Reading Review #1
The article I chose to read is entitled Mexican and U.S. Schools: A World Apart. This article did a great job in explaining the basic configuration of the Mexican school system. I learned many things about the schools I will be teaching in and how they differ from schools in the US and Canada. Some of the most interesting facts were about technology (non-existent in the classroom except in “Telesecundarias” where lessons are taught via televisions), parental involvement (parents are locked out at the gates of the school) and curriculum (standardized curriculum from state to state and sometimes across the country).
Not only was this article interesting, but it gave me a better understanding of so many things I have seen happening in the schools. I read the article after 2 weeks into my placement and found that it was much more meaningful and relevant once I had experienced the school first-hand. It answered many questions for me (Why are there so few students in the junior high school compared to the elementary? Why aren’t there resources for the children to use? Why do the mothers hand the children lunches through a hole in the fence?) and helped me to understand that there is a method to the madness.
As I got deeper into the article I began to think about the author. The article took a patriotic turn and I suddenly was aware of the American biases that were being presented. As I read the negative things that were being implied about the Mexican school system, I found myself getting annoyed and defensive. In this country, there is so much more than what meets the eye. So yes, the article presented facts about education, but it also presented bias opinions about why the system is the way it is. These opinions stated that all Mexican schools want to teach is the basics, with no aspiration to be world class, unlike the U.S. It did not attempt to uncover WHY the school systems are so different.
My defensive reaction to this article shows me who I am as a teacher. Although I may not agree with everything the Mexican school boards do, I support it, because it is what works for them. Being here has reinforced the idea that you cannot judge a book by its cover. From an uninformed outsiders perspective, like the one in the article, getting a formal education here has little priority. However, further insight would tell you how much more important school has become in recent years, why students only go to school for half days and the rigid structure that each school adheres to.
I enjoyed this article because it truly was informative about the education system in Mexico. It answered my questions and furthered my knowledge about the school system across the country. It also made me aware of the commitment I have to a school, regardless of how long I have been there or how deeply I agree with their structure. Although it took my disapproval of the author’s comments to realize this, I am glad I did, because no matter where we end up as teachers, if we do not believe in what we are teaching, why are we doing it?
Article Courtesy of:
The Term Paper
http://www.piton.org/content/documents/term6.pdf
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Reading Review #2
The second article I read was a research document composed by an organization looking to provide an objective analysis about whether or not investment in the Mexican education system would be lucrative. I choose this article because I thought it would give a well-researched, non-bias look at the current state and history of the education system. The research for the article was broad and included research of previously published educational reviews, the assistance of an educational consulting firm and interviews with several stakeholders.
One of the biggest downfalls that the research discovered was that there is no transparency. Although there is plenty of information collected, it is rarely made public or used to make improvements. It is clear why this information was so important from an investment perspective, but this is also important for parents and teachers alike. Because of the lack of initiative, there tends to be a lack of answers. As a teacher, knowing why you are doing something is crucial. If the system you are part of cannot tell you why or help you to clarify by qualifying and quantify results, it can be very difficult to continue to support a system that you are questioning. This article suggested that very little would be done in this circumstance because of both a lack of transparency and a lack of qualified personnel to conduct the research. Surprisingly, this aspect of the article made me think of Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) and their place in the Calgary Board of Education. They are controversial to say the least, and I am usually against them because I have seen so many teachers “teach to the test”. However, after reading this, my initial reaction was that the Mexican government should implement PATs. No matter how I feel about them, I understand what they achieve for research purposes and how valuable this information can be. If a program like this was implemented in the Mexican school system, they would have a way to determine what regions need more support and what type of learning is working best in their country.
Two of the other major issues with the Mexican school system are high dropout rates and insufficient teacher training. I cannot help but see the correlation between the two. I know that as a student I would not continue to go to a class where I thought the teacher was not qualified to teach. And, if no one is completing school, who is going to fill the void for qualified teachers? There have been many times in my own teacher training that I have felt the pressure of my students and been very aware that I could lose my credibility with just a minor slip-up or mistake. I have seen first-hand how easily a lack of confidence and training can derail a classroom. This is one of my biggest fears as a teacher and I can only imagine how often this happens in this country.
Thinking critically about this article and sitting down to write my thoughts on it helped me to piece together correlations that I had never thought of before. I am often so consumed with my fear of failing as a teacher that I never think of the impact that my feelings of success or failure can have on my students. Although this was not implied by the article, it is clear to me know that dropout rates and successful teacher training go hand-in-hand. If a student loses confidence in you as a teacher, they will likely lose confidence in the system you represent. So not only do we have to perform our best for ourselves, but we also have the students and the education system relying on us. Not something to take lightly.
Although this article was intended to inform me about the logistics of the system, I have found myself questioning, supporting and realizing new aspects of both the Canadian and Mexican educational systems.
Article courtesy of:
The Rand Corporation
http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/2005/RAND_DB480.sum.pdf
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Reading Review #3
The final article I chose to review was about the security of Mexico. I figured that with all the recent bad press, I should become more informed about the current situation in the country I will be calling home for the next four months. I have spent a lot of time in Mexico throughout my life, normally one visit a year, starting with my first birthday when I learned to walk on the beach just five kilometers from my TAB placement. Until two years ago, I never questioned my safety in Mexico. I have driven the entire coast, stopping at every beach town for a cold beer and a swim. I realize that my comfort came from familiarity. As the stories of attempted abductions, robberies and even murders began to hit closer to home, I started taking more precautions in my travels.
This article identified the areas of the country that are still considered safe to visit. It also identified the no-go zones. It helped me to plan possible weekend trips and identify how best to get there without ending up in a danger zone.
I guess I should admit now that I read this article because I felt an obligation to read something on safety. I guess I should also admit that the murder of the Canadian in January was a mere 20 minutes from my house, in a town I visit a few times a week. And just last week I found out that people are threatening to kidnap the children at my school if their parents don’t fork over money. Did I mention the five girls in their twenties that have also gone missing, two of whom have since been found in the lagoon? None of this was in the news.
My point is, no amount of reading and research will tell you the entire truth. There is not a newspaper in my town reporting on the crime and statistics, heck, there isn’t even a gas station! The most information I can get is a general idea of where the bad places are and where there has yet to be any published cartel violence.
Living here and being so familiar with the daily routines and lifestyle, I don’t feel scared. I do not want to say that bad things happen to people because they are irresponsible, but in part, I do. I do not go out by myself after dark. I do not wear provocative clothes or flashy jewelry. I speak Spanish to all the Mexicans. I do not drink excessively (in public). I know these are no-brainer travel tips, but they are so often forgotten. Many times, we forget that we are in someone else’s home and that we should live by their rules.
Canadian Press points the finger at the cartel for the violence that is happening to Canadians in this country. Yes, the cartels are violent, but as the article did point out, the cartels are fighting each other and the government. The violence that Canadians have encountered recently is random; it has nothing to do with cartels. To be safe in this country, just like all others, you need to be wise.
In conclusion, yes, I do have a sense of place in this country. This place is different from my home, but it is not better or worse. I am not ethnocentric, like so many seem to be when bad things happen around the world. When people ask me if I am scared being here, I ask them if they have been to Edmonton lately; now that’s a scary place!
Article Courtesy of:
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/mexico-a-guide-to-which-parts-are-safe-to-travel-to-and-which-are-dangerous/2011/12/08/gIQAkQ2jyO_story_2.html
