It’s a Wrap!
Congratulations! You’ve made it THIS FAR! Thank you for joining me on this adventure!
All the Fulbrighters reconvened in Bogota, ready to share all that they had seen, heard, learned, tasted and experienced! But first…a whole-group debrief session!
During the debrief, Whitney (our IREX consultant) gave each group a chance to share about their host communities, school communities, noticings and wonderings, reflections, and highlights! Team Villavicencio shared about our school community’s commitment to inclusive education, as well as the successes and struggles encountered by the students and teachers. After all the teams shared, some trends emerged:
Students across schools and regions displayed high levels of leadership (student-led vs teacher-led)
Cultural pride reflected in lessons and school events
Respect toward adults and care for materials and equipment
After-school programs are uncommon, but many specialty programs
Some common issues between US and Colombian schools were attendance and engagement as well as lack of motivation in language classes (ex. Why do I need to learn English?)
Some key differences between the US and Colombian school system that emerged:
Two sessions model
6 am - 12: 30 → primary or secondary
1:00 - 6:00 → primary or secondary
No after school program
After the presentations, we gathered in groups for our last professional reflection. Each table was divided into groups and topics. We were given copies of all the guiding questions submitted.
Preparing for our final professional reflection together
As we engaged in multiple round-table discussions, what stood out the most was that many people’s guiding questions were so different from the original questions due to our observations and experiences. Someone even asked “Are we asking the right questions? How can you answer these questions?” We reflected on our original questions being quite one-dimensional. For example, the guiding questions I submitted were the following:
How do Colombian teachers create a culture of a love of learning and encourage students to be active participants in their learning?
How do Colombian teachers incorporate Socio-emotional learning in their classrooms?
How has Colombian history shaped the development of their education system?
It was hard to answer these questions with how the questions are structured. The questions assume a monolithic experience; for example with the title “Colombian teachers”. However, as we all experienced, Colombian teachers are diverse, the schools they teach at are diverse, their student populations are diverse, and while there are things that may be categorized as Colombian, there are many things that are also shared with “American teachers”. This made me think that perhaps this is what it means to be Global; to honor our individual experiences while also recognizing our shared human experiences. Colombian and American teachers are teachers, and while there are definitely differences in pedagogical practices, culture, and language to name a few, good teaching is good teaching, no matter where you are in the world.
The IFE may have ended, but the partnerships and conversations continue. I am forever grateful to have had such a rewarding professional (and personal!) experience. Thank you, Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms!
Fulbright TGC Colombia 2023