I joined The Dream Flag Project because . . .

 2011 ,13 December
Here's what some teachers just sent in when asked why they joined The Dream Flag Project. . . .

It’s different and connects us to others

“ I was looking for a unique writing activity for my students.”

--Susan Klaube, Lounsberry Hollow Middle School,
Vernon, New Jersey

“The dream of expressing freely, the professional way of working as a real team, the way of getting involved in such a challenging activity that can bring us out of the daily routine.”

– Panescu Lilina, Scoala Tudor Vladimirescu,
Targoviste, Romania

"Love the opportunity to involve our tots in a project beyond our island home."
--Brenda Freitas-Obregon, Kalihi-Palama Public Library,
Honolulu, Hawaii

It’s fun!

“My students love this project.”

--Amiyrah Waddell, George Washington Carver School,
Newark, New Jersey

“Meeting new friends and sharing ideas. This program rocks!”

--Dawn Flowers, Burrell Bloom Methodist School,
Belize District, Belize

“Love to dream; love the project; my students love writing the poems and making the flags.”

--Sheri Skelton, White Mountain School,
White Mountain, Alaska

“It was an amazing experience with the kids last year  ...seeing all their dream flags strung around the school. We hope to get others in town involved this year.”

--Avis Turner, Noah Wallace School,
Farmington, Connecticut

 It helps us teach what’s important:

“Invaluable experiences for my students for the last 5 years. I can't imagine the school year without participation in the project.”

--Katie Ball, Oneness-Family School,
Chevy Chase, Maryland

“It is a great unit to teach tolerance and acceptance and learn about our country's history.”

--Michelle Simmons, Green Mountain Elementary,
Bremerton , Washington

“Lovely idea and pedagogy.”

--Lisa Hantman, McCall School,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It’s flexible:

“I have always received the emails, but never participated.   I teach ESOL, and I didn't always have a teaching situation that would allow participation.  I hope I might this year.   I might add a class of 8-10, if the going is good.  But I'm starting with one class.”

--Betsy Beyler, Robinson Middle School,
Fairfax, Virginia

“We had a break from the project and now we are excited to return. Decided to focus on one grade level instead of our previous all school participation.”

--Helene Duckett, Loomis School,
Broomall, Pennsylvania

Have a comment? Please let us know. Comment here or email dreamflags@agnesirwin.org. 

October Article--Dream Flags in Kenya

SEE: Dream Flag Article in October Issue of Lake Naivasha Community Newsletter

In the region of beautiful Naivasha Lake in Kenya, home to some world's most incredible wildlife, students learned about Dream Flags and made some! Their teachers were two student Dream Flag leaders. Read this page from the October issue of the Lake Naivasha Community Newsletter to learn all about it.
Here are some other links:
--> Map of Lake Naivasha
--> Full October Newsletter

TakingITGlobal Connections

TakingITGlobal Web Site

TakingITGlobal is not-for-profit group dedicated to the promotion of cross-cultural understanding and education that helps create a better world--just like The Dream Flag Project! This year, they're offering Dream Flag Project teachers a free account if you want to sign up for it. It will allow our students to talk to each other in a safe and interactive forum run by TakingITGlobal. If you're interested, just email us and we'll send the details. Email: dreamflags@agnesirwin.org. Subject: TakingITGlobal.

You may also be interested in their upcoming workshop on global teaching that's on Tuesday, October 26th. Check out their web site for details. Here's what they say about it:

"Designed to support teachers of various subjects and grades who are interested in bringing global issues, perspectives and voices into their classrooms, these e-courses focus on integrating media and technology, incorporating global dimensions, and applying reasoning to real world challenges."

For more information on the course or on TakingITGlobal, see their web site. The introductory video is very clear and to-the-point. http://www.tigweb.org/tiged/

Let's dream around the world!

Date Set for 2012 Kimmel Center Dream Flag Celebration in Philadelphia

Save the date! Saturday, April 28, 2012 will be the date for the ninth annual Dream Flag Project Celebration at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center. We'll invite all who can to come and everyone to send Dream Flags from all over. More details to come . . .
Also, we're working on a February date for a Dream Flags teacher workshop at the Kimmel Center. Stay tuned.

Here's a video of connecting the flags from 2010:

Find more videos like this on Look Who's Dreaming

Dream Flags Article from Wandering Educators

The Wandering Educator meets Dream Flags!

Dream Flags Cause Flutter in Khumjung 
This is an article from the web site Wandering Educators that focuses on how they saw Dream Flags in Nepal.  Author Seth Sicroff writes about how he encountered Dream Flags while attending the the Khumjung School's fiftieth anniversary and what he made of it. Seth has some great insight on what prayer flags mean, how Dream Flags connect, and what the American Dream means in today's world. He includes some Langston Hughes poetry and much more. Check it out, and thanks, Seth!

Dreams Flags at Philadelphia Free Library to Mid-July

We just wanted to let you know—better late than never!—about the wonderful Free Library of Philadelphia installation of Dream Flags!! For those of you who can enjoy it on-line, we’ve got pictures of it at:

http://www.dreamflags.org/news/10-11news/2011FLPInstallation.htm

 For those in the Philadelphia area, it’s up now in the main entrance of The Free Library Main branch at 20^th and Vine, right next to Logan Circle in Center City Philadelphia, and we hope you’ll have a chance to see it. So many people have already been admiring it every day since it went up at the end of May.

The exhibit went up when we were in Nepal with the Dream Flags. It was organized by Patti Stewart, one of our sixth grade parents, and Sandra Horrocks, the Vice President of External Affairs at the Free Library, so a BIG thanks to both of them!!

The Free Library installed the exhibit in a wonderful space in their main entrance with its 18-foot-high ceilings. Flags are exhibited from 17 feet off the ground all the way to knee level and are exhibited between all of the massive wall columns in this beautiful 1920’s building.  It features about 350 sample Dream Flags from 29 groups, and it’s a wonderful cross-section of ages, places, and schools. We’ve got several Philly branch libraries featured for the first time, along with Philadelphia School District Schools, many other regional schools and groups, and a sampling of flags from across the country and around the world—Washington, Louisiana, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Delaware, Haiti, Nicaragua, Madagascar, and Belize!

Back Home With Dreams From Nepal

We returned to the USA with our load of Dream Flags and many new connections to Nepal on June 6th. It was, by all measures, a wonderfully successful trip. We owe a huge debt of thanks to Mary Seppala, Head of The Ages Irwin School and to Phurba Sherpa and Anne Keiser of The Greater Himalayas Foundation.

 Our project was received so warmly by all involved at the Khumjung School. Perhaps one of the most telling indicators was the Headmaster’s reading of his own Dream Flag poem from the stage when we had our celebration on May 27th. He also had all of our Dream Flags flying from when they went up to the culmination of their four-day celebration. They were seen by people from all over Nepal and all over the world—New Zealand, England, USA, Australia, and other countries as well.

We probably didn’t realize what a large event it was before we got there, and were very much honored at the way the project was embraced. On the final day, peers of the late Sir Edmund Hillary were there (some flown in because they are in their nineties.) The widow of one of Hillary’s closes friends said about The Dream Flag Project, “Ed would have loved this.” We hope that The Dream Flag Project that we all have created together reflects the spirit of compassion and dedication that Hillary’s work did. It’s certainly a “steep hill” to follow. Here’s a short video from Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund, commenting on what he thinks we can learn from the Sherpa today.

In terms of contacts, we made strong connections with the art, technology, and math teachers at the Khumjung School, and look forward to continuing relationship with them.

Also, here are other resource links from the trek.
General Information About The Trek From Agnes Irwin Web Site

Flickr Site with Photo Sets By Day

Vimeo Site with Videos
General Trek Videos
Sherpa Times Interview Videos

Yesshe’s Blog Narrating Trip With Photos and Videos

Sherpa Times Agnes Irwin 6th Grade Project (looks at Sherpa culture then and now)