Exploring Muti-Cultural Traditions at the Middle School

As part of BB&N’s ongoing mission to DEIG, multiple faculty members organized “Faith Traditions,” a program that introduces students to beliefs and practices in various religions. The program–now in its sixth year–included lunch talks with faith leaders from Christianity, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism, followed by group discussions and field trips to the First Church in Cambridge, the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC), and Temple Beth Zion. Students then reflected on their experiences through art the following week. 

The month-long project aims to help students grasp customs and traditions across worldwide religions while connecting them to their local community in the greater-Cambridge area. Students spent a day visiting places of worship in Boston to learn and ask questions about those faith’s practices and historic spaces. Some of the discussions focused on what students had learned through lunch talks, while others centered on the physical space and the extra information provided by local leaders. Visiting the buildings is critical for comprehension and helped them synthesize what they learned into a visual reflection the following week. 

The efforts of Middle School teachers and faculty members Betsy Canaday, Youssef Talha, Sasha Bergmann, Tiffany Rice, Christa Crewdson, and Nathalia Jimenez were invaluable in making sure the program ran smoothly. A special thanks to the First Church in Cambridge, the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC), and Temple Beth Zion for hosting the students and sharing their culture and customs. 

Click here for a gallery of the field trips.