Second grade students in Beth Kerzman’s class at Hilton Elementary School have been engaged in a correspondence with counterpart students in China, courtesy of a robust relationship she has created with two instructors from Lake Erie College. With the help of Lisa Zupon, whom Ms. Kerzman met while enrolled in her course at Lake Erie, Hilton Elementary students in her class have forged an ongoing relationship with a 2nd grade class in Beijing, China, since Ms. Zupon goes to China to teach English throughout the calendar year. Hilton students have written letters to their Chinese pen-pals and shared in learning about Chinese culture. Doing so has helped to reinforce our international curriculum at the elementary level, where students learn about new things from across the globe. In addition, Ms. Zupon co-taught a course with Robin Echols Cooper, who is a Teaching Artist Performer and who uses the creation of dolls to help tell stories about people’s respective pasts and experiences. The two Lake Erie College instructors both recently visited Ms. Kerzman’s class to meet our elementary students. Ms. Zupon’s help in creating 2nd grade pen-pals for our Hilton students, along with Ms. Echols Cooper’s doll-making to promote culture has provided a unique educational opportunity for our elementary children.
