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[|The VIF National Cultural Educator of the Year] [|Lee County Schools][|http://www.lee.k12.nc.us/]An international-exchange teacher from South Africa, Vincent Pienaar, has elevated the art of teaching Math by linking coursework to culture and finding innovative ways to cultivate a broader world view in his young students at West Lee Middle School.

 // …taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_education // I adopted the above as my personal goals for the 2007-2008 school year. Taken each of the above goals into account, I formulated the following “Action Plan” to make the students, colleagues and community more global minded and to meet my goals.
 * “International Education”** is generally taken to include:
 * 1) Knowledge of other world regions and cultures;
 * 2) Familiarity with international and global issues;
 * 3) Skills in working effectively in global or cross-cultural environments;
 * 4) Ability to communicate in multiple languages;
 * 5) Dispositions towards respect and concern for other cultures and peoples.

[|**http://animoto.com/play/d3bb1141e81907da0a40a86a2253ea13</span**]
 * Map Work**:
 * 1) Set up a world map (16 X 20 feet) in the cafeteria. The 4 international teachers in the school posted their pictures, flags, summary of themselves and artifacts from their country on the map.
 * 2) Map Painting (36 X 20 feet) on t he sidewalk between the cafeteria and the library.
 * Posting International News**
 * 1) Outside my class and on the map in the cafeteria.
 * 2) Created a website as an Informational Tool for 7th Grade: http://webpages.charter.net/vincentpienaar/index.htm as well as a wikispace: http://vincentpienaar.wikispaces.com/

Set up …  i.  an international partnership with D.F Malan High School in South Africa.  ii.  a video conference between ±450 US students and students in South Africa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pEpVDeof_Y
 * Working effectively in a Global Environment I have:**
 * [[image:vincentpienaar:DVC03131.JPG width="64" height="64" caption="DVC03131.JPG"]] || [[image:vincentpienaar:Vincent_Pienaar,_International_Teacher_form_South_Africa,_provided_his_colleagues_with_international_snacks_during_a_staff_developement_session.JPG width="122" height="93"]] ||
 * **Bulletin Board** outside my classroom with **speech bubbles** containing **Afrikaans.** **Greeting students, colleagues and custodians in my home language.** || **During Staff development**, I provided **snacks indigenous to the different countries.** I also **shared the recipes** with the staff. ||

 i.  Students check out an international book and do a book report on it.  ii.  The LA teachers concurred that they will give the students a grade or Extra Credit for it.
 * I have collaborated with:**
 * The School Librarian, Mr. Booth,** to search for International fiction/non fiction books in the school library. He found ± 400 books. Together we set up a display in the library. I then went to a LA (language Arts) meeting (grade 6 to 8) and proposed the following:

Since the 7 Grade Curriculum covers Africa I did a:  i.  Power Point Presentation on Africa and specifically South Africa to the ± 450 students in the cafeteria and <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;">ii. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> Setup a Video Conference between the US students and students from South Africa.
 * Social Studies Teachers (Grade 7)**

<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;">i. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> Launched a competition where student won prizes if they could identify their international teachers, subjects they teach and from which country they originate. The competition concluded on the last day of IEW. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;">ii. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> I compiled an 8-10 minute video report on each of the 4 international teachers at the school and their countries and broadcast it to the entire school each morning on Channel 1. Students used the information every morning to answer the questions on the above mentioned competition forms. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;">iii. <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Verdana; msofareastfontfamily: Verdana; msolist: Ignore;"> International teachers did the announcement each morning during international education week, introduced themselves and their country.
 * Ms. Stella Farrow (Principal of the school)** to: