Wow, where has 2nd semester gone?!
For months, Sarah, Nicole Paizy (the art teacher), and I,
have been planning the Art and Science Gala at Colegio San Benito. The purpose
of the Gala is to showcase all of the art and science projects the intermediate students
have worked on throughout the year. This year, however, there was an additional
goal of raising awareness about the WeCycle program to the CSB students, their
families, and the administration (as well as fund raising). One of the most
precious moments I have had during my time in Puerto Rico happened during the
premier of the WeCycle video that I put together about the process of this
project. As soon as the video started, I instantly thought back to one of the
first weeks of school when I barely knew the students. I had assigned them to research five interesting facts or reasons about the importance of
recycling to share with the class. Nobody knew, including myself, that from
that small assignment, a recycling project would be born that would consume a
large part of our class, and lives… It was rewarding to show the WeCycle video
in front a large audience. It made me proud to see the eighth graders be proud
of something they had worked hard on, and something they were excited to show
their friends and families. It was
also fun to look around and see the other teachers, students, and
administration realize why the two foreign blond girls made their classes dig
stuff out of the trash, store all the smelly junk in their office, take
over the weekly announcements with recycling facts, yell (friendly-ish-ly) at
people who almost threw recyclables in the TRASH, taped “WeCycle” posters all
over the school, and were overall obsessed with recycling. The biggest reaction
we received from parents about the project was happiness about our enthusiasm.
It was good to hear this, because even if my students forget the names of the chambers
of the heart, at least they’ve had motivation to initiate a small change. This
eighth grade class has, unfortunately, been stamped as a little bit
unintelligent and very lethargic. It’s true that they can be lazy, if you let
them be, but they are far from unintelligent. And as far as being lethargic goes, I partly blame the heat. Anyway, the eighth graders need people to motivate them
and get them excited about something. They need goals, people to believe in
them, and high expectations. I think it was evident to the parents that that’s
what we have provided them with, and they are happy. It was definitely one of
my most proud moments ever, because the eighth graders were proud of the impact
they were having on the school, and to stir up that emotion in them is a big
deal. Eighth graders are usually too cool for anything.
Please check out the WeCycle video:
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| At the Gala |
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| Entrance to the Gala |
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| Entering the Gala... |
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| Inside the Gala |
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| The WeCycle Table |
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| 1st Graders in Recycled Dresses! |
My most proud moment in Kindergarten
was at the conclusion of the diagnostic exams Sarah and I have been giving for
the past few weeks. During the exam there were a few students who really
surprised me – students who literally seemed like their heads were in the
clouds everyday during English class, but somehow pulled off a 94%!.
My reaction was something like, “WHOA, where did that come from?!” I guess within the
chaos that is Kindergarten English class, in between the regurgitated chewed-up
erasers, the frenzied singing, and the disordered distribution of papers, the
kindergarteners actually learned some
English! What a phenomenon! The proudest moment throughout the Kindergarten
English experience though, was spreading out all of the diagnostic exams and
looking at them together. Before administering the exams we put together a
group of 15 exceptional students who are ready to go on to the bilingual
program without even taking the exam. They would undoubtedly score 95% or
above. That left 10 open spots in the bilingual program for us to fill, hence,
the diagnostic exam. Twenty-one students took the exam, and 18 of them scored
above a 70%, with 12 of them above an 80%. Our problem is that we would love to
be able to admit at least 15 more of them into the program, but there is not
enough space. It’s a pretty good problem to have, and it’s pretty awesome that
we somehow had SO many students learn such an exceptional amount of English. Proud
moment!
There have been some definite highs points throughout this teaching
experience, and naturally, low points as well. Low-points were the result of
frustrations with unruly children, miscommunication between the administration
and faculty, lack of support/materials, and other issues. However, I have
realized that at the foundation of this frustration is care. Low points happen because I care about the students – I want to give them as much as
I can in 45 minutes. High-points also stem from care. I love seeing students
impress me on exams, get really excited about the WeCycle program, and ask lots
of questions about a topic that interests them, because I care.
I love teaching and how it’s impossible to lose my imagination while
spending time with kids. I also feel the happiest, most empowered, free, and at
peace when I am outside. I love sharing adventures, lessons, peace, and happiness
that is found in nature, with other people. Being a teacher has been a rewarding experience, but I
think I could succeed even more in an outdoor classroom. I think children are
becoming too programmed as a result of electronic communication and tight
schedules/routines. I’ve seen magic happen when students enter the natural
word of unstructured exploration, where they have a space to think and learn.
Students need the opportunity to interact physically with nature, to turn on
their imagination and curiosity. Environmental education allows students that
may not strive in the formal classroom, a place to do so. Children need the
chance to unplug from the technology controlling their lives, discover how they
can strive in their own way, and open their eyes to the beautiful world around
them.
For these reasons, I couldn’t be happier that I found the Wolf-Ridge
graduate naturalist program. For 10 months I will be living in the northern
woods of Minnesota, teaching 40ish classes based on environmental education,
team-building, and natural history, as well as earning my Certificate in
Environmental Education and 18 credits towards my Masters of Environmental Education. I am
really excited to be starting this program at the end of August, and it would
be a dream come true to someday be a director of an EE program.
For more information, check out the Wolf-Ridge website: http://www.wolf-ridge.org/
Sarah and I will be headed to Minnesota in a few weeks, continuing
the adventure there. It’s been an…um….exhausting experience. We’ve had to
adjust to monastic life, learn how to be teachers (and learn a lot, we did),
build a friendship, and live in a new culture. I feel so lucky that I had such
a hands-on teaching experience, and I couldn’t be happier with the new (as of
10 months ago) life-long friendship that I have with Sarah. I am unbelievably
excited to be reunited with the rest of my friends and family soon!! I now
completely understand that no matter where you end up in the world, being
surrounded by those who love you is the most important thing ever. I wouldn’t still
be in Puerto Rico now if it weren’t for the loving words and support sent from
those who love me. Thanks!!
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| Sarah and I and the basketball team at our last second and last tournament |
