Cross Case Features: Context

Baker Middle School: Admin Support Context

The district has hosted an exchange program with China for high school students and teachers. Before Claire Alvior took the media specialist position at Baker, the Chinese exchange teachers were based at the high school and only came to the middle school on invitation. Claire Alvior set up a schedule and place for the current exchange teacher in the media center so that middle school students and teachers could visit and talk with her about her life and culture in China. Although the district has hosted several Chinese exchange teachers over the past few years, this is the first time that one has regularly scheduled hours in the middle school.

The school principal has articulated some ideas to extend the curriculum to have a more “global” influence:

I think we could continue what we’re doing now in social studies. In eighth grade, what we want to do is look at the modern era from a world perspective rather than an American perspective. In the seventh grade, I would like to see us continue this understanding of diversity, taking differences and using them in positive ways instead of negative. In the sixth grade, we would like to continue what we’re doing in ancient cultures so we can understand how we got to where we are today. Throughout the school, [there would be] opportunities on a regular basis for people to see other ideas, thoughts, art work, and music.

The principal recognizes the media specialist’s role in helping teachers make connections to Asia and wants to see it expanded. “Teachers will take opportunities if they know about them like having the Chinese teacher come here. Claire put out a call for [Asian studies] and a lot of teachers responded. I think what we need to do is create the opportunities.”