Beth Smile - Introducing Keynoter to Canada/USA
Beth Smile will not only provide the Welcome to Canada & Welcome to the USA greetings, she will also introduce our American keynoter,Tim DiScipio — then she will make a presentation herself.
TIME AND TEMPERATURE IN KENDALL PARK, NEW JERSEY, USA
– One photo is worth a million words!
Beth Smile writes, October 3, 2004
I would like to begin by saying that I am extremely proud and honored to have been invited to speak at Global Learn Day Ten. I am proud to be an American teacher representing my country, the state of New Jersey, my school, Robert Morris School, South Bound Brook, NJ, my fellow American teachers, my family and my students, past, present, and future.
Most of all I am proud to represent the teachers and students around the world who have the same vision for the future as I do: teach the children of the world that “we may live in different places, we may look different and we may sound different, but we are all the same on the inside.” so that their future can be a more peaceful one.
Why is it important to teach about diversity and multicultural education?
My Russian grandfather came to America when he was 5 years old. The third youngest of 14 children, he would then go to live on a farm in upstate New York with his family. My grandfather’s generation of immigrants, those who came through Ellis Island, became America’s melting pot. Immigrants learned to speak English, working hard to make sure that their children had the education that they did not. Immigrants wanted more opportunities for themselves and their children. America was indeed, “the land of opportunity.” Every nationality experiencing their first taste of freedom in America, seemed to melt together to become the America that I knew as a child in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s in Brooklyn, New York.
With millions of people immigrating to America, and American schools becoming more and more diverse, I don’t see the America of today as a melting pot, rather a beautiful patchwork quilt with each nationality and race an individual patch of cloth, stitched together in a harmonious pattern to make a comforting quilt to be treasured and passed down to the generations that follow. Those generations will learn from the mistakes that we have made on our quilt so that their quilt will be more reinforced and stronger than ours was.
We are quickly becoming a global society. With the ever-expanding role of technology, the internet is fostering the breakdown of ethnocentric, racial and national boundaries that was once only taught by studying a globe or wall map. Technology today allows us all to be in contact with more and more people around the world every day.
My grandfather was a very hardworking and generous man. He was a good role model for me and instilled a strong work ethic in me that I have instilled in my two sons.
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I attended Canarsie High School. I earned a BA in Elementary Education from the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut. I earned an MA in Elementary Education from Hofstra University in West Hempstead, New York. I have been married to my wonderful husband Bob for 33 years.
Our son Ian, 30, is a graphic designer and fashion photographer. www.luminactivephotography.com
Our son Adam, 26, works in finance and has been married for one year to his wife Irina, who immigrated to the United States from Russia when she was 14 years old.
I have been a teacher at Robert Morris School for 20 years: 11 years in 1st grade, 5 years in Kindergarten and 4 years as a teacher of Gifted and Talented students in grades 2-6. More here
I have been inducted into Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers 2005.
I have received the New Jersey State Department of Education Best Practice in Education Diversity and Equity Program Award for Smiley Bear Multicultural and Diversity School Program. 2003. Award here
I have received received the New Jersey School Boards Association School Leader Award for Smiley Bear Multicultural and Diversity School Program. 2003 Award here
I have received ePALS Classroom Exchange Award of Excellence.
Award here
I have been an Educational Consultant to several school districts in New Jersey giving workshops to teachers and parents.
I have written Science Modules and given workshops to teachers for the Hunterdon and Somerset Business and Education Partnership.
Every student in the world needs a multicultural education to successfully thrive and survive in the world. They need this education to live and work together in a community, a country and on a global scale. The internet has become a place to learn about anyone and anything in this world. Through ePALS Classroom Exchange.
I have been fortunate enough to meet so many loving and giving teachers throughout the United States and 22 countries around the world who wanted their students to learn about my students and what life is like in New Jersey, USA. Here too!
Smiley Bear can go to places that I cannot. I can teach the children of the world through Smiley Bear. If you would like information on how you can host Smiley Bear for a week in your classroom, please email me at smilekids@epals.com I hope to hear from you soon!
On October 8, 2006 at 2:00 PM I will tell the story of a life changing global friendship that connected the United States of America with the country of Lebanon. Don’t miss it!
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