The morning was beautiful, and the classroom we went to had doors flung open wide, so we could feel the breeze and hear the noise from outside during the lecture. It was wonderful to be able to attend class in the fresh air, and I was reminded of how often my own high school students in the United States want to go outside or open all of the windows. The classroom has similar technology to what we might see in a typical American classroom - a white board, a projection screen, a mounted projector, desks, etc. The most notable difference was connection with nature.
We learned an amazing amount from Dr. Vegas. We discussed compulsary education ages in Peru, and the great disparities in various Peruvian schools and regions. Dr. Vegas says that in some schools, it's like attending class in a developing country, while in others, it's like attending class in the richest nation in the world. Rural schools, for example, only have 1 or 2 teachers, and may not meet 5 days a week. In urban schools, students frequently attend in one of two five-hour shifts, a morning shift and an afternoon shift. This allows Peru to educate more students with fewer teachers, but does cut short the amount instructional time the students receive. Though Peruvian parents invest the highest amount of money into the educational system in all of Latin America, students in Peru continue to score near the bottom of standardized exams when compared to other nations within Latin America.
After lunch, we headed to join the group at Carmelitas, and we were able to meet with some of the school's administrators. The women at Carmelitas were extremely knowledgeable and eager to collaborate. We shared some ideas regarding language and literacy, and learned about both attending and teaching at Carmelitas, where they currently have their first female principal in the school's history. The faculty and staff we were able to meet have hearts for education, and for exapanding their student population so they can include students with varying physical, mental, or emotional needs. At one point, I was pulled out of the meeting and was able to step into a classroom where some very young students were rehearsing a puppet show. As a theatre teacher, my heart swelled! It is wonderful to see the arts thriving in any culture or country. The kids were having a ton of fun, and it was wonderful for me to be able to experience that. Afterwards, I was able to learn about some of the other theatrical productions they've put on at the school. They've done some great shows at Carmelitas!
Speaking of the arts, our last stop was to watch a dance rehearsal. The students were working on a traditional dance for a celebration that will occur in a few weeks at the school. We saw some remarkable talent! I took a few pictures, but I don't think they accurately portray how well the kids did. I loved watching their facial expressions and intricate dance moves, and the costumes were beautiful! I wish we could be here to see the final product! Unfortunately, after dinner, it was time to go because we were out of time. I hope we get to go back soon!
After Carmelitas, we headed to dinner, where I ordered anticuchos, a Peruvian meat dish made from beef heart. It was really good! In short, we're having an amazing time here in Peru. They're going to have a hard time getting me on the airplane when it's time to go home!
--Katie Nuss
No comments:
Post a Comment