Harnessing the Power of Creativity: The Practice of Looking

In the past year, people have spent more time in their homes than ever before. Travel has been severely limited, cultural events are reduced or on pause, and we see fewer people for less time. These circumstances might tempt you to retreat onto your couch and wait for the world to reopen.

What if instead of looking outside of your surroundings for inspiration and new experiences, you had the tools to deeply connect with where you are? What could these skills add to your daily life, to your relationships, to your future education and career? Using fun and creative exercises, this class gives students the tools to feel more connected and see the wonder of the world more deeply wherever they are.

Students do not need to be experienced artists or have special art supplies to enjoy this class. 

Our online classes consist of a pre-assignment, independent coursework, and final assignment, as well as live online class sessions with your teacher/other au pairs. Credit for J-1 visa students is 36 hours. Students earning J-1 visa credit must attend all sessions and complete all homework.

Students will receive a pre-assignment one week before class begins. Other independent coursework can be completed at your leisure before the deadline one week after online class ends. 

Andrea Seiger, author of 111 Places in Washington, DC You Must Not Miss, is an educator and world traveler who has lived in Washington DC for 33 years. As a writer and creator, Andrea is deeply committed to the importance of travel and curiosity. She has lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has traveled thousands of miles on the Mayan Route of Mexico. 

Language, Identity, and the Right to Be Different: Making the Most of Your Cultural Tool-Kit

Our individual “culture” is something that we all have and can draw from. Sometimes it can feel limiting, while other times it can be expansive and exciting.

Keep reading for more information or click here to sign up.

Our multilingualism and the elements of our background that inform character and perspective can be considered part of our “Cultural Tool-Kit,” or the equipment we have to navigate through life.

This course will address the issues of language and identity. Your class will include a translation activity that highlights the remarkable benefits of speaking more than one language, and a brief writing exercise that will ask each student to share their own cultural autobiography.

ONLINE SCHEDULE
(Times below listed in Eastern Time.
Click here for more details about your time zone.)

Class meets online
Thursday: 6:30pm–9:30pm
Friday: 6:30pm–9:30pm
Saturday: 10am–1pm

 

 

 

 

 

Requirements

Please note that your pre-assignment will be emailed to you one week before your first online class session. You will receive details on how to log-in to your online class sessions one day before the start of the course.

Once the final online class session has concluded, you will have one week to submit your independent coursework and final assignment to your teacher.

Students are required to be present during all live online class sessions. However, your independent coursework can be completed at your leisure before the deadline one week after your online class ends. We wanted to create flexibility in completion as we know many au pairs now have increased work hours due to COVID-19.

Students who require their certificate sooner than outlined above should request their final assignment in advance by contacting BMCC at learningacrossamerica@bmcc.cuny.edu. Please note that BMCC needs two days from the date a student submits their final assignment to issue an educational certificate.

If you have any questions at this time, please email us at learningacrossamerica@bmcc.cuny.edu. Please continue to stay safe.
 

About your instructor: Mariusz Galczynski is an education researcher and specialist in multicultural and international education. Although he has traversed the globe to present his scholarly work, he is proud to call Miami home. By day, he works as a secondary English Language Arts teacher at a high school in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. Outside of the classroom, he loves to explore the best of what Miami has to offer: its tropical environment, thriving arts scene, and diverse, vibrant communities. (photo by Danny Santiago)