Caitlin Farrell
I will visit a government building on one of my free days/nights. I will interview locals about voting, the political process, and the most recent state assembly elections.
I will participate in the optional visits to the Meenakshi Temple and the Gandhi Museum. I will schedule a yoga class on one of my free nights. I will take plenty of pictures of the temples, holy sites, etc.
I teach US Government, World Religions, and Modern World History. In US Government, I would like to incorporate some comparative lessons regarding how US democracy compares to the world's largest democracy- India. One of my focuses on the trip will be to visit government buildings when possible, and engage locals in conversations about voting, the political process, and the most recent state assembly elections (took place in May). In World Religions, I would like to present photos, stories, etc. of Hindu temples, how Indian people practice the religion differently, and the influence of Hinduism in everyday life. I would like to teach students about yoga and meditation as well. In Modern World History, we discuss India during our unit on imperialism. I would like to teach students about how the British, French, and Dutch colonized India and the various ways in which each nation influenced India positively and negatively. I would also like to expand my lessons about Gandhi; therefore I am planning on visiting the Gandhi Museum in Madurai.
I will research how India's democracy differs and compares to American democracy. I will research the various Hindu temples in Southern India. I will also research the role of yoga and meditation in Hinduism. I will research the British, French, and Dutch influence-- especially the influence each of these countries had in Southern India.
