|
Red Oaks Students Embrace Model United Nations Program
Red Oaks Students Cultivate 21st Century Skills in
Third Annual Montessori Model U.N. Program
Youthful Participants Build Capacity for Global Leadership and Diplomacy
The
People’s Republic of China and The Netherlands were well represented by
students from The Red Oaks School of Morristown, at the third annual
Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) held in New York March 2 – 5,
2009. The twenty 5th and 6th graders, along with
450 of their Montessori colleagues from more than 70 schools from
throughout North America, all assembled at the Brooklyn Marriott Hotel
to exchange perspectives, debate and ultimately, to find common ground
on issues of international import. In all, Red Oaks students assumed
pivotal roles in co-sponsoring 21 resolutions that were later
considered and voted upon in the final general assembly session held at
the United Nations building on the East River in New York.
“These
engaged and committed young people come into MMUN as students and leave
as budding diplomats, advocates and leaders with a global perspective,”
said Upper Elementary teacher Christa Doyle
who led the Red Oaks delegation and also served as Vice President of
the General Assembly Committee during the 3-day conference. “Their
transformation during this process is really something to behold.”
Indeed
their evolution takes place over many months of study and preparation
as students delve into the histories and cultures of their respective
countries and as they learn about the United Nations itself – its
mission, structure, operation and the current issues being addressed.
Students then form a committee structure parallel to that of the real
UN, serving as members of the General Assembly, Security Council, Food
and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF and others. Within their committees, they research specific global problems with particular emphasis on the millennium development goals. This year they focused on:
- Eradicating poverty in Africa
- Ending child deaths from preventable causes
-
Local and International Resolution of Global Orphan Crisis
These
engaged, young diplomats develop position papers and prepare speeches,
write draft resolutions, create poster board displays on their
countries, and assemble briefing binders with background information
and reference material. In addition, they spend time learning the
“language” of the UN, practicing parliamentary rules in their class
meetings, discovering the difference between a regular and a moderated caucus, understanding what the Dais is and what an operative clause is. By the time they arrive at the conference, they are ready to address “The Honorable Chair,” able to make motions, engage in debate, and exercise their vote!
“I definitely learned a lot about different issues and topics,” said Peter Smith, 5th grader of Morristown, NJ and delegate to the UNICEF committee representing China. “I liked doing the moderated caucus where people debated back and forth.”
Taken
as a whole, the full depth and breadth of the Model UN experience for
these very young students exemplifies the Red Oaks approach to
education generally.
“At Red Oaks we are energized by our commitment to prepare our students for the 21st century world they inhabit,” says Head of School Marilyn Stewart.
“MMUN has become a central feature of our Upper Elementary curriculum
precisely because it is so rich with the kinds of learning
opportunities that will fuel students’ capacity for success in their
ever-changing world.”
Indeed,
MMUN demands a lot from its participants, including the ability to:
synthesize large amounts of information; think critically about complex
issues; develop clear and compelling oral and written communication;
work collaboratively with different kinds of people and perspectives;
understand global context and impact; be flexible and adapt to changing
conditions; provide leadership to advance progress on critical issues.
All of these requirements have been identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, (a collaborative of progressive business and educational interests) as essential to success in 21st
century life and work. Through educational experiences like MMUN, Red
Oaks seeks to fulfill its central mission – to lay the foundation for
students to be engaged global citizens equipped with 21st century skills.
“I expected we would do a lot more writing than we did. It turned out we had to do a lot more thinking,” said Will Kersten, 5th grader of Morristown, NJ and delegate to the Council of the European Union representing The Netherlands.
“MMUN was a great experience,” said 6th grader Brianna Branch of Morristown, NJ and delegate to the UNICEF committee. “We’re just kids but we were solving the world’s problems.”
|
|
|
