Children learn best when they are interested and invested in what they are learning. While students are playing and interacting with each other, Ms. Ruth is listening and taking notes to get a deeper understanding of their interests and how they are learning. In this particular case, she noticed the children’s interest in the dramatic play area was dwindling, so she brought this up to the students.  

It was decided the dramatic play area should become a castle. How to make the castle was the students’ decision. To help them decide, Ms. Ruth put together a slideshow of castles in the countries represented in the classroom. These included India, Japan, Korea, Myanmar and the U.K. Cultural diversity is core to the ISY identity.  ISY thrives in the culture developed by an international community and celebrates local culture. This statement summarizes ISY’s commitment to internationalism as part of the school’s recent review of strategic themes. By intentionally bringing the cultures of all students into the learning process, Ms. Ruth was engaging students in what it means to be a compassionate global citizen.

The energy in the classroom exploded with excitement. It was clear to Ms. Ruth this was a topic they could go deep into.

The planning of the castle was done by a small group of 5 students that wanted to be on this project. Their study and observation of castles brought them to the conclusion they wanted their classroom castle to be gray 

stone, have a tower, a bridge, windows, a moat, water, and some kind of door that went up and down. The color of the door had to be decided by  a vote.  The majority voted for a rainbow door. The door also had to go up and down. Mr. Ye Thiha, who runs ISY’s Makerspace, came to the classroom and taught the children about pulleys. He helped the students install a pulley system so that the castle door opened and closed by going up and down. 

Language arts, math and science have all been taught through the students’ interest in castles. For example, students have drawn castles and told stories about them. They have made castles from different materials, such as blocks, clay, paper and other random materials. They have looked at maps and continue to learn about their classmates’ countries and cultures through the study of castles. 

To help their learning come alive, the students took a field trip to visit the National Museum of Myanmar. They looked at the ancient artifacts and replicas of royal regalia including thrones, clothing, jewels, and other items that represent the ideas that they have been thinking about. What do castles need and how and why have they changed over time are two more questions students were asking when they returned from their visit. 

Deep learning happens when students are interested in and feel connected to what they are learning. In this unit on castles, Ms. Ruth helped all students really connect to the topic of castles by connecting this topic to the students’ own cultures and the cultures of everyone in the room. Not only did these cultural connections nurture deep learning in all subject areas, they promoted and celebrated the cultural diversity and internationalism that is core to the ISY identity and in developing compassionate global citizens.

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