Did you know?

Did you know?

Your kids go to a school committed to developing and fostering global competence?

Did you know?

Global Competence is defined as the ability and disposition to understand and act on issues of global concern.

Did you know?

As Global Learners our students are asked to..... 

Investigate the World.  

Weigh Multiple Perspectives.  

Take Action

Communicate Ideas

(ask your kids about these four global domains. They can probably talk your ear off about each of them)

Did you know?

One of the ways we develop global competency is by being committed to getting students up and out of the classroom, and building lasting meaningful relationships with our community.

Last year alone Aveson students partnered with community members and organizations big and small, local and throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Greater Los Angeles Area.

Did you know? 

These partnerships have allowed our students to have new and exciting experiences, explore and investigate their community hand’s on, attend conferences and workshops both on and off campus, brought guest speakers of all sorts to a number of classrooms across grade levels and gave them access to a multitude of resources, perspectives and opportunities to take action while making a difference.  

Did you know?

From October, 2012 to June, 2013 Aveson Charter Schools received over 1200 Metro passes to explore and experience its community, while finding ways to weigh multiple perspectives and take action locally to make a difference.

Here's a quick look as some of our partners and the places we explored.

A Noise Within Theatre

About Productions

African American Museum

Alliance for Climate Education

Altadena Community Gardens

Ambassador School of Global Educators

American Heart Association

Amy’s Farm

California Science Center

Center Theatre Group

Concern Worldwide

Door of Hope

Eaton Canyon

ESL4Asia

Ewaste Center

Friends in Deed Pantry

Grades of Green

Heiffer International

Home Depot

Karma Recue

Kiva International

Leadership Pasadena

Lee's Tae Kwan Do

Lightbringer Project

Metro Transit

Muir Ranch/John Muir High School

Museum of the Holocaust

Norton Simon Museum

Pasadena Museum of History

Pasadena Police Department

Righteous Conversations

South Coast Air Quality Management

Students First

The (Foothill) Magazine

The African American Museum

The Flintridge Center

The Give Project

The Humane Society

The YMCA

Theodore Payne Foundation

The Center for Urban Ecology

TreePeople

Vons Supermarket

Whole Foods

AVESON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE

Aveson Global Leadership Academy  

THINKING and ACTING GLOBAL

                                   Visit our Aveson International Student Exchange Blog for more

Aveson Global Leadership Academy High School students are going to Beijing, China. They will sample the cuisine, explore the city and marvel at its history (the Great Wall, Tianemen Square, the Forbidden City) - This is where most student travel experiences stop, with a worthwhile and memorable experience for any teenager.  But at Aveson, traveling to China is just the beginning.

Aveson students are embarking on a year long project, challenging students to investigate the world of Chinese culture and history, communicate their ideas and perspectives with a sister school in Beijing, and take action both locally and globally.

Primarily through blogging and skype Aveson students will start with an exchange of culture and perspective.  Once they have established a bit of perspective and a firm bond between students together they will collaborate on the “Take Action” aspect of the project, which happens both in China and here in America.

TAKING ACTION LOCALLY

Aveson students will first host  Chinese High Schoolers in early spring.  Chinese youth will be spending two weeks in the Pasadena/Los Angeles area with the same goal of cultural exploration and global collaboration, with an eye on local action.  During their stay, the American and Chinese youth will offer to Aveson’s Kinder through 5th graders workshops meant to celebrate  and learn from the Chinese culture.

TAKING ACTION GLOBALLY

Aveson’s sister school and host in Beijing is an English bilingual boarding school that prepares Chinese students for college abroad, and shares AGLA's core values. Students will serve as each other's cultural ambassadors, working closely throughout the year to prepare and deliver an American Culture Week at a Chinese migrant elementary school. Such schools are heavily dependent on volunteers, and have few resources. Our students will be their first direct interaction with Westerners, new and exciting customs, and the inspiration of the American Dream to pursue a bright future. Through this project, our students will be able to positively impact more than 300 young lives, while growing as global leaders themselves.

Their experience is being arranged in partnership with L&Z Global Study Tours, whose mission is to empower students to experience themselves as the world, and in the process leave them enlivened and present to their own power, passion and potential, giving them the tools to play bigger on the international stage.

3-5 WATER PROJECT starts to Flow!

Our 3rd – 5th grade students are participating in a year-long, inquiry-based global project on water centered on the driving question: “What can I do to improve an existing water issue?”

Students will start by building a deep, interdisciplinary understanding ofwater by participating in a variety of guided learning activities centered onwater science, art, history, geography and geology, as well as honing their research, organization and informational writing skills.

This awareness and foundational knowledge will flow (pun intended) into an exploration of local and global water issues, and an analysis of the many perspectives that exist surrounding those issues.

The 3-5 team thinks it is vital that students investigate the issue of watersuch as proper use, scarcity, filtration, health benefits and health risks, and more. These issues are effecting millions in our world, drawing both our concerns and sympathy. “If they can't connect that investigation to their own community, their own home and self, then it is wasted.” shared Mrs. Bondsmith, 3^rd/4^th grade projects advisor. “Then it becomes a problem that "they" are dealing with, rather than "us".

To reinforce the adage “Think Global, Act Local”, students will use their investigation and new perspectives to make a social action plan to address a water issue of their choice, and will enact that plan locally.

Finally, in June, students will present what they have learned and experienced at a formal, community gathering, also known as 'Celebration of Learning'.

Field trips are being discussed to Griffith Park Observatory, Pasadena Waterand Power, Los Angeles Filtration Plants, The Broad Theatre in Santa Monica, Eaton Canyon and more. 3-5 Projects is also looking to 'flatten' their classroom, which means to bring in experiences, expertise, opinions and arguments through community organizations and individuals (including YOU, Aveson parents!)

To learn more about this project work speak to a 3^rd through 5^th grade student or advisor. Or contact Tom Hyatt, our global competency coordinator.

The Teddy Bear Project

'Global Collaboration' in Ms. Jennee's 1st and 2nd grade!

As you read this, a dozen or so teddy bears are on their way to China. Looking at their trip from the perspective of our 1^st and 2^nd graders, we believe they boarded a 747 jumbo jet, turned off their cell phones, buckled up and enjoyed the in-flight movie. They will land safely and make their way to Teacher Amy's classroom at Chingshin Elementary in Tapei, Taiwan, near the Tamsui River.

The teddy bears belong to Ms. Jennee's 1^st and 2^nd grade students. Before the bears boxed themselves up for Taiwan, they spent time with each child. Auden took his to his birthday party at Jumpin' Jamin'. Noah brought his to his soccer game. Melanie shared a pizza in Old Town Pasadena.

As you read this a dozen or so teddy bears are on their way to Pasadena, California, USA. Students in Taipei explored their own communities with teddy bears along for the ride. Olivia enjoyed Taiwanese cuisine with her stuffed animal (such as pig liver). Allison and Ryan celebrated the moon festival and ate 'moon cake' and pomelos. 

If you were a 1^st or 2^nd grader you'd be asking “What is the moon festival?” “What are pomelos?” “What does pig liver taste like?” These questions and discovering the answers and perspectives of the Taiwanese children, while sharing their own unique culture and perspectives is exactly the point of the Teddy Bear Project.

The Teddy Bear Project's goal is to 'foster tolerance and understanding using email and/or web forums between educators and collaborators throughout the Globe.' (taken from IEarn-USA website)

Through I-EARN-USA, (which stands for International Education and Research Network) Ms. Jennee was connected to Teacher Amy. The two educators got to know one another and spent time collaborating on the project through email this summer. They are each creating mini lessons and activities rooted in geography, history, technology, as well as reading and writing as the project continues through the winter.

After that, it is up to the bears what will happen next.

To learn more about The Teddy Bear Project visit IEARN.org and visit the teacher blogs documenting the bears travels and experience.

Teacher Amy's Blog:

http://fion19766.blogspot.com/

Ms. Jennee's Blog:

http://avesonjenneetbp.blogspot.com/

Advisory Challenges at AGLA (Culture Swap Box)

ADVISORY CHALLENGES  2013-2014

During the school year I will be offering ‘Advisory Challenges’ with these advisory goals as guidance.

    

• To build community among students, promoting a positive peer culture, and learning to have a voice.  Encouraging a sense of belonging and respect.
• To connect to  local and global communities; to make our campus, our community, our city, our state, our country, our world a better place.
• To solidify the community bonds that have formed.  To laugh together, to celebrate one another.  

.

Challenge #2  CULTURE SWAP BOX

Each advisory at AGLA is challenged to explore their own culture and perspectives and share them with a global collaborator

We will start by creating a Culture Swap Box in Advisory.  

This box is meant to introduce us and our varied cultures to another outside culture.   It is a box that we will mail to our community partner.

Our community partner for this project is The Dolphin School in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.  India.  

1. Each advisory should watch this you tube video

INCREDIBLE INDIA - the land of million colours https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6HHhXcLTyk

2. Discuss with your advisory what you might send.

Here are some examples of what might be sent:  Let the items represent your advisory students and their varied cultures and perspectives.

- Make sure to include a letter, from your advisory, introducing yourselves, your school, your community.  Include in the letter questions you might like answered from the students in India.  

• a letter explaining what it is like to live in your country including information about local customs, geography and weather etc
• a picture from the child sending the package
• a traditional local recipe
• a postcard
• pictures of the country / town / famous landmarks etc
• information about traditional crafts
• the national flag or symbol
• a small item or toy relevant to that country (magnet, keychain, souvenir, etc.)

3. Send in your items: Each advisory can include one letter and (up to) three items for the Culture Swap Box.  Items must be given to Mr. Hyatt no later than October 4th.