March 1-7 is Peace Corps Week

All those who care about global education in Washington, DC should take note of the incredible resources we have close at hand with both Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) headquartered in downtown Washington. Through its Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools program, Peace Corps is committed to bringing the lessons of the Peace Corps experience home to local communities and schools in the United States. The National Peace Corps Association is a membership organization that serves returned volunteers. DCPS has a long, productive relationship with both organizations, and boasts returned Peace Corps volunteers among its teacher ranks.

Global educators should use this week to learn about the important work of both organizations, and the wealth of free resources and expertise they offer. Teachers at any grade level and in any content area can benefit from signing up for their free newsletters and finding ways to use at least some of what they offer through their respective websites.

Peace Corps (Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools):

• Speakers Match: Bring a Returned Peace Corps Volunteers into your classroom
• Correspondence: Connect your classroom with a Peace Corps Volunteer serving abroad
• Downloadable free publications for classroom use
• Downloadable stories and free lesson plans based on accounts of Peace Corps Volunteers
• Multimedia Center: Podcasts, slideshows, and videos from the field
• Ideas for service learning projects, with a special unit on Water in Africa
• Newsletter signup

National Peace Corps Association (Global TeachNet):

• Global Education Gateway: A portal to an extensive list of global education resources and links
• WorldView Lesson Plans
• Kids Around the World: A great video-rich website for elementary school students
• Global Connections: A partnership with Globalist focused on high school students
• Newsletter signup