Luke Orlando

This artifact was created during my student teaching experience at Pocono Mountain East High School. While teaching a Fairy Tale Myths and Legends elective, I organized an interview with a Chinese national colleague I met during my time in China studying philosophy. Her name is Alice. I asked the students in my class to prepare questions for Alice about the curriculum. I then sent those questions to Alice for her to answer in an interview format through WhatsApp. This opportunity opened the door for students to access diverse experiences far outside their comfort zone. As Alice says in the interview, "In fact, it seems to me that in China there is no such fairy tales you might perceive, which is in European fashion. We don’t have characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants, mermaids or gnomes, etc. What we have are more of fables and parables that carry a message or a moral." This perspective challenges the students' preconceived notions of what a fairy tale is. This exchange served as a meaningful exchange of culture and learning, opening the door for discussions of race, heritage, and belief. It validated the voices and interests of students from all backgrounds by showing that learning can come from anyone and anywhere.