Family Language Mapping Activity Brings the World Home.

Fall and Winter, 2012:  As parents and students filed into hallways and lobbies for the traditional Open House events, they were greeted by Magnet Family Engagement and Support Specialist, Amarilys Rojas who immediately steered them to a large map of the world situated next to a large map of Springfield.  She asked what language they spoke in the home, handed them two pins and a colored piece of yarn and asked them to connect where they live in the city to where their ancestors were from.

By the end of the evening a beautiful tapestry of multi-colored yarn tied Springfield to all parts of the world!  Strings connected Springfield families to Holland, China, Taiwan, South Africa, Jordan, Somalia, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, England, Ireland, Canada among many other countries.  Some families were able to view their childhood neighborhoods or those of their parents and grandparents using Google maps that brought the world closer to us.

The activity also helped to identify areas of the city where families who speak different languages live in the hopes that we can bring more family activities out into the community and tap into the rich resources of the many cultures and nationalities represented in our Magnet schools.