Isolation

The following are some of the reasons that support the use of IT methodologies in rural schools of Colombia (especially in the school where I work):

–          When the roads linking all rural schools and their communities with the city are completely abandoned by the local administration, the World Wide Web can serve as the only way of creating new bridges between the urban and rural lives by providing students with a better understanding of their history, their present and their future perspectives.

–          With the rural school books are completely outdated, humid, worm eaten, smelly and totally unattractive to students, the best resource a rural teacher can have is the web or the software that intertwines literature to videos, images and sound. Updated encyclopedias that can only be found in the web or having special educational programs that create a more realistic learning environment. But, teachers have to be very careful when asking for those types of resources in order not to be threatened for doing so. Otherwise, they will have to buy them with their own money as many of us have done before.

–          When students do not have the opportunity to finish their high school (10^th and 11^th grades) due to a lack of interest shown by the authorities in charge of education in this city, the internet allows them to discover other views for their future livelihood and careers. Teachers can help them learn how to have access to online courses or even take the “distance high school course” offered by SENA (even though everybody knows such diploma is a poor justification for governmental politics on this matter).

–          When there are no jobs for them in rural areas of this city, that would meet their needs in terms of what is legally expected: fair wages, legal amount of working hours, all with social security services (from subsidiary to contributory), teachers can use the web to lead them to identify what their working roles in the society will be.

–          Of course, there are other minor reasons such as entertainment or social networks that result as a short way out or a pause in their daily lives. These moments also help students to amuse themselves, laugh, play and recognize how their technological abilities enable them to reinforce their social skills.

In brief; a rural teacher must become an IT wiz given the fact that ITs represent a more realistic approach to knowledge and display a great pool of opportunities not only for students but also for teachers. We need to take full advantage of those few but good computers and weak but existent connections to internet we still have in our schools. How else could we teach them how the world is out there and show them that this world belongs to them as well?

Strengthening Cultural Identity

Knowledge is a product of culture. Yet, it is believed that the most important outcome of culture is best defined through written expressions by which individual skills are challenged and continuously growing. This type of knowledge has prevailed throughout history as a triumph against similar products and is currently seen as the one that should be taken into account especially in school environments.

On the other hand, there are also other products of knowledge that appear to be long-lasting and almost untouchable. This type of knowledge has been underestimated by those scientific communities who support theories of logical reasoning and self-success. Such theories of knowledge compete against each other through comparison and contrast studies in order to isolate the characteristics rather than favoring a close approach.

Social knowledge can be interpreted either as the simplest way of knowledge or as the richest and sustainable one. In fact, this product of culture has not had to fight a war in order to preserve its existence. This has been stoutly protected by the communities from which it has emerged. In contrast, social knowledge creates ties to strengthen cultural identities.

Currently, the majority of rural communities in this country are experiencing an increasing lack of sense of belonging. This has weakened the cultural identity by preventing members from encountering with their common emotions, needs, interests and symbols. The communities have lost times and spaces to get together and rejoice among the sound of music, dances, performances, sayings that is also called TCEs or Traditional Cultural Expressions.

Schools are primarily social spaces and, around this concept teachers should reflect on these questions: How they are teaching culture? Have they allowed students to experience traditional cultural expressions from their local and regional communities? Are students constructing their own identities based on a local, regional or national historicity?

 The best way to teach culture is by living the cultural experience. Social knowledge is not to be isolated in logical and written characteristics but to be seen, heard, touched, smelled and shared with others while enjoying the practice of common values such as music, dances, songs, sayings and other rich traditions attached to cultural expressions.

Teachers are called to strengthen not only individual cognitive traits but also students ‘social skills. However, in order to develop those skills students need to have a close approach to this type of knowledge which will benefit their adaptation and integration to their local and regional communities. Once students gain experience of cultural knowledge they will feel more confident to act within a specific community toward creating significant impacts that will benefit all of their members.

Consequently, cultural expressions activities at school are necessary to help students build a sense of belonging towards a community, region or nation. When students experience the diverse products of culture they are simultaneously enriching their own personal history and developing more successfully processes of logical thinking by means of wider emotional connections. It is only in the hands of teachers where the responsibility for the preservation of the cultural identity of future generations lies.

Teachers I work with

Four teachers make up the staff in New Granade School. Two of them work in elementary and the other two in middle school. In the picture, from left to right you can see Álvaro, Angélica, Elkin and Alejandro. Our school is just one of twelve other schools located in the mountains, as I explained in the previous blog. We were appointed government teachers because we successfully passed the Government National Examination. Those examinations are part of the meritocracy system that Colombia implemented during the Uribe administration in order to select the most qualified teachers for Colombian students. However, the meritocracy system is not fully respected by the local government.

Let me introduce you to this great team of teachers with whom I have the honour to work. I’ve learned from them innovative and special experiences concerning to personal, professional and academic fields. They have also contributed to my professional growth and shown me how gratifying it is working in the country.

Álvaro Posse Guzmán has been teaching at Coloradas middle school for more than two years. He has a Master’s Degree in Education from the Catholic University of Manizales and also received a Laureate Thesis Award in Education, Spanish Language and Audiovisual Communication from the Technological Univesity of Pereira. Álvaro also had the highest national score for Spanish Language in the Government National Examination. He even received a letter of congratulations from the President due to this achievement. I’ve admired Alvaro’s academical and professional work for many years. I consider him as the most advanced teacher in the city for he has employed all types of Information and CommunicationTecnologies in his pedagogical practices. I’ve learned from him how to make a good use of blogs as a way of sharing experiences, critizicing and reflecting on global and local issues. His blog is consulted by teachers from Cartago and many other cities of Colombia. I appreciate all the help and coooperation he has provided me during these past seven months especially his support when I was running out of courage, due to the difficulties of the road to the mountain. He shared with me the vision he has for the school and invited me and the other teachers to join. His idea consists on passing from middle to highschool since rural students deserve other opportunities to pursue studying. That’s why he has worked really hard with the principal of the institution to create alliances with superior educational institutions such as the University of Valle. Álvaro has been a constant guide for all the work I have been doing in the school. He can make my day with his keen sense of humor.

 

Ekin Florez Valderrama has been working in Coloradas for more than a year and a half. Elkin loves teaching in the rural zones and has ample experience in rural education.. He is graduated from the Superior Normal School “The Immaculate” in Chocó Department, as a Superior Normalist. Currently, he is finishing an undergraduate course to obtain the License in Basic Education with emphasis on Information Technology with the University of Magdalena and Cotecnova. Elkin enjoys traveling through the mountains no matter how far or stony the road can be. He’s a skillful motorcycle rider which is fortunate when working in the rural zones of Colombia, and I presume that’s why he loves speed. I admire his good temper, patience, collaborative spirit, and empathy towards his students. He is very good at concialiation processes among students by eliciting sincere responses and creating an environment of confidence where no child feel judged. I’ve learned from him that besides the class, there are other valuable times to share with students like the break or the time spent in games or sports for which I’m not very good at. He has a deep love for his hometown  and childhood friends in Chocó, and feels really proud of the natural diversity of Colombian villages that he knows very well.

Ismael Alejandro Rodríguez has been teaching at Coloradas School since April, 2010. He is a Mechanical Engineer graduated from the Technlological University of Pereira and is currently doing a postgraduate course in Pedagogy with the Pontifical Bolivarian University and Cotecnova. Alejandro is a gifted teacher for all concerning with electricity, mechanics, agriculture and technical drawing. He enjoys teaching through experimental classes where all students see and apply new knowledge. His sense of humor is always present by inventing new jokes and recognizing the happy side of difficult situations. When any device, electrodomestical appliance, car or motorcycle stops working Alejandro is the one who fixes up everything. We affectionately call him “McGyver“. Alejandro has added to Alvaro’s vision the importance of adding to the curriculum the mechanical component which will enable students to find new job prospects or even become new entrepeneurs. I’ve learned from him that a teacher has to be always prepared for anything, and that we need to have in our backpacks a box of tools necessary for attacking any problem, no matter how heavy the backpack can be. I have to say we missed him a lot especially on September 15th, when he didn’t attend school due to an illness he had. That day, Alvaro and I had an accident on the motorcycle while descending the mountain and the only person that we cried in that very moment was Alejandro’s name. Definitely, Alejandro is a problem solver, in all aspects!

Educational Institution “New Granade”

The Educational Institution New Granade is located in a small ville called Coloradas which belongs to the Municipality of Cartago in Valle del Cauca. In fact, this institution comprises 12 rural schools that were established at the beginning of the 20th Century. It is said, the school of Coloradas began circa 1906. All the rural schools of Cartago are scattered throughout the mountains and are around 30 minutes to 2 hours apart from one another, when transportation is provided.

The students need to walk long distances and almost all of their teachers need to drive their motorcycles or take a bus in order to ge to school. Most of the roads are the non pavemented roads that turn dangerous in rainy days due to the instability and the presence of sudden landslide hazard. Coloradas is called a “difficult access zone” since there is no public transport on a daily basis, just a jeep journey on Mondays and Fridays.

But, leaving aside the “unpretty roads“, we can find gorgeous landscapes in the mountains of Cartago. The diversity of trees, animals (insects), flowers, fruits, natural scents, variety of colors -especially the hundred tones of green- are indeed a gift to the eye. The mountains majestically protect the most important river of the city called “La Vieja” that enriches the fertile lands and refreshes the sight everytime we travel all along the river.

The population of these zones is characterized by having a spirit of modesty and diligence. They appreciate the beauty of the environment that surround them and always care for it. But they have also learned hard lessons along its history. For example, Coloradas inhabitants underwent difficult times due to the violence in 1950 and the narcotrafic in the 80s. Many of the settlers had to leave their homes, lands and memories to find a new place to live, one safer and calmer. But those who remained and struggled with those difficulties, currently enjoy raising their children and sowing new hopes in this new and better place. Life in the country is now far different from what it was decades and decades ago.

Language Learning: Time of Exposure Theory

By Angélica Guevara Bernal

Time of exposure is a term mostly used in science disciplines, which postulates that intermittent but persistent amount of a certain condition, may generate significant changes in a specific being. In language learning, time is the key factor that guarantees the quality of understanding and therefore the variety of its application in any communicative circumstance.

Teachers can make the most of their English classes if they gain knowledge of strategies to use more effectively the limited periods of time that in fact, are being discontinuous and scattered. During the class time, the target content that is intended to be taught must be seen and heard by students in different sequences that adjust to a well structured repertoire also framed in various types of class situations. Students who are exposed to a defined and rightly measured content -that can be either oral or written- during a short time period will acquire new knowledge more meaningfully since they will recall that specific class due its observable purpose and practical tasks.

This theory aims to avoid underexposure or overexposure of language content in short periods of time by restructuring the class method and creating a lively and ideal ambience of practice. It is necessary to balance the quality and quantity of content before planning and while developing a L2 class.

Teaching is Technical

Most teachers regrettably believe that the epistemology of their discipline is the backbone of their careers. As a matter of fact, the curricula offered in many universities emphasize on knowledge more than in other aspects of the teacher’s role. Therefore, the methodological scope has been avoided mainly because of a misconception emerged in what has to do with the great amount of methods and scarce research on every one of them. There has been no a deep interest in creating research groups for evaluating methodologies and I could say this is the reason why our Colombian teachers do not show the success expected not only by students and parents but the government or even by themselves.

In recent years, the question on methodology has recovered its space, due to the demand of linguistic competence in our society, where students will tend to develop communicative skills and teachers will apply the methods required to achieve those skills. As teachers, we have begun an exciting journey to exploring new ways of teaching for facilitating learning and granting our students the quality teachers they deserve.

Innovative techniques have shown results throughout the world, however, they are always under a process of continuous study and some have proven to be suitable for all kinds of students. Handling those methods allow teachers to be more effective and to create an atmosphere of confidence and reliability in pedagogical practices. Some of them are: active eye-contact, pace of speech, the use of visual resources, the creation of interchange spaces during the class, the focus on developing formal spoken language, the selection of topics that might awaken deeper processes of thinking through discussion or debate classes.

As seen before, there is no excuse for teachers to continue applying fixed methodologies. If teaching is also imparting, then we have to ask ourselves “how are we conveying meaning as the bridges between knowledge and the real world that we, teachers are supposed to be? Are we teaching for this globalized world in which communication is the lighthouse of all teaching techniques?

A City Without Progress

There is something that grows along time in every city of the world and that is Progress. Cartago is one of the most ancient cities in America but it seems that progress is not a synonym for time when referred to this city. Most people think that progress is related to buildings or infrastructure since those give a sense of modernity and change. Instead, Cartago is well known by the conservation of its famous and antique cathedrals and homes from the time of colonialism that endures today as part of an inheritance almost forgotten by its own inhabitants. The city is still suspended in ancient times along with its population who underestimates the great value of all what they were given. But not only has Cartago architectural jewels, it also has an enviable weather, fruitful lands, ample green plains, two rivers and mountains that surround it, and especially a vast field suitable for the construction of the most ambitious airport in Colombia. If Cartago possesses all of these remarkable conditions to give its people the quality of life they deserve, why is the city not aware of them? The main reason is that those who govern the city do not share the same vision of what the city could be. Cartago has undergone more than twenty years of corruption in the public sector. This corrupt government has been in charge of incompetent employees, selected by dark leaders of narcotrafic of Norte del Valle. These leaders have bought the entire population in order to maintain their secrecy and allow the traffic of drugs and money laundering. When the time of elections begins, all these drug leaders select their puppets who will govern the city and afterwards the hunting of votes from the poorest people takes place. In that very moment, the city stops its way to progress. Every time any citizen sells their vote, the city loses the chance to grow and reform itself. A new culture must be nurtured, one that empowers the citizen to take responsibility not only for their own affairs but also for the city as a whole. There must be a social reflection on the current identity the people are having. Only the construction of this new identity could make possible Progress.

Socialism In South America

Everybody knows the first enemies of USA’s  political power are socialists countries.

When Obama became president almost all latinamericans thought he would bring peace to our countries, but it seems he CANNOT do anything. The monster behind USA’s politics has threatened him. For instance, before he were president, he said he didn’t want a free trade agreement with Colombia, and this was largely displayed on the media , even debated with Hillary. Well… that issue is now forgotten… The trade is still being negotiated by both countries.

In South America we’re living tough times due to the president of Venezuela: Hugo Chávez who has been manipulating the country since 1999, time that he has invested in buying the support of other latinamerican presidents such as those who actually rule Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador. His biggest plan is to establish the basis of socialism in South America.

Yesterday he admitted that his most profound love along with Venezuela, it’s Colombia; while he was trying to defend himself of the accusations made by the Colombian government on account of Venezuelan warfare sold to FARC and, by responding only to four questions of three socialists journalists in his press conference.  If I say his it’s because he has no time or subject limit in it. He does what he wants and everyone thinks it’s right.

He dreams the same dream Simón Bolívar had. Bolíviar was the Liberator of five South American countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Bolivar fought against Spain and Chávez fights now against The United States. Bolívar wanted his five countries to be as one, and Chávez wants all Soutn America countries to join the Bolivar dream too!

Colombia is The name of Bolívar’s biggest project, it was created by him. The project consisted in the integration of all South America in one big nation. This is what Chávez has in his mind. But very, very, very regrettably… my country Colombia is the only country that has firmly opposed to him, and the main reason is this: The FARC.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is the most ancient guerrilla in the world. This group was born in 1964 as a response to the murders ordered by the Colombian government in order to silence the voices of great leaders who pursued the prosperity of poor people, the equality of the Colombian people.

Unfortunately, those kinds of murders still persist. Colombia has cried a river for all these great leaders, and they weren’t socialists! They were just men with magnanimous spirits;  the same I once saw in your president Obama.

Colombia’s enemies are just two: Narcotrafic and the FARC, which is the same USA’s has: Socialism…

Since Colombia’s government has found plenty of proofs related to the support of Ecuador, Venezuela, China and Russia are giving to FARC, president Alvaro Uribe had to create strong bonds between Colombia and The United States: The Free Trade Agreement, The Plan Colombia (since president Pastrana’s administration), and now the Seven Military Bases in our territory…

Believe it or not, this could be the beginning of the next war and every country has different intentions:

Uribe intends to destroy Farc.

Chavez intends to Conquer Colombia.

Obama, follows orders…

The United States Political Power intends to Conquer Venezuela. (That’s what Chávez says!)

Yes, nobody denies Venezuela is the richest country in South America-specifically in natural resources such as oil- as well as the record or wars The United States has provoked in territories where oil abounds…

Both Uribe and Chavez are deeply afraid of what will happen next. Chávez in his press conference said he has nothing to do with the Venezuelan warfare found in FARC encampments. Uribe is visiting all South American presidents in order to persuade them to respect Colombian’s decision on having those military bases in the territory.

The president of Ecuador Correa seems not to be afraid of the video where the head of the FARC “Mono Jojoy” says he contributed with money to Correa’s presidential campaign. He said he didn’t received any money and he blamed his ex-minister Larrea. That’s funny!

Well, I sincerely hope Obama recovers his spirit and wisdom, I hope he gives us some hope. I hope he won’t be afraid, at least him.

Why Socio-Affective Realm is the Summit of Knowledge

A strong generalized conviction in the field of education – which has been inherited from Vygotsky – reminds us thoughts precede actions and actions are loaded with cultural symbols; so that there is always a social transaction in thinking development.

Language serves as the maximum vehicle of thought whilst thought seeks meaning; but, this meaning is recognized when trying to understand the environment through communication, which is also known as coconstruction. Yet, educators must surpass the scope of simply guarantying the dynamic meaning exchange by embodying the most profound and human trait of meaning: “affection”, by understanding the meaning of “affections” in themselves and in others.

In current psychological views, affection is intertwined with emotion; however there is a misconception of the last posited in James Lange’s theory believed to be mainly  an acquired response that does not convey meaning until it is bodily experienced. The etymology of emotion asserts to be the contrary. An emotion is a bodily response to an external fact which underwent a thinking process in search of a meaning. This is what educators must foster in children: “unearthing the meaning laid in symbols of language or in emotions related to themselves or others”. Affection begins by getting acquainted with the reasons that move a human being to act.

Knowledge should not be a personal asset; it has to be seen as a public object of permanent debate by which everyone ponders the quality of sense and its relevance in a well defined culture; as well as affections and their expressions –emotions and actions- due to its extreme importance for the comprehension of acts properly human. It is possible to develop an affective rationality that allows students to  initially understand themselves rather than judging other’s behavior.

Educators must also take into account not only the stages of cognitive development but the stages of emotional development; both, encompassed in the formidable and complex greatness of a human being. The challenge of education is not to sever the cognitive and the affective domains that make up a person. Rather, the challenge is to recognize the student as a whole, as well as knowledge should not always be seen ad hoc, conversely, it should be seen always “in relation to…”

Within the study of emotional stages, according to Erikson’s theory, identity in children, young people and adults is nurtured and distinguished through the formation of solid virtues which boost their personalities. These virtues  define traits all humans share  and strengthen their relationship with others. This means, to grasp understanding of the uniqueness of one’s personality, it is necessary to create bridges of communication that allow the expansion of perspectives.

Once understood the role of emotions and affections by sharing meanings, a firm posture will start to flourish to judge society and its structural changes. Knowledge is meant for this, for decoding the multiplicity of symbols that make a society better or worse. In light of this, symbols recover their original meaning in correspondence with what has to be done for the welfare of each and every human being, for the sake of society as the recipient of all constructs or as the result of the uppermost human thinking.

Are Teachers Supposed to “Teach” Values?

According to Socrates the highest level of   knowledge is “Self-knowledge” and the  truest  is  “Goodness”. This explains why knowledge is always tending to reach the truth in thoughts and actions, and how it is originated intrinsically as a product of a mental process over   matter.

Some of many remarkable proverbs that illustrate for us how values are born such as “Cogito ergo sum”, “Know thyself” or “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” reveal to us that value is what we add to the object not what the object is  in itself.  Moreover, values are not to be seen separately owing to their existence. It is only possible when consciousness appears, in a well defined circumstance and within a specific culture’s value system. This is why teachers must be aware of those systems in order to foster values in children.

As an example, in many countries of Europe and America people are dressed in black when attending at a funeral, while in India they   dress in white. These behaviors are not values but they lead to them. Every norm or cultural rule is oriented to further a value,  to show respect, as in this case.

In our schools we have plenty of rules, most of them unrelated to the culture or the needs of our present society –belonging to the national plan of education. Additionally they do not foster a value, but simply pursue reinforcing an action. However, actions that are truly human go through a thinking process that  eventually ends in the performance of a good action. Teachers should not arbitrarily continue performing such an  instinctive practice of behaviorism, which treat students as if they were animals learning from punishment and rewards. Teachers must encourage students to find, by themselves, the value of what they see  as it relates to the desirable state of being of those objects. Students have to be always required to state their position on the daily situations they meet at school, at home or in other contexts of life.  Above all, they have to  begin by recognizing their own actions and whether their outcomes are good or bad, right or wrong.

Nevertheless, how are students going to state a position if they lack of a basis called moral code? In this aspect, students’  level of values differ because of their religious or non-religious views. They judge reality according to what they have been taught  primarily at home, or  by their church. Then at school, we come to the point where we realize the differences between personal and communal values, as well as the universality of values protected by the Human Rights. Student’s must own or be aware of their moral code in order not to be  influenced by the changing media criteria, which in its turn is  predisposed by the phenomenon of globalization.

One of a Teachers’ primary contributions to society is  to raise the awareness of the richness of personal and cultural values each student  posseses, by eliciting their judgments on relevant aspects of life; allowing the disclosure of the truth behind the shallow ideas that  circulate in the media and  attempt to make us live the ignorance of the wrong thoughts and their subsequent actions. Both teachers and students are called  upon to make a stand for defending the truth, the goodness in truth.