Hello readers! My name is Lauren, and I am the current WorldTeach volunteer at Woja Elementary School in Woja on Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (a mouthful, no?). My 8th grade class is participating in The Unbound Bookmaker Project with the topic of the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I know many people might wonder how I'm finding time to complete this project while working within the school curriculum and making sure the students are learning what they need to learn. Luckily, their English language school books have specific sections on the environment, which in the first quarter of school I happily made use of to introduce the concepts of the environment, environmental problems, and environmental solutions. Our grammar and writing practice also surrounded these topics. We give special thanks to the Majuro Atoll Waste Company (MAWC) for coming to Woja Elementary to speak to our 8th graders, as well as giving us a tour of the Majuro dump site -- both of which have given my 8th grade class incredible insight into how the 3 Rs work in the RMI. Having spent another couple weeks focused primarily on grammar, writing, and how to organize information, I'm excited for my students to finally begin the writing process. This experience is one that they will surely not forget!
When my students were asked to write in their journals about the project, here were some of their responses:
When my students were asked to write in their journals about the project, here were some of their responses:
"I like the this book because I learn about how to make a book."
"I would want to talk about the Book because I would want to be the Illustrator of the Book. The Book is important to the 8th grades. And it means a lot to me. I would want every kid in the Majuro to see me on the Book. [...] The Book will be Deticated to the Children of the Marshall Island with their lovely knowlegde."
"I would wand to write the Book because I would want to be the Illustrartor and, I wand to be a writer. [...] and is imporstant to me because is first time in my life to make the book and, I am so happy [...]. I like the book because is tell about wast [waste] and she make me tell someone about wase is not Good for environment. and the book imporstant to me because is talk about wase and now I know about wast and I clean ever day."
"I like write the class book because it cool to be in R.M.I. history. And I want to write about R.M.I. waste because I want to make R.M.I. people very sad about their small islands and make it very clean. Also I want them to know that I'm the one who's going to make this islands clean in my future."
"I would want to write about the books because I want a kids learnd from it. And my little sister and my little brothers, and the others kids that their school at Woja."
"All i want to is just to write a book [...]. And i make the Marshall Island to be clean and beautiful. And I want the people of Marshall Island to have a choice to clean their house or community and their ocean. And i'll be a getting popular. And i want everyone to be use those 3 Rs. [...] And i want everyone to thanks the MAWC about caring about our waste."
"...and I thing [think] it will make me happy because we will have work together, happy with is [each] other and repect is [each] other."
For more information about why the 3 Rs are of particular importance to the RMI and the build-up of this project, please visit www.lfrail.webs.com.
"I would want to talk about the Book because I would want to be the Illustrator of the Book. The Book is important to the 8th grades. And it means a lot to me. I would want every kid in the Majuro to see me on the Book. [...] The Book will be Deticated to the Children of the Marshall Island with their lovely knowlegde."
"I would wand to write the Book because I would want to be the Illustrartor and, I wand to be a writer. [...] and is imporstant to me because is first time in my life to make the book and, I am so happy [...]. I like the book because is tell about wast [waste] and she make me tell someone about wase is not Good for environment. and the book imporstant to me because is talk about wase and now I know about wast and I clean ever day."
"I like write the class book because it cool to be in R.M.I. history. And I want to write about R.M.I. waste because I want to make R.M.I. people very sad about their small islands and make it very clean. Also I want them to know that I'm the one who's going to make this islands clean in my future."
"I would want to write about the books because I want a kids learnd from it. And my little sister and my little brothers, and the others kids that their school at Woja."
"All i want to is just to write a book [...]. And i make the Marshall Island to be clean and beautiful. And I want the people of Marshall Island to have a choice to clean their house or community and their ocean. And i'll be a getting popular. And i want everyone to be use those 3 Rs. [...] And i want everyone to thanks the MAWC about caring about our waste."
"...and I thing [think] it will make me happy because we will have work together, happy with is [each] other and repect is [each] other."
For more information about why the 3 Rs are of particular importance to the RMI and the build-up of this project, please visit www.lfrail.webs.com.