I am so awed.
Here I am at Purdue University with 104 international teachers who have been in the US for six weeks studying our education system. They have been listening to professors discuss pedagogy, observing elementary and secondary classrooms, engaging in philosophical dialogues in a second language with other non-native speakers, and, oh yeah, at the same time figuring out how to globalize their classrooms and students'educations.
These teachers are incredible. They have come here to learn from us, but they have so much more to teach us, and in quiet ways.
The India delegation with whom I had dinner tonight reminds me...
About passion for our calling- they have been in cold climates and away from their families for fifty days, immersed in endless discussions about their craft, and yet they still love to engage in teacher talk with us.
About dedication- these teachers had to get through their entire term syllabus before they left India, so less qualified substitute teachers were not left to prepare students for the national exams.
About drive- because many Indian children strive to compete for the high level jobs, these teachers have to keep themselves on an intellectually superior plane with genuine enthusiasm to motivate their students to succeed.
About organization- these kind women are eager to fully outline our agenda for our 14-day visit, prepare all our accommodations, shuttle us to the most appropriate places of interest, and arrange to reassemble our small group for us to debrief and relax afterward.
And all of this with a smile and the generous assurance that we will love India.
If the land is anything like its teachers, I know we will not only love it, but come away spellbound by its charms.
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This sounds amazing. Hope you get the chance to learn a lot, teach a lot, and experience a whole new world!!! From what I know about India, it seems to me that most children there really are excited and even honored to be in school, so I bet you will really find their energy inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI think that you are correct. There seems to be incredible competition amongst those children whose families have the option of attending a rigorous school. I do know that there are others, however, who are not so motivated. The teachers of these students work very hard to inspire them to do well and pass their government exams.
ReplyDeleteAh, I really really envy your trip to India. I would imagine you're going to be busy with the main reason you're there, but be sure that whenever you have the chance you take in the sights for the sake of yourself and not just to say you saw it.
ReplyDeleteIn New York, I wanted to say I'd seen the Statue of Liberty, and I quickly accomplished that by staring through a ferry window. I wanted to say I'd seen New York from the streets, this time, a bus window, I wanted to say I'd seen it from the point of view of someone who walked its streets. I did.
But once I actually stopped caring, I really experienced things. Instead of rushing around on our "shopping day" while half of the girls in our class stole purses from vendors who likely stole their stock in the first place, I sat down and watched the pack of New Yorkers, interspersed heavily with travelers hustling about, some as paranoid as a certain teacher at our senior meeting tried to make us about the city streets, and some who weren't.
When walking through Little Italy at night, I actually took in the voices on the street, including the rotund drunken man singing in Italian from a seat at outside a nearby restaurant. When everyone else rushed inside to keep out of the rain and wind from the storm on the ferry, I joined two other students from our school and a group of students from another American school out on the front end of the boat and really got to see an awesome sight, the Statue of Liberty, clearly standing out against the horizon of an admittedly mild rainstorm.
And let's face it, if I can ignore my nervous laughter in the background, every video I shot from the top of the Empire State Building is absolutely great, even better than it was when I was there in person, because it's not just "the last stop in New York" anymore. Now it's one of the most impressive places I've ever been. And it doesn't hurt that you can see the rain forming almost level with us.
Maybe this is just the incessant babbling of a creatively repressed college student who is coming off of a week long essay binge, but I just think that if we make something an item on a checklist, it loses some of the meaning. So, if things are ever rushing, grab a second for yourself. Looking is great, but experiencing is the best.
Rambling complete,
-Locke
You are very wise for your age, as well as observant.
ReplyDeleteI will eagerly take your advice.
Seeking the unusual, paying attention to the seemingly mundane, and noticing the details will make India my experience, not my trip.
We, on this side of the globe, are eagerly looking forward to your visit. I do hope that you will be able to gain a lot out of it.Let's cross our fingers about the collaborative hosting.If it materialises, it would be a fantastic opportunity for you to get to see different schools and varied cultures and traditions.Anyway, I do want you to visit 'God's Own Country'.I will try my level best to get you down here.
ReplyDeleteI really thought the title of this was hilarious. In fact, i burst out laughing, quite audibly. i think your ideas are very ambitious and easily doable. Sounds good and very impressive!
ReplyDelete