have a children’s home there like here for when the children are abused? I would also like to know if there is a juvenile and jail in Bangladesh? I also want to know more about their culture. What’s there?
Jesus Alvarez: I would like to know if they like school. Do they watch T.V.? And do they want to know Mr. Dunn. Are there pretty girls there? Do they play soccer?
Juliana Vela: I would like to learn a lot more about Bangladesh. I would like to know what their climate is each season. What are their houses like? I would also like to learn what they celebrate each year. There are many things I want to learn about Bangladesh, including many other things.
Itssel Berumen: I would like to know about their different beliefs and how they dress. Why what’s right and what’s wrong. How the schools are. Do they wear uniforms?
Blake Payne: Well, I am curious if they eat any American food. What is the government system like? What are their colleges like? What is their healthcare like? What kind of prisons do they have there?
Natasha Judd: I would like to learn more about how they dress. Why do the men have to wear fancy clothes? Do all the women have to wear dresses? Is Bangladesh a wealthy country? How much is their money worth in U.S. dollars? If I bought a meal there how much would it cost?
Jesus Castillo: How do they make the rickshaw? Why do they drive on the right side of the car? What is there second language?
Robert Maldonado: Do they have rickshaw races?
Pablo Juarez: I want to learn a lot. One is how to speak their language. I also want to know if they like soccer. I bet they want to know about the U.S. too.
Jorge Hernandez: Why is their favorite sport cricket? How do you play cricket? What other sports do they play? What do they do for fun?
Atlanta Beal: What kind of T.V. shows do they watch? What kind of pets do they keep? What is their population? When was their last war? What do they dress like?
Sam Taylor: I would like to know if there are beaches there. Do they eat American food? What do the kids do in their spare time? I would like to know a lot more about Bangladesh.
Lynndon Bais: Why don’t they eat with their forks and spoons if they have them? Why is the steering wheel on the right side of the car? Why do they eat rice all the time?
Citlali Flores: I would like to learn about the food. Also, about the celebrations they do, the one in February. What is their daily life like? How does their school look?
Jesus Correa: Does Bangladesh have a national flag? Does it have a national animal? How is the music like? Do they dance? How do they dance?
Mariah Lee: I want to learn how do they talk? How do they work? Do they shop a lot? What do they do for fun on the weekends? Do boys and girls go to school together?

Work, work, work

Work..... yes work is the magic word kids.
Its why we go to school and work hard so that some day we can have a job that you love. It can be anything from a doctor, actor, singer, professional athlete, etc.

The jobs that you might be able to have are limitless.... but many people in the world and also in parts of the U.S. do not have that opportunity.



I had the opportunity to visit an organization that is working with RELIEF International Staff in schools and bettering the lives of many of the lower class in Bangladesh. The organization teaches its participants skills they will need in the work place.

Take a look at some of these different jobs that people get training for better job placement.

It is interesting to see the various types of jobs that are available for many people in Bangladesh. The jobs that are most readily available are in big factories. Because of labor costs many factories have made large buildings filled with machines that work almost around the clock making goods for the western world.

As some of you may know or have heard the labor laws differ in Bangladesh from the United States. The laws of Bangladesh state that a person can start working at the age of 14!!! Now this is not full time work and cannot be strenuous. You cannot have full time work or the most difficult until a person reaches the age of 18...... I pause because what I am about to tell you is hard for many of us to understand.

There also exists a substantial area of work that is illigal in Bangladesh. These places employ people and pay them under cost but they also use children under the age of 14 and have them work very strenuous hours/jobs. This is not a site that we as westerners like to see or think about but it is importnat that we know it does exist. Now all we have to do is figure out a way to stop it.....

Talking to Mr. Dunn in Bangladesh

On Monday, February 23, the students at Marshall Middle School had the unique opportunity to speak to their social studies teacher half a world away in Bangladesh.

The streets of Dhaka

In the streets of Dhaka you can see many many things. One thing that I have noticed is the amount of people on the streets at all times. There has not been a time of day when I have not seen people walking. It is not a surprise to see so many people when you look at the population issues in Bangladesh and in Asia. There are lots of people and the cities just keep growing and growing.
It is not unlike big cities of the U.S. The only difference is that you have to add several million more people in the same space, and then you will feel what it is like in Dhaka and I imagine other parts of Asia with population issues.

Because of some of these issues you run into problems like traffic as well. I consider myself to be a competent driver and very good at getting to one place or another. I feel comfortable in just about any city in the U.S. and have had little problems. The only place that I have been afraid and flat out refused to drive has been Mexico City, but now I can add Dhaka to that list. IT IS CRAZY!!!!

There is another issue with traffic and population in Bangladesh and Asia. There are often so many people going to a certain place that they fill every seat..... so when the seats are full, they put people on the roof! It is quite a spectacle when you are going down the highway and you see a group of people on top of a bus. It makes me nervous, but also I am amazed that there are not more accidents in Bangladesh.

The traffic is so hard to navigate, and not only that, but they drive on the right side of the car, not the left like in the U.S.

So let me explain: right side driving + crazy traffic in Bangladesh= Mr. Dunn scared out of his mind!

So you can see how hard it is to travel in Asia. But they do have a mode of travel that I like very much, and that would be the rickshaw.

Awwww, there is nothing quite like a nice ride in the back of a rickshaw....that is unless yours happens to be full of two very.... umm.... rotund teachers from America. Enjoy the ride with Mr. T and I and check out a form of travel that has been around for centuries. Before the invention of the bicycle, the rickshaw was pulled by a runner. Now that was hard work! Even today it is not an easy job to pull a rickshaw, but somehow these people make it work.

21 of Feb Monument

The amount of people that show up for this celebration is just amazing. The air is filled with excitement and with energy. It was a wonderful time and something I will remember forever!

21 of Feb in Bangladesh

The 21 of February is a very important holiday for the people of Bangladesh. They celebrate their mother language day.

For those of you who do not know what that is, let me explain.



On the 21 of February there was a protest in Bangladesh. The reason that people were protesting was because they wanted the right to speak their mother language. Bangladesh at this point in time was part of Pakistan, and they wanted to make the national language Urdu (the language of Pakistan), but the majority of the people spoke Bengali.



There was a protest in the streets of Dhaka. People pored out in droves to show their support for their national language. Because of the mass of people, the government stepped in. There was a miscommunication, and shots were fired. This lead to the shooting and killing of many people of now Bangladesh. Several of the main people in the protest were students and professors from the University of Bangladesh.



They were killed and are today honored because of their valor and fighting for their native language. Take a look at this video and see the amount of people that commemorate this event.

Today it is customary to place flowers on the national monument in remembrance of these "freedom fighters" as they are now called.

You will see the monument that has several pillars and a big red circle in the middle. The circle is a symbol of the sun and its importance to this region. It is colored red to symbolize the blood of those that have given their lives for this country. The pillars represent the people that stood up for their beliefs. (This is what I have been told by several people).

If you look at the first picture you will see Mr. T and I with one of the original freedom fighters. He told us about what happened on the 21 of Feb. It was amazing to see this gentleman's passion and his spirit. Just being able to spend some time with him was enough for me. I enjoyed talking with him very much.

I was in Comilla with RELIEF International, working with the students and with the teachers of that area.

On this particular day we had set off to see a WWII memorial close to the city where troops from all around the world, including the U.S., had been laid to rest.

All of the sudden, the staff stopped the car and told us that a Hindu temple was having a celebration and asked if we wanted to see it. Mr. T and I looked at one another and in unison said, "YES, we are soooooo there!!!!"

The temple was very pretty, and it was interesting. In Hindu they believe in many gods. But, in this particular temple, they believe in "One" god not several. The song that you hear as you watch the video is a chant saying "One God."

In Bangladesh there are many religions, but they are all very accepting of each other and their differences. It has been very interesting to see these people interact with one another and see no difference whatsoever.

Food in Bangladesh

Here you can see a typical meal in Bangladesh. It is full of rice, vegetables, spices, and meat, everything a growing boy needs (well, I don't really need it, but it sure does taste good).

It is common to eat lots of rice and vegetables. They are abundant, and they are cheaper than most meat. One of the reasons that people in Bangladesh eat so much rice is because it is cheap and it grows fast. They can harvest their crops about three times a year. To give you an idea how good that is in Kansas, Farmers are lucky to have one good harvest a year. (That is some good land!)

In Bangldesh they also use many spices in their foods, and they also like it HOT! They will put lots of chilis into their food to give it flavor. It's just like Mexican food, nice and spicy!

Because so many of you had questions about eating with your right hand I thought that I would show you how it is done.

This is a tradition and a custom that has not gone out of style. This is not unlike us as Americans eating with only our right hand. If you do not believe me, take a look next time you see an American eat. Watch that they will cut meat with their right hand and then switch the knife and fork in order to eat. In Europe they do not do this. The fork stays in the left hand, and the knife is always in the right (when it is being used).

Welcome to Bangladesh!

This is a short but sweet introduction to Bangladesh. Take a look at the view from atop the Bon Vivant hotel in Dhaka.

What have we learned about Bangladesh so far?

Ms. Bennett's language arts students were asked to reflect on what they have learned about Bangladesh over the past week. Here are some of their answers:

Jorge Soto: "I’ve learned that in Bangladesh they eat different things. I’ve learned that in Bangladesh they wear different clothes than what we do. I’ve learned that they have school like we do. They have to eat with their right hand."
Abel Olivarez: "I learned that you have to wear special clothing for men and women. They have to eat with the right hand. They have their own language."
Carl Goines: "I learned that you eat only with your right hand. I learned that you can’t use your left to eat. I learned that the kids there learn to speak our language. "
Jorge Lopez: "I have been learning a lot about Bangladesh. One thing I learned is that they eat with their hand. They don’t just eat with any hand, it has to be the right hand."
Jesus Alvarez: "I learned that Bangladesh has received 2 special teachers, Mr. Dunn from Wichita, KS and the other man from IL. I wish them both good luck. Also, I’ve learned that in Bangladesh their beliefs are different from ours. "
Ayme Bustillos: "I am learning how they dress and some of the food they eat. I learned that they eat with their hands, but only the right hand. I’ve learned what the hour is there (If it is midnight there we are barely at school here)."
Laura Huerta: "I am learning that Bangladesh has many different things than the United States. In Bangladesh, they have to wear different clothes. They have to eat with their right hands. There’s just many things."
Randy Guiterrez: "I have learned that they eat with their fingers and they dress differently. The roads are really crowded. They walk almost everyday."
Marco Mandujano: "Well I learned that in Bangladesh they eat with their right hand. And the country is poor. That they have to wear different clothes than us in the U.S.A. There are two religions, Islam and Hindu. They are the most popular. They eat vegetables and seafood."
Blake Payne: "Well one thing I’m learning about Bangladesh is they dress differently. They eat different foods. It is bad to eat with your left hand. They eat with their right hand. They have some electricity."
Itssel Berumen: "I’m learning a lot of new things, like how they dress differently and they have different food. They have different beliefs."
Juliana Vela: "I’ve learned about their clothes. I’ve learned what they eat. I have learned a lot of things and I still need to learn more."
Sandra Paz: "Well, some things that I’m learning is about their culture, the way they dress, what they eat, and how they live over there. But it does look pretty cool. Sometimes it makes me want to visit their someday."
Jennifer Hernandez: "I learned that in Bangladesh that they drive on the left side of the road. They eat with their right hand. In Bangladesh they dress a bit different from us in the United States. They eat a lot of rice, fish, and vegetables. The girls use color, and they are very colorful."

Kansas and Illinois Teachers arrived in Bangladesh on exchange program

Mr. Joseph Dunn, 7th grade social studies teacher at John Marshall Middle School, Wichita, KS and Mr. Bill Theobald, classroom teacher at Waterloo Junior High School, IL arrived on 16 February 2009 in Bangladesh to participate in a two week long Teacher Exchange Program implemented by Relief International-Schools Online and sponsored by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State.

During this exchange visit the teachers will be visiting several Internets Learning Centers (ILC) established by RI-SOL as part of the Global Connections and Exchange Program, an ECA supported program that promotes use and integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for cross cultural dialogue and collaboration. They will visit Internet Learning Centers at Uttar Badda Islamia Kamil Madrasha in Dhaka, Sirajuddin Sarker School in Gazipur, Chowara Girls High School and Yusuf Multipurpose High School in Comilla. They will also visit several institutions namely the Institute of Education and Research in Dhaka University, DemocracyWatch, informal education school for underprivileged children run by Dhaka Ahsania Mission and a school for street children run by Ekmatra- a charity organization in Mirpur. The teachers will be organizing a video conference between students and teachers in Bangladesh and in USA, Italy and Spain. They will be speaking about use of technology in everyday class room teaching and learning in the USA at a GCE Youth Camp to be organized simultaneously with the Exchange Program.

http://www.connect-bangladesh.org/content/view/587/101/

Where is Mr. Dunn?

Today was amazing!

The organizaiton of RELIEF International Schools Online is truly doing an amazing job in Bangladesh. They are bringing 21st century technology and skills into places where it is desperately needed.

We are in the city of Comilla. It is a smaller city, but it still has an amazing amount of activities and energy.

We visited a historical site where we saw the remains of a Bhudist temple that was built in the 7th century. Bangladesh has had many influences and many religions, and people have occupied its land. Today more than half of the country is Muslim, but they also have Hindu and other religions represented.

I think that because of their past and having all of these influences, that is why they are so accepting of other people and differences. In many ways, Bangldesh is more accepting of others than even many of the more "modern" countries.

Today we visited many schools where we were meet with arms open and young people (many of whom are just like you and I) excited to learn and share what they know with you.


In the afternoon we went to a girls' school, and they performed for us some traditional song and dances.


Let me just say that it was amazing! These girls had worked very hard to put on this program for us. They were also dressed in traditional dress, and as you can see in the picture, they looked very nice.


(I am in a Lungi. This is a true Bangladesh custom for the men to wear one. It is a wrap that goes aroud your waist and covers your legs. It is sooooo comfertable)

Thursday's Questions for Mr. Dunn

Ms. Bennett's 1st/2nd hour language arts class would like to add the following questions:

11. What is the coolest thing you have seen so far? (Abel)
I don't think that there is just one thing that has been cool. I have enjoyed everything! Just being in the country with the people is enough for me.
12. What are you eating in the picture? (Carl)
HA! I am eating some rice and some fish. If you look behind me, you can see a plate with some brownish looking food on it. That is some fish covered in a wonderful sauce.
13. Have you learned to speak their language? (Nick & Adrian)
Ummmm, No! Bangoli is a very hard language, and it has over 46 different letters. Several different letters (like our S) have over 4 different sounds that they make. I have picked up on some words, but they are very basic.
14. Are you enjoying your stay? (Alejandra)
I am enjoying every moment that I can. This is a wonderful opportunity, and I want to make it the best for you and for me. I hope that one day you (pointing at the whole class) can come and see for yourself these amazing places.
15. Where are you staying? (Abel)
We are staying in hotels. They are very nice, but I wanted to stay with families. I do enjoy having some space to myself, but there is no replacement for family life.

Ms. Bennett's 6th/7th hour language arts class has the following questions:

16. Are you going to bring any money back to show us? (Israel)
Sure, I will bring back some money to show you.
17. Do you feel intimidated by the people there? (Elijah)
I do not feel intimidated. If you have not noticed, I stick out like a sore thumb. All of the people here are very nice and have been nothing but respectful of me and the other teacher. The Bangoli people are very VERY nice, and they take care of visitors and accept them from the beginning.
18. Is life harder over there than here? (Jesus Alvarez)
I think that what you mean is "are they poor?" The country of Bangladesh has many people. They also have rich and poor people, just like any place. They have a very small upper class and a small middle class. Many of the people in Bangladesh are lower middle class and below. That means that they have to work very hard for not a lot of money.
19. What jobs do the people have there? (Raqauwn)
All kinds. In the city you will find people working in every job available. It is common to have people that work in factories. Many factories are in Asian countries because they can pay the workers less, and they will work longer hours than in other countries. (I think this is a very bad practice).
20. Do you miss me? (Yuliana and the rest of the class)
I DO!!!!! But let me just remind you that while I am gone, I am asking the other teachers how you are doing, and they tell me that you have not been as good for the substitue as you should.
PLEASE!!!! You guys, I am trying to make this a fun experince for you and the last thing that I want to do when I get back is have to talk to you about how you are being for the sub. Respect him, and do the work he has for you. I will be back soon, and I will tell you all about my trips and adventures.
21. Are you working while you are there? (Adam)
Yes! I have many things that I am helping with here, and I am also working with teachers and students in Bangladesh.
22. What is their music like? (Marco)
The music is different from what you are used to, but I like it. I will try and bring back more examples of music that they listen to and some traditional music.
23. Have you made any friends over there? (Jesus Alvarez)
Yes, I have made friends. The people are wonderful, and they all treat me like a friend. I find that when you travel and are in a diffrent place, most people will be very open to you and help you with anything. I will miss the friends that I have made when I go home.
24. Are there any hispanics living there? (Jose)
Because of the location (and the amount of people), I have not meet any hispanics. That does not mean that they do not live in Bangladesh. The population of Bangladesh is in the millions, and I am sure that there are some hispanics living and working in Bangladesh. If you look at the location, Bangladesh is on the other side of the world. I did get to go the the biggest university in Dhaka, and in the language department they teach Spanish as one of the languages.

What is the difference?

How beautiful is this country?! I would like you to take a moment with me and smell the flowers. Yes, take in a big deep breath of that Asian air.
Ahhhh.... don't you feel better? I thought that you might.
Let me start by showing you some of the little differences that I have noticed while I have been here in Bangladesh.

First I would like to take a moment to talk about the difference in dress. Yes you might have seen me using some different clothing. The first thought you might have is "Mr. Dunn?! he looks wack!!"

My hope is that you really reacted with something more like:

"Hey, what a cool different way to dress. I didn't know that they used such different stuff in Bangladesh."

The use of color in clothing is shown with their everyday dress. Here you will see a family that let me take their picture.

The women of Bangladesh adorn themselves with wonderful bright colors that make them seem even more exotic and beautiful.

An even greater difference came to me when we went out to eat. In Bangladesh, they eat a lot of rice, fish, vegetables, curry, they also like spicy and hot foods. I felt confident when I knew I was coming to Bangladesh.

"No big deal" I thought in my head as I prepared for the trip. "I can eat just about anything so I should be fine"..... then I got here and was a little shocked at what I found.

It is customary in Bangladesh to eat with... your hands! Not just any hand, the right one. The reason that you do not eat with your left hand is because that is the hand that was used to... um.... clean yourself (back in the day). If you are using the "facilities" and somebody didn't save you some TP then.... well... that is what you have your left hand for. Anyways, so you eat all foods (except liquids) with your right hand.

These are just a few of the things that I have observed in the last few days in Bangladesh. I will update you more in the days to come.

I miss you all and wish you the best this week.

Mr. Dunn

Questions for Mr. Dunn

Ms. Bennett's 8th & 9th hour language arts class has the following questions for Mr. Dunn:
1. What is the money called there?
The money in Bangladesh is called Taka.
2. How does the food taste?
Bangladesh is an Asian country, and they eat a lot of rice and vegetables. They eat curry and spicy foods as well. They also eat meat, but there is a little diffrence here. The country has different religous groups in Bangladesh, Islam and Hindu. The Islamic people can eat everything but pork. They view the animal as dirty and unclean, much like the Jews do. The Hindu people do not eat beef because the cow is a religous symbol for them, and they would consider it a great insult to eat a cow. They also eat a lot of fish and fresh fruit.
3. How old is Bangladesh?
Well, this is a tough question. Bangladesh has been around for a long time, but it was not always called Bangladesh. The area of Bangladesh has had many different peoples occupy its area. The country was once a colony of Great Britain and was under its rule until the late 1900's. The people of Bangladesh also had to fight to speak their own language. In 1971 on the 21 of Febuary, the Bangoli people fought for independence and the right to speak their own language. Several people, including some college students, were killed in their protest and are still honored today.
4. What is the current exchange rate for the money?
The exchange rate from U.S. dollars to Taka is around 1/68. That means that for every 1 dollar, you get about 68 Taka.
5. Do they play video games there?
Yeah, they play video games in Bangladesh. Not every kid has a gaming system in Bangladesh. Because of the economy, they do not have the ability to have all the things that we want to have. Many students play sports or dance and make their own fun, much like we do in the states.
6. Do they watch sports there?
They play many sports in Bangladesh. They do enjoy playing soccer, but their main passion is cricket (sp?). It is not the bug, but the sport that resembles baseball.
7. What are common hobbies for the people there?
In Bangladesh you can find people with many hobbies and things that they enjoy. Most of the people enjoy time spent with their families and friends. It is not uncommon to find families going out to historical sites, parks, and public venues just to pass the time together and enjoy one anonther's company.
8. What side of the street do they drive on?
In Bangladesh they drive on the left side of the road. The driver with wheel and everything is located on the right hand side of the car, so when you first see it, it really freaks you out. There are lots and lots of cars in Bangladesh, and the streets can be very scary to drive on. The pedestrians just kind of walk when and where they walk.... yeah.... its crazy!
9. What do they have there that we don't have here?
There are many things that Bangladesh has that we don't have. But then again, we have a lot of stuff that they don't have. So, I guess it all kind of evens out in the end.
10. What do you miss most about home?
Hummmm, well, let me see. I would have to say the things that I miss the most are my family and friends, my students and classroom (yes I do care about you), and I miss just the normal routine of life. I will say that I love to be out and about and learn about a new culture and people, but it can be hard at times. You can feel isolated and alone, but this trip is so short that I feel like I just arrived.

I hope that I was able to answer some of your questions. I miss you all very much and hope that I hear from you soon.

Wishing you the best,

Mr. Dunn

They say: "Hi, Mister!" "We're thinking of you!" "We miss you!!!!"

John Marshall Middle School

Above is the 7th grade hallway and lockers.

This is our cafeteria/ lunch room.

This is the outside of our building.

Here some of Mr. Dunn's students explore the

items from the box they received from
Bangladesh

Mrs. Ott's students work on their pen pal letters to Bangladesh.

Arrival!

Mr. Dunn has safely arrived in Bangladesh. This is him dressed in a "Ponjabi" (a typical dress for men in Bangladesh), standing in front of an 18th century Persian rug.

Marshall teacher to give lessons from Bangladesh

Joseph Dunn, right, talks with his students about the items on the tables that were sent from different countries.

Photo by Susan Arensman

Joseph Dunn, seventh-grade social studies teacher at Marshall Middle School, will give his students some long-distance lessons on the culture of Bangladesh for two weeks. Dunn is one of two teachers in the U.S. selected to be part of a teacher exchange program through Relief International Schools Online.

Dunn left for Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 14. While overseas, Dunn will visit several schools to teach about life in the U.S. and in Kansas. He will stay in contact with Marshall students using blogs, videos and polycom presentations.

“I can't take them to Bangladesh, but I can try to bring a little bit of the country back to them,” Dunn said.

Dunn’s students have been involved in a cultural exchange with a school in Bangladesh since the beginning of the school year. The students have communicated via the internet and mailed items to each other to explain what life and customs are like in their countries. Dunn’s students also have shared items with students in Israel, Spain, Brazil and Taiwan.

“The students share food, games, clothing, magazines and anything that shows their culture,” Dunn said. “They have fun learning what is similar and what is different about us. They realize there are more similarities.”

Dunn shared that the boys in Bangladesh have asked if the girls at Marshall are cute.

“Some things are universal,” he laughed.

Dunn isn’t the only teacher at Marshall who will create lessons tied to the trip. Language arts, science and math teachers are using Dunn’s trip to engage students in the subjects.

“One of our lessons is comparing yearly rainfall totals here and in Bangladesh,” said Brett Kimber, seventh-grade math teacher. “We create charts and graphs to compare and contrast. The students are more engaged when they have a connection to what they’re learning.”

“The students are buzzing about this event,” said Mark Joliffe, principal at Marshall. “This opportunity ties directly into our vision of connecting our students to the world.”

Wichita Teacher Heading Half A World Away

A Wichita middle school teacher is preparing to head to the opposite side of the world.
Joe Dunn, a 7th grade world geography and Kansas history teacher at Wichita's Marshall Middle School, is heading to Bangladesh this weekend, where he'll spend two weeks teaching students there about American culture. He'll also provide long-distance lessons to his students back here in Wichita using blog posts and online videos.

Dunn says this is a valuable opportunity for his students, their parents and his fellow teachers.
His students have been exchanging cultural items such as candy and music with students in Bangladesh and in other countries for the entire school year.

Phil White