Why Do I Do What I Do?

It’s been 4 months since my last blog update. The reason of such a gap in time is… because I truly wanted to immerse myself in the experience of being a Head of Department. However, such title or job position does not fully convey a personal objective. I personally did not accept to coordinate the Academy of Sciences because of money or prestige. I accepted the challenge because I truly believe that one can transcend through education. I accepted the challenge because I firmly believe that everyone, regardless of age, gender, and social background is good at Math and Science.

Let me elaborate on that point. Back when I was in middle school I had a teacher who revolutionized my previous conceptions of how Algebra is taught. In a time where most of my classmates seemed to despise Mathematics, along came a teacher who had a “special gift” that no other teacher had. He made Math elegant and simple to follow. While he was explaining abstract concepts, he moved gracefully in front of the class, and used magnificently structured procedures to illustrate new analytical notions. That is when I realized that not only Mathematics but Science in general could be shared, and everyone would be delighted in the learning process.

As the years rolled by, I had the opportunity to become a Science and Math teacher. In the 4 years I have taught Science and Math I have NEVER found ANYONE who is terrible at them. Even some of the students who had a very negative predisposition to subjects such as Algebra, Calculus, Chemistry and Physics eventually started to demonstrate a positive bond with these disciplines. How is that possible? How could a teacher inspire a student to get rid of stereotypes regarding Math and Science? How could a teacher demonstrate that Science and Math have an actual application in real life? The key term is motivation. Since motivation is such a contagious feeling, not only it affects the mental structure of a student, but it percolates all the way into his or her emotions. A student must establish an emotional connection with Math and Science. In other words, Math and Science have to make not only logical, but emotional “sense”.

Coordinating the Academy of Sciences has led me through a path of trial and error, long working nights, sleep deprivations, mood swings, and fear. However, the premise of changing how Mathematics and Science are perceived is what drives me to collaborate with the teachers who support the Academy and the students with whom we share our classes as teachers. This is my code of beliefs. This is why I do this.

I am tired of listening to the mantra “I hate Math. I hate Sciences. They are difficult. They are boring. There are no good Math and Science Teachers. My parents tell me that I’m not good at Algebra. My parents were never good at Math and Science.”

So, if you are a teacher or student who is reading this statement, I encourage you to believe that Science and Mathematics can be fun, interesting, and transcendental. Science and Mathematics can be learned and enjoyed by everyone. Let’s demonstrate that to the world.

New Year's Resolution and the Florida Experience

This is an uninspiring title for my first blog entry of 2012. I know it, rest assured. However, I have experienced a particular urge to unleash some creative juices. For a couple of months, a slight yearn to write has pervaded my thoughts. The best way to do it is to keep on nourishing this blog which I started almost a year ago. It is not surprising that I left it almost unattended during the last quarter. The chores and responsibilities of coordinating the Academy of Sciences, completing a Master's course, starting a CA on Management, and providing significant academic experiences consumed my energy. Thus, the only new year resolution that I have made to myself is to... WRITE.

Let's begin!

There is a recent anecdote that I would like to share with you. I had the opportunity to travel to Florida during Christmastime. 20 years had passed since I visited Orlando's theme parks. That visit, back in 1991, is still in my memory as one of the most influential experiences of my life . Not only did I enjoy the chance to meet Mickey, or ride a Delorean in Back to The Future: The Ride; I got exposed to the English language. I noticed my parent's frustration while trying to communicate in a language they did not grasp. Nevertheless, English appeared to me as an intellectually appealing tongue that narrated Epcot's rides. English narrated the Future. Moreover, I regarded USA as a pristine land of wide highways, largen-than-life shopping malls,sky-high bookstores and a Shangri-La for gamers and readers. Even the airports smelled like new cars. To summarize, USA became my tomorrowland when compared to Guadalajara.

Fast forward 20 years until last week...

What happened to the United States?
What happened to what Epcot and the Magic Kingdom used to represent?

First, I do not know why there is no decent or easy to understand public transportation in the Orlando area. The only means to arrive to one's hotel is by either taxy or renting a car. Both options are expensive, and the distance to Disney's theme parks from the airport is around 25 miles. Add to it, the traffic, ridiculous toll lanes (that charge $0.75 cents every 4 miles), and fuel consumption. In other words, Orlando's transportation system is not economically sustainable for tourists. I do not want to get into the environmental issue, but you may figure it out based on what I've just wrote.

Secondly, there was a time when Disney's Florida theme parks were landmarks of innovation. The Future was designed in the dark spaces of Space Mountain or in the scenes of Horizons at Epcot. Now, the monorail looks outdated, the Contemporary and Polinesian hotels appear worn out, and there was not a single original idea living in Epcot. Both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot are stuck in an old vision of what the future promised. Such a vision, under present lenses, only produces melancholy. Why has Disney stopped iinvesting in new and inspiring IP? Could it be due to executive corruption where personal wallets are more important than vision?

On a third and final note, we had lunch at the Tortuga Tavern at Adventureland in Magic Kingdom. Burritos and salads were ordered. I was given by the cast members a handful of sour cream packets, which were around 4 ounces each (quite respectable). We only used 2 packets. The other 3 packets were not even opened. I asked one of the cast members what should I do with the unopened packets. Her answer? "Throw them away". Does Disney have any idea of how much money the company could earn by controlling that flow of unwanted packets? What happens to the whole "sustainable" speech if one of America's top companies dismisses it?

The only spark of innovation of what used to be a land of dreams were Universal Studios. The Marvel and Harry Potter areas at Islands of Adventure are filled with innovative and creative rides that promise a bright future for the theme park industry.

It is no wonder that nations and companies change, but ideals cannot be prostituted by negligence such as the one I experienced at Orlando Florida and Disney's Theme Parks.

Comments? Be my guest!

Simplification is the Ultimate Sophistication

Coordinating the Academy of Sciences at Prepa Tec Santa Anita has been one of the most significant experiences in my life. I regard it as an incredible platform from which the realm of education may be pushed forward. Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Information Technology are the subjects that I oversee along a team of professors. Someone who is versed in modern science trends may notice that although those subjects are not new to any science curriculum, their interaction is being considered as “converging sciences”. Biotechnology, Robotics, Nanotechnology and Bio-mathematics are examples of sciences that branch out of the broader ones. These evolving sciences promise a bright and exciting technological, economical, and social future. I truly believe that education and the converging sciences depend on one another. Education programs that focus on creativity foster innovation in science and technology, while technological tools nurture the academic experience.

As a coordinator, I’m seduced by hundreds of new ideas that I would like to implement in Santa Anita’s Academy of Sciences. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the exuberance of contemporary research and product development. However, a proper education curriculum is not about how much it expands itself; but how deep, effective and qualified it is. Let me illustrate this point. While reading Walter Isaacson’s outstanding “Steve Jobs” biography, I came across a manifesto that is known as the “Cook Doctrine” (stated by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook):

We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products, and that’s not changing. We are constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot. And frankly, we don’t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change. And I think, regardless of who is in that job, those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well.

Just as Cook declares, I also believe that any education curriculum that truly wants to promote a revolution in the classroom needs to focus its energy in a clearly defined set of projects. Prepa Tec Santa Anita’s main projects are: Attracting the interesting in science and technology through innovative and inspirational teaching; establishing a competitive robotics club; and developing science projects that are internationally recognized in the areas of biotechnology and sustainability. We are beginning from zero, but the phenomenal potential of Santa Anita’s students makes me feel confident and enthusiastic.

I would like to finish this entry with the following conference by Juan Enriquez Cabot, author of As the Future Catches You. Think about it ;)

What makes great lessons great?

I have often wondered why students are enthralled by some classes, but seem disgusted by others. Is it the teacher? Is it the group? Is it a synergy of both? Should we blame the subject? I have encountered incredibly social and charismatic individuals who fail while teaching High School students. I have also met highly educated researchers and scholars who flunk at teaching this type of pupils. Is there a secret formula that guarantees a course that everyone wants to attend? For this particular article, I want to focus on my sole experience.

As I have said before, think about your favorite movie; most endearing emotional relationship; the trip that changed your life; or a product that you truly love. What lies under their greatness? Details. Details shape the classroom too.

I have always designed my classes based on a single principle—what is the type of lesson I would like to attend to? Personally, I loved classes that not only talked about the content of the class, but how it was related to the world around me. If science and humanities come from daily life situations, why do we have to de-humanize them within four walls and one boring speaker? So, my classes take some detours that freshen up the learning environment. Some detours are planned. Some are unexpected.

This leads me to a second ingredient for a great class—the teacher’s expertise. Taking a detour implies boldness, courage, wisdom, and rich general culture. I encourage teachers to read, watch, taste, and marvel at everything that happens around them. Take it back to the classroom. Your students will appreciate it. Talk about pop culture, emotional relationships, fashion, technology, demography, sociology, sports, and trends. Even if you regard a topic as “non-sense” get involved with it. It will not only benefit your courses, but will nourish you as a human being as well. We as teachers enjoy something that actors have always used—fame, mysticism, and social attraction. What the teacher has personally experienced will always get the attention of the student. USE IT!

Moreover, John Lasseter, creative director at Pixar Animation Studios once said that “research is the funniest part of doing an animated film”. Teachers, research!
Some other important elements for teaching an outstanding lesson are confidence in one’s strengths, confidence in the students, doses of humor, and a sense of exploration. Let your students work for some minutes. Mesmerize them with a question. Questions are far more interesting than their answers for they remain open to human interpretation.

The sensorial stimulus is also important. Develop a characteristic dress code. Wear what suits you the most, while adding an almost imperceptible edge. Bright ties, bright shirts, long shoes, sunglasses while walking down the hallways... They all work.

The most decisive sensorial stimulus? Music. Play music to your students while they work in an activity, and they will impress you. Cell phones will suddenly become quiet, students will ask you about the name of the song, and by using both cerebral hemispheres the learning product may impress you.
I know that producing a great class takes time and a personal touch. Listen to your teacher sense and DO IT NEXT CLASS.

Is Google Destroying Our Memory?

I found an interesting article regarding how we relay on Internet search engines and Wikipedia to look for information we do not need to memorize.

What I personally promote is the fact that education needs to re-focus itself into understanding how concepts work and relate to each other through formative assessment than memorizing or learning by heart. Purely quantitative evaluation hinders the learning process because numbers do not necessarily tell the whole story behind a student's development.

It is our duty as educators to provide a platform that will structure the minds of students to gather new knowledge through appreciation of what makes a concept exist, and how it relates to daily life.

Feel free to comment!

Google Is Destroying Your Memory

Dropouts, gamers, students... where are guys heading?

Where have I been for the last 2 months? Part 2: Framingham and Prepa Tec Santa Anita

It has been a hectic month and the blog updates have not been as copious as I wish them to. I am currently living one of the most interesting periods of my professional life since I have been appointed as Academy of Sciences Coordinator at Prepa Tec Santa Anita, where I taught for three semesters during 2009-2010.
Right after my return from Shanghai I studied two courses from the Master Program of Framingham State University. The first course was about Curriculum Mapping and Differentiation, while the second course was mainly devoted to Special Education. I really want to stress the fact that I came in contact with theories and concepts that have been around the United States for around two decades, but have been almost unheard of here in Mexico. Differentiation really struck me since it allows teachers to devote themselves to those students who learn by unique ways. The Framingham courses were exhausting, but extremely rewarding for I am constantly applying them as a Coordinator.
Moreover, I have felt a tremendous responsibility since the Academy of Sciences Coordination is a fresh position. It is a new project that aims to strengthen the curriculum, quality, and academic presence of Prepa Tec Santa Anita. The Coordination involves all six levels of Math (from Algebra to Calculus), Inorganic Chemistry/Organic Chemistry (which are known as Matter and Change/Carbon and its Compounds respectively), Physics, and Information Technologies. Right now it is the largest coordination in Prepa Tec Santa Anita.
Besides coordinating teachers, going back to teaching Chemistry, and preparing Life Science courses, I am also in charge of looking for interesting projects that will benefit students in hands-on experiences. If you, as a reader, know about ANY science projects out there, internationally speaking, let me know!
The challenges behind coordinating an extremely talented group of teachers are daunting, but so far it is an outstanding opportunity to inspire and walk through new roads of academic innovation.
By the way, by Mandarin skills keep on improving!
More updates coming!
Jorge