Meadowbrook Elementary School: Royal Spotlight: David Bell

Golden Valley MN

22 March, 2022

7:32 PM

Description

Press release from Meadowbrook Elementary School: March 21, 2022 Before he earned his Master of Teaching in Elementary Education and came to Hopkins, David Bell lived in the West African country of Niger as a member of the Peace Corps. That's where he met his wife, Salamatou. In 2019, they, along with their three children, began a Facebook page called "African Family Plus 1" about their quadrilingual family. The group currently has 167,000 followers from all around the world. "My family and I love the amount of validation the Hopkins District gives to honoring student cultures, faiths, backgrounds, languages, and experiences. We appreciate how students and staff of all cultures are given a voice to explain their ideas and collaborate. Everyone brings something to the table." It's no surprise Bell's first-grade classroom exemplifies these values. Each week Bell's students pick a country to learn more about, and on Fridays they discuss that country in depth. This includes geography, food, people, and sports, as well as what the schools are like and how they are similar or different from Meadowbrook. How does Vision 2031 fit with African Family Plus 1? I am particularly excited about Vision 2031 because of the focus on student voice. The diversity of students and their varying experiences are to be celebrated. It is important to not see students as one size fits all, rather, that students have strengths and skills in different areas. Our Facebook page unites families around the world who are interested in our page — we frequently talk about the importance of respecting other cultures and being inclusive. Anything else you'd like to add? I would like to give a shout out to all of my current and former students. I love watching you all learn and grow each and every year! This press release was produced by Meadowbrook Elementary School. The views expressed here are the author's own.