Monday, November 30, 2009

...visiting classrooms

Each morning that we were in Salamanca we were taken to visit a different school. The routine went like this: Arrive at the school and present ourselves to the principal or head teacher. Go through introductions and handshaking. Eat an "almuerzo" (brunch) prepared by parents in the community or by the secretaries. Visit classrooms. Observe for a few minutes, then give a visiting dignitary speech. (At first that kind of freaked me out, but then it was kind of fun!) Take photos with the students. Take a group photo with teachers and principals. The teachers were very nervous about being observed, and the kids were shy about talking to strangers, although at one school a group of girls gave me a note for my students--they want to be pen pals. We saw lots of learning going on, in spite of the limited resources available to them.

3 comments:

Leslie Morgan said...

As you know, I've spent some time in Mexico, including out-of-the-way places. I wish I'd been exposed to some of the school settings when I still worked for the union. I represented school employees and I think I'd have found comparison of the working conditions interesting. In another post you mentioned the tiny school that was fortunate to have a janitor and a secretary. Those would have been my people, my union members.

Word verification: circats

Cat clowns?

Doozyanner said...

I very much doubt the janitors and secretaries have a union! I believe the teachers do though, so maybe support staff do as well.

Leslie Morgan said...

Well, I'm surprised and pleased to hear that the teachers do, at least!

WV = preli. I'm preli sure you're right about the classified employees not being represented.