Milwaukee, WI Continued...

As we close out our time in Milwaukee, it’s been interesting to reflect on the breadth of schools we’ve visited - from public, to charter, to International Baccalaureate and ESL programs.  The diversity of schools we visited is a direct reflection of the diversity of Milwaukee as a city. 

Students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts listen while Quinn talks about Ghana on the photo cubes.

Our week was spent working with schools that serve Milwaukee’s refugee community and offer an ever-growing (and needed) ESL program.  The first question we often greeted classes with was “how many countries are we representing here today?” Answers included: Malaysia, Myanmar/Burma, Thailand, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. 

While it was challenging to shift our presentation to be more accessible for children learning english, there was a natural enthusiasm ignited through looking at the photography together as a class.  Many students were from neighboring countries that are featured in the exhibit, such as Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, and Nigeria. It presented an opportunity for them to share anecdotes from their homes with their classmates, as well as spending time as a group reading out loud captions that matched the images to practice their language skills. 

When working with such a global population, food culture becomes a productive theme to highlight and connect on.  Items like cassava/yuca are eaten across many regions of the world and were easily recognized by several students.  It is a reminder that food can be a powerful tool in creating classroom conversations.

Overall, it was intriguing to observe which images students were curious about and how they responded to them from personal experience.  It is clear that using photography to learn can be highly impactful for young minds, especially in developing language and literacy skills. 

This week we switch to a very different backdrop, working with schools in more rural parts of the Madison area of Wisconsin before we head to Minneapolis.

Students pose for a photo with the MVP bus at Milwaukee High School of the Arts.

Students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts look through the photographs on the MVP bus.

Students from Wisconsin Hills Middle School take notes on the MVP bus.

Students from Wisconsin Hills Middle School participate in the community activity.

Quinn introduces the MVP team to students at Wisconsin Hills Middle School.

Students at Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language talk about photographs on the cubes with Skyler.

Students from the Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language walk to the MVP bus.

Students at Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language look at the handmade Rwandan bowls on the bus.