Kirk Day School

Technology makes our planet seem smaller in many ways, but there’s a school in Creve Coeur where kids use it to think more broadly about the world. This year, Kirk Day School launched a program called Growing Global Learners, an educational experience that transforms St. Louis kids into students of the world. Each classroom at the school, which serves children age 3 through sixth grade, has ‘adopted’ a foreign country and is folding its history, culture, language and geography into daily schoolwork. Once a class has learned about its chosen country and connected online with kids there, Kirk students devise ways to help their counterparts across the miles.

Head of school Taylor Clement says the students link up with foreign counterparts mainly by sharing class videos, communicating online and writing letters. Teacher Anna Woodrow’s fourth-grade class is working with an orphanage in Mozambique, for example. “Our kids are earning money by doing chores at home, then donating through gofundme.com to purchase a gas stove for the orphanage,” Clement says. The kids set up the GoFundMe page and monitor it themselves.

Kindergarteners are learning about Singapore and have connected with a class there in an especially personal way. “A grandparent of one of our students recently was in Singapore and went to visit the class, bringing letters from our kids,” Clement says. “Our world may be small, but we want to make it even more intimate through processes like this. Our kids have a place in the world, and they know how to serve others. We teach that through scripture, too.”

First-grade teacher Evelyn Reith’s class has been corresponding with a 6-year-old boy in England. “We are studying three Christmas carols and recognizing that while two of them were written in England, they have broadened community through Christianity around the world,” she says. “It’s my hope that as we learn about other countries and grow in our relationship with our friend in England, my students will grow in their love and respect for all people.”

The Growing Global Learners program ties in well with Kirk’s linguistics curriculum, which introduces kids to Spanish first, then French, Russian, Chinese, German and other languages that interest them. “My goal is that students are mobilized to reach toward, rather than withdraw from, people who don’t share their language and culture,” explains linguistics teacher Amy Scott.

Clement says the program is designed to help students appreciate other nations and peoples before serving them. They’re also encouraged to stay in touch with their foreign friends as the years pass. “We want students to develop a heart of service for people around the world,” he says. “We don’t want them to see helping others as being mandated, or something we only do at the holidays. It should be a natural choice.”

Pictured: Sixth-grade teacher Andrew Schonhoff works with students.
Photos: Kelly Johnston of Relic Photography

Kirk Day School is an independent Christian elementary school for students in preschool through grade six. Its Growing Global Learners program connects students with counterparts around the world. Pictured on the cover: Kindergartners put on the daily morning news program, KDSK. For more information, call 314.434.4349 or visit kirkdayschool.org.

Cover design by Allie Bronsky | Cover photo by Kelly Johnston of Relic Photography