ISDakar International Festival: Middle School Cultural Awareness Challenge: "Diversity: The Art of Thinking Independently Together"

What began as a door-decorating contest (on the theme of cultural diversity) between middle school homeroom classes has emerged, for the 6th grade, as a very important class art-installation project.

Rather than go with the most superficial and stereotypical (flags and monuments masking-taped to the classroom door), a committee of students decided to create a jigsaw puzzle, with each student receiving a piece to decorate. Here's how the project was introduced to parents:

The 6^th grade is participating in the MS Student Council’s International Festival Challenge. Homerooms are to decorate their classroom doors in response to the themes of internationalism and cultural diversity. The 6^th grade has agreed to work on this project as a single team rather than two homerooms. A group of student-volunteers has met to discuss ideas and have decided on the following:

We will be assembling a 42-piece jigsaw puzzle cut from a 8mm sheet of plywood (with the support of Colin Pryce and the ISD Maintenance Team). Each student will receive a single piece of the puzzle and asked to decorate it according to the follow guidelines:

Where is your home? Where do you feel your home to be? Is it in one place, or several? Think about it; discuss it with your parents. It is better if you choose a place (or places) based on what you feel rather than automatically choosing the country of your passport.

Represent that place on your jigsaw puzzle piece. Think: What does that place mean to you? What comes to mind when you think of that place? What are the most important symbols/images/words/phrases representing that place? Avoid over-used stereotypical images, such as flags or monument. You might use the colors of the flag in less obvious ways.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to use a variety of materials. You may also represent your good ideas in three dimensions, such as hot gluing shells, jewelry, coins, or other artifacts

We would like to create a work of art, more than paper taped to a door, something that might hang in the ISD library, or in an office. At best, the product will represent a point of pride for us: a remembrance of this year together, and a symbol of our remarkable diversity.

Our timetable is short. The judging for this contest is next Thursday, April 21^st. Students’ investment in their individual puzzle piece is critical to the overall success of the project. Thus, we are asking parents to assist their child in prodding them to think deeply about their sense of home, and the personal symbols/images/artifacts represented by that place/s. At its best, this mini-project will promote some interesting and important discussions within families regarding the feeling of place, connection, and culture.

Students’ work will be assessed on a rubric to be collaboratively determined tomorrow, and will include depth of thinking and reflection (Social Studies) and creative use of materials and design (Art).

Some class time will be given for initial discussions and preliminary planning. The majority of planning will take place at home, particularly over this coming weekend.

We again MUCH ENCOURAGE the input of parents, to initiate conversations, prod kids for depth/depth, and assist with the collection of materials.

While this is a contest, with classes competing for a pizza lunch, I think we've taken the initial idea to a much more meaningful level. We're after ART!

At the time of this writing, the puzzle pieces have been decorated, submitted and assembled. A second sheet of plywood has been obtained to serve as a frame/backing. It has been cut, sanded, and next week will be painted. Students have been assigned to describe their puzzle piece in words. Each piece of writing will be compiled into a key and affixed beside the puzzle in the form of a display.

What began as a door-decorating contest has become a piece of art, a formal display of genuine personal meaning and relevance for each student and family. The piece will hang with the following title:

Diversity: the art of thinking independently together. (Malcolm Forbes)

The project was a collaboration between students and staff. Rosa must be credited with the initial idea of constructing a puzzle (decorated individually but fitting together as a single whole). We consulted with several ISD staffers along the way, including art teacher Ms. Diaby, who suggested the concept of using plywood as our medium; Mr. Pryce, Head of Maintenance, who offered multiple suggestions regarding the cutting of the puzzle pieces and composition of the final frame; and the ISD maintenance crew, who so graciously lent us their time and energy.