Professional Seminar - Inquiry Project

Teaching in an International Setting

So here we are, three months, two plane tickets and one life-changing experience later. Now, we have to try to sum it up the best we can and determine what stood out for us the most as learning experiences. At this point I feel that there are no words to tell of how I feel and how I have changed. In reality, this is why we do TAB; because there are no words that can make you truly understand the experience of being immersed in a new setting, not only as a foreigner, but as a new teacher. How do I begin to describe the experiences that have taught me how to be a better teacher?  Between the people, the culture, the curriculum, the climate and the politics, I don’t know where to begin. My recent return to Canada is likely clouding my vision, as I am sure I am suffering from culture shock. It has taken me a few days to get used to the sounds outside and realize that I now have to set an alarm clock because the roosters will no longer notify me that the sun is rising. The hustle and bustle of the streets seems too fast and unnecessary. When I pass people on the street, I am surprised I don’t know them by name, and even more surprised when they don’t say hello. All of these differences are showing the adjustments I made to assimilate during my TAB placement, but they also represent new feelings within me. My experience in a foreign country changed me not only as a person, but as a learner and as an educator.

The curriculum in Mexico is mandated by each state. It is very strictly laid out and the teachers are not given leeway on how or when to teach the subject matter.   On a given day, you could walk into dozens of elementary schools across the state and more often than not see the same lesson being taught. The teacher will most likely be standing at the front of the class, teaching directly from the mandated textbook, copying passages and examples to the board. There is very little variance in methodology or teaching style. At first, this can easily look like laziness and some may argue that it is. But after talking to the teachers, it is plain to see that there is so much going on behind the scenes that it is all they can do to keep up with the demands.

There is one key factor that I found to influence the schools the most. I was shocked to realize the instability of the teaching jobs. I talked with many of the teachers in the classrooms I taught in and discovered than none of them had been in their schools for very long. I looked into why this was and discovered that at any point in time a teacher can be placed at a different school, anywhere in the STATE. These teachers would barely learn the names of their students before they would be uplifted and reassigned to another school hundreds of miles away. Their whole lives were being uprooted with no notice and on a regular basis. I can only imagine how difficult this would be on the teachers and their families. As a new teacher observing their classrooms though, I could also see the effect this was having on the students. Having new teachers (beginning teachers as well as teachers who are new to the town) on a regular basis made the students lack the continuity, predictability and routines that they need in a learning environment. The uncertainty could also been seen in the effort being put forth by the teachers. With a predetermined daily routine, a heavy course load and an unpredictable future, it is not surprising that they aren’t always giving 100% to their class. I am not making excuses for the teachers, but I think that it is important to know the whole story before judging their commitment. I have always felt that everyday is a new day, full of opportunities and challenges. As a student and a teacher I know how important each day in the classroom is. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of the problems I saw stemmed from a disbelief in this fact. In the Mexican schools, there is a serious lack of confidence in the future, both long term and short term and by both the students and the teachers. It is a bit of a catch 22, because if a teacher cannot put in the effort to care about their students’ education, why would a student care about their own education? It is difficult to place the blame and point fingers in this scenario, as I am sympathetic for both the students and the teachers, however, the teachers chose this profession, knowing the ups and downs that come with it.

As I write this I am reminded of one particular teacher, Diana, who I sympathized with greatly as she struggled to find her place in her new grade seven classroom. She was transferred from a school in her hometown to the junior high in La Manzanilla in the middle of February. She was 25 years old and had never lived away from her family. She had to find her own housing and transportation and report to work within 2 weeks of being notified of her move. It didn’t sound like the worst scenario until she told me that her hometown, Peubla, was an 18 hour drive and she didn’t have a car. She packed her entire life in two suitcases, left her family and her old classroom behind and took the bus to a town she had never even heard of. When I asked her who was responsible for these decisions she just shrugged and said “el jefe” or “the boss”. I asked her how long she would be in La Manzanilla and she told me that she knew it was just temporary, she would not be returning to the same school next September, but she did not know when her contract with this school could end or where she would end up.

I know that this is just one issue where there may be many to discuss within the Mexican educational system, but as an outsider and a visitor, I tried not to judge them and focus more on learning and accepting their ways. I chose to discuss the issue of unpredictability and uncertainty because I found it to be prevalent in all the classrooms and the possible underlying cause of behavior issues, attendance issues and lack of innovation and engaging lessons on behalf of the teachers. I feel for both the students and the teachers who are suffering as a result.

That being said, I have learned and changed so much as a student, an educator and a person after just three short months in Mexico. I learned very quickly that using technology in the classroom isn’t the be-all, end-all that Canadian schools often think it is; there are more meaningful and engaging ways to teach using just our imaginations. I learned that parental involvement isn’t always necessary and can actually hinder the progress in the classroom. I learned that connecting with your students can be done without words; a smile or a kind gesture is all it takes to develop relationships. I learned to appreciate the students you have in your classroom each day and not worry yourself with the ones who are not in attendance. I learned that education is a gift and we are so lucky to have the freedom and opportunity to safely attend school each day. Most importantly, I learned not to judge; not to judge the students, the teachers, the system or the culture. This seems so simple and should be one of the first things I learned as a teacher, but as much as I believed I was non-judgmental, I was comparing everything to the “Canadian way”. 

My time on TAB has come to an end, but the experience will live within me forever. I hope to get the chance to revisit La Manzanilla and the people who have impacted me so much on this journey. I would not change anything about my experience, except maybe the two-month long bout of Bronchitis I fought through, but hey, I’m sure it made me stronger too.

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The Cultural and Education Context of My TAB Placement

Beginning my TAB placement, I thought that there was nothing about this place that would make me any different as a teacher or a learner. The way the Mexican schools function appears to have no rhyme or reason, and the schools are so laid back and seemingly disorganized that it was hard to believe that anyone had any education or training in their field. I thought I would come here and do what I had to do to get my credits and move on. I knew that I only had a short time here and figured that there was nothing I could do to change or improve the way they do things here.

Of course, looking back, I now feel close-minded and a tad ethnocentric for having these thoughts, but I am sure they are common for many of us experiencing a new education system for the first time. It took many weeks, if not months, to begin to understand that there is a method to the madness (most of the time).

The first question I addressed was the attendance rates at the schools. This was my first question for two reasons; 1 – I noticed there was a significant drop in the number of students in my classes as the grade level increased (grade 2 = 55, grade 8 =15), and 2 – I showed up to my kindergarten class one day and only had 11 students as opposed to the usual 60. Needless to say, I was confused. I was confused because no one seemed to be concerned about the lack of attendance. If this had happened in Canada we would be calling parents and sending letters home. I was more concerned with the students who were not there than the students who were. This is where I went wrong. In Mexico, they celebrate what they have and they don’t dwell on what they don’t. This is the same way the schools feel about their students; appreciate those who are there and don’t concern yourself with those who are not.

Welcome!

This lesson is both a life lesson and a lesson for me as a teacher. As a teacher, it is important to value each student and each day and always do your best. I remember growing up and wasting class time for entire days because half the class was sick or on vacation. I remember thinking “why did I show up? Am I not valuable enough to be taught in their absence?” In Mexico the philosophy is different. They teach each day to the children who have arrived, regardless of numbers the lesson goes on. Why exactly they do this is anyone’s guess, but here are the options I have come up with. A) the state mandated curriculum does not allow for non-teaching days B) the attendance is so random that they never know how many students to expect C) they are passionate about providing the best teaching they can everyday of the year.  Unfortunately, I have to admit that the most likely options are A or B, however, the optimist in me believes it’s a little bit of C as well. Regardless of their motive, I will take away from it a simple lesson; appreciate what you have.

The sparse Kindergarten classroom

The second lesson I have is a simple one and one that should be the first rule when traveling and teaching abroad, or anywhere for that matter. The second lesson is the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover”.  I had not realized my stance on the Mexican school system until I did my mandatory reading review and read an article about Mexican schools written by an American teacher. The author tried to figure out why Mexican immigrants were having such a difficult time adjusting to the American schools. It of course pointed the finger at the Mexican schools and what the author saw as “flaws” in their system. I was surprisingly defensive of the Mexican schools and was mentally pointing out the flaws in the author’s research and assumptions as I read the article. After a short time here, I became accustomed and aware of the way the schools work, and no, it is not the same as the rest of North America, but neither is this country. Here, the schools are done at 2pm, because at 3pm it’s too hot and many school don’t have fans, never mind air conditioning. Here, many students do not attend high school because they would have to travel 50 kilometers each way and do not have cars or the money to pay for travel. Here, the front gates are locked and no one is allowed in or out during school hours because there is a threat of being kidnapped. These are a few of the differences we see in small town Mexico, but according to many people, the Mexicans are just lazy and treat school like prison. It is pretty incredible to know the sacrifices people make to attend school in this country and it is very sad to see the negative way people portray something they know very little about.

The school "playground"

            I hope to take this lesson into my teaching by being open and accepting to students of all educational backgrounds. I want to be understanding to the fact that there are many ways of doing things, and my way, or my school’s way, isn’t always the best. Acceptance, understanding and openness have been key to my success in Mexico and will play an integral role in my successful teaching career.

The weekly market 

The whole town was at the square for the rodeo festivities!

            The final lesson, and possibly the most significant one of my travels is….no amount of education or schooling will ever prepare you for life in the classroom. I have learned this in so many ways in the past few months that I am not even sure which story would best describe how I learned this. I suppose I should start by saying that I pretty much threw out everything I learned in university in the past two years on my second week in a Mexican classroom. One of the primary reasons was that none of my classroom management techniques seemed to be working. I clapped a rhythm; the students didn’t stop clapping the rhythm. I put my hand up; the students put their hands up and starting making up random questions like I was suggesting a question and answer period. I attempted to flick the lights; one classroom had no lights and in the one that did there was a power outage! I sat down and the desk and waited in silence; they brought their work to me and waved it in my face because they thought I was just being lazy. I could probably think of many more examples, but I think I have made my case! It is important to note that there is a serious language barrier and most of my directions are given via charade-like sign language. Now, 3 months later, I have a system that is starting to work. It involves a few Spanish key words accompanied by very exaggerated and deliberate hand signals. These new techniques do not however prepare me for the more complicated questions like (in Spanish) “how do you say pole dancing” or “what is the English name for Playboy” or even something as simple as the cat-calls and whistles that the boys let out as I write on the chalkboard. Unfortunately, my six years in university becoming an educator did not prepare me for such occasions.

Although my short time here may not have had the impact on the learners that I was hoping for, I am more than amazed at the impact it has had on me as both a learner and a teacher.  The annoyances and differences that at first irked me, have now become what has formed a new outlook on my approach to teaching. Being here, immersed in this culture, has allowed me to change and to explore different ways of teaching. I hope that when I return, and throughout my teaching career, I never forget the lessons that I this community has unknowingly taught me.

Headed in the right direction...

Why I chose TAB...

Hola from Mexico!

Here I am on the sunny shores of La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico. A small village approximately three hours south of Puerto Vallarta and an hour north of Manzanillo. This remote destination is somewhere I have been travelling since I was a small child and where my parents call home in the winter months.

Choosing to have my TAB experience here was a no brainer - warm weather, family, a familiar environment, and a second home! Sounds like the perfect vacation! 

I began to do my research and delve deeper into the real reasons behind Teaching Across Borders and the impact it could have on my life and the lives of the children in this town. I found La Catalina Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides English classes to the Elementary and Junior High School students free-of-charge. It is operated solely by volunteers who plan and teach all grades and after school programs. When I discovered the foundation it was like a match made in heaven! My priority shifted from a tropical vacation to giving back to this community that has always been so welcoming to us. I know that giving them the gift of language is more valuable and sustainable than any other gift I can give to these children.

I am lucky to be familiar with my TAB destination, so the December 15th call-to-action was rushed, but not unmanageable for my December 27th departure. I got a few shots and medications for the dreaded, yet inevitable, Turistas, and packed my Spanish dictionary before I took flight. 

I will rely on my minimal Spanish to get me through the first few weeks and will perhaps pepper it with some French if need be! La Catalina will offer a two week intensive Spanish class to all their volunteers, which will begin for me a few weeks into my practicum. I am sure this will be a life saver!

Needless to say, I am nervous about many things in the schools down here - classroom culture, language barriers, discipline, resources - and I'm sure that no amount of research will prepare me for the sink or swim moments I know I will experience! For now, all I can do is cross my fingers and remember to take it all in, because I'm sure it will all be over in the blink of an eye