Kids for KIVA – What Mrs. Whiffin and Her Grade 4/5 Students Are Doing to Change the World
After reading our previous PaperTigers issue, “The Power of Children to Change the World”, Mrs. Whiffin updated me on the Kids for Kiva project taking place in her Grade 4/5 classroom at Anmore Elementary School. Mrs. Whiffin decided to show her students one way they could change the world and launched an integrated social responsibility unit based on Kiva’s micro-financing website, whereby students electronically assist people in poverty from around the world by providing them with small business loans. The concept of micro-financing is a phenomenon that’s grown in popularity in recent years given its ability to connect donors and philanthropists with budding entrepreneurs in developing countries. Three books featured on PaperTigers – One Hen: How One Small Loan Made A Big Difference, and Give a Goat – are based on this concept, and after reading about them on PaperTigers Mrs. Whiffin has ordered them for the class.
Mrs. Whiffins states that the Kiva Project doesn’t just tap into the social responsibility curriculum, but allows allows for lessons in math, statistics, literacy, geography and leadership.
We are learning about the world and how we can make a difference. We have been lending to Kiva now for over a year. In the first year, we raised over $1100 as a class. This year, we have already reloaned the money that has come back to us (approximately $775). My students this year have also embarked on their own fundraising efforts to give them a chance to connect to the project. Amazingly, they have raised over $1300 so far!!! The fun part is making the loan! Each of us chooses a project and researches the region, community and business to determine which project we will support. The kids are so aware of the world! They also use statistics to justify their decisions and have become amazing at working with all kinds of numbers.
Mrs. Whiffin’s project has been a huge success and when it came time to write for the annual speech writing contest, one of her students chose to share her Kiva experiences. Check back tomorrow to read Georgia’s inspiring speech.
April 25th, 2009 at 10:46 am
What a wonderful way to help kids develop their social consciousness! Mrs/ Whiffin’s seems to have done a great job of integrating the Kiva project with different cross-curricular activities. Thanks for reporting on their project, Corinne.
April 25th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
That’s great when teachers and students work together on a project like this! It’s quite inspiring.