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

Where have I been for the last 2 months? Part 1: China

I perfectly remember the first quote I read during High School--“Writing is mind traveling, destination unknown”. Just like a thunder in the middle of a clear day, it struck me. I often compare teaching to the writing experience. Education involves not only mind travel, but an emotional trek as well. The destination may appear as unknown to both teacher and student. So, based on that premise, the last two months propelled me to two different destinations. One, became an actual location; the other, an academic location. I am talking about China and Framingham, respectively.

Yes, I taught in Shanghai. Yes, I lived over there for around 5 weeks. However, the important fact is not teaching, or living in China, but experiencing China. Feeling what China means in the contemporary world is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in my life. As a XX century born westerner one may think that eastern countries exist as exotic locations where one can draw comparisons to his or her homeland. Moreover, because western societies have more or less defined the world through industrialization, the illusion of believing that the world has to dance under Western tunes is enticing. Well, it should not be. One does not teach China. One learns from China.

The majority of developed western societies are nowadays hit by unemployment, credit crisis, inflation and a low morale. In the case of Mexico social insecurity, political confusion and an uncertain future are evident. However, China rises as a vibrant and dynamic beacon of hope. I do not want to fall into generalizations, but my personal experience tells me that the West tends to fear China. We listen to news about how China forbids Facebook, challenges Google, exploits its citizens, and pollutes the atmosphere. What I actually witnessed is a country devoted to progress, guided by what Martin Jacques describes as a “civilization state”. Moreover, China possesses an extraordinary foundation on education. It is important to note that Confucius’ beliefs regarding education and family are still alive in China. Beliefs that have dated for more than 2,500 years keep on permeating a nation dedicated to economic growth. This is not an overstatement, since visiting a Chinese school portrays this fact. Children and teenagers study for long hours, go to Saturday afternoon School, analyze literature and nature, comprehend mathematics, and maintain order within the classroom. Schools play a central role in Chinese life. What surprised me the most is how Chinese individuals respect teachers. China may well be the only country where I have experienced a sincere affection for the teaching profession. It does not matter what one teaches, saying 我是老师 (I am a teacher) produces admiration. In Mexico there is a belief that teachers are service providers who did not have a chance in another professional field. Or in the case of the United States, teachers may be sued because they do not comply with a parent’s whim. Due to a long history of Confucianism, China treats education as a pivotal element in society. Without teachers and respect for sages, there is no fabric that unites society. Unity is a key concept of Chinese existence. While the west is mesmerized by economic and corporate gurus, China still considers teachers as strategic persons for social, economical and political development. This is the reason why we must learn from China.

Now, regarding the Sustainability course, it seems that students enjoyed it and understood the value of sustainable development. A subject that was first considered as pure “ecology” became a daily quest of analysis, questions, discovery, and significant learning. I cannot be happier with the results of all students under my wing. That course is both my signature and dedication to students who are brave enough to visualize the importance of travelling to Shanghai, and listening to what the next largest economy has to say to the rest of the planet. To all those students: thank you and congratulations for your valiance.

Last night before the departure

So here I am... packing.

Today was quite emotional since I turned in the final version of the Environment and Sustainability course. Now, it is time to think about giving it that extra "punch" that students love. What has been included in the course? What type of learning materials? Any interesting videos? Any riveting articles and case studies? The only thing I can reveal is that I regard it as a personal endeavor. It is one of the most significant events in my career as a teacher. This course has the potential to be replicated and evangelized. I would like to consider it as one of those surprise hit movies that you never expected they were THAT good (500 days of summer, Pan's Labyrinth, District 9, The Social Network, and The Matrix come to my mind). They are the kind of films you can't wait to watch them with a person who hasn't seen them. I would like to compare myself to the directors of those films who knew they had something amazing, but were not that sure whether they would mesmerize audiences.

Tomorrow will be dedicated to tying "loose knots" regarding the trip to Shanghai. I have to confess that I barely know what awaits in China. The fact of having almost 30 students under my wing implies a gargantuan responsibility. It is a personal commitment to the trust Prepa Tec has given me.

So, less than 60 hours remain before the experience begins.

Designing the Course of a Lifetime Part 2

It's been a busy week.

I have devoted a significant amount of time developing the Environment and Sustainability course. It seems like it may never end!

I am almost finished with the Sustainability section of the course which considers the main spectrum of the concept. The main guidelines related to the Final Project are almost finished as well.

Back on Thursday and Friday I attended an interesting training course. I received some hints and tips regarding how to provide a significant experience abroad. I also met the two tutors who will be helping me in Shanghai. Everything points towards an outstanding summer :)

I have gathered a myriad of interesting information which will definitely benefit the course. If you are interested on the state of the planet, I recommend you the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment which analyzes the state of the world under social, economical, and environmental perspectives. 1,300 scientists, the UN, and NGOs support it. It is worth a quick glance:

Millenium Ecosystem Assessment

Tomorrow I am having a last meeting with the colleagues who are also helping me. They will be teaching the course in Nice, France.

On the trip side, this week will be devoted to buying my personal belongings. Time is running faster than I expected.

More info later!

Designing the Course of a Lifetime

Next week I am visiting Shanghai to teach a course on Environment and Sustainability at a High School related to Tongji University.

Yes, I'm taking a plane with a group of High School students from Prepa Tec to fly halfway around the world. We will live for a month where I like to consider as the New York of the XXI century.

The most exciting part of planning the trip is not organizing my personal belongings, nor fantasizing about my second visit to Shanghai. The most exciting episode has been developing a course from scratch. It is not an everyday course. It is a course that has the potential to change the course of modern civilization. Why am I certain of such a statement?

The relationship between mankind and the biosphere is an extremely new discipline. Worries about our impact on the environment, and how it underpines social, economical, cultural and political dimensions were born during the 1970s. For a mere 30 years scientists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and economists have focused their efforts on tackling global issues under the label of "sustainability". That means, that out of 4 million years of human history, only 30 have been devoted to analyzing the conservation of the planet. Striking isn't it?

Flat fact: Sustainability is an EXTREMELY broad concept that has been vaguely defined. It is difficult to specifically define sustainability since the concept implies thousands of variables related to both human and natural existence. Moreover, this is the first time in the history of mankind where we are able to change our future and that of the planet.

As I'm doing my research, I have encountered a HUGE, TREMENDOUS amount of information regarding sustainability. I have learned that I need to cover topics related to astronomy and cosmology since they analyze how our plane came to be. Then, I need to talk about ecosystems, natural resources, Ecology, social issues, Ethnography, History, Anthropology, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Philosophy, Law, Religion, Economics and Finance to provide a large and significant spectrum to the students for all these disciplines are related to sustainability. After that, we will have to analyze societies that have collapsed due to an unsustainable scheme. Yes, societal collapses have happened throughout history. There are more than 20 cases that exemplify this outcome. Finally, I will need to share my knowledge regarding Design, Architecture, Mathematics, Production, Demographics, Computer Science, Statistics, Ergonomics, and Marketing. It may seem daunting and ambitious, but the fate of human existence strongly depends on sustainability. As Jared Diamond, Pulitzer-Price author of Guns, Germs and Steel (one of my favorite books) declares "There is no single cause for the collapse of a society. It is an intricate and complex process with at least a dozen causes".

My efforts on teaching the best course I could have my hands on will not only impact students to promote a change. It will need to trigger a revolution that will guarantee the future of mankind as a whole.

I recommend the following article in order to grasp the complexities of sustainability:

http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/iucn_future_of_sustanability.pdf

Tomorrow, I'm having a meeting to build the course's Final Project.

More info coming soon ;)

Another Semester Goes By...

I know it has been a while since my last update. For a month I became focused on finishing my first Master's Degree course, preparing my educational trip to Shanghai, and closing up this January/May semester. Sorry about the lack of updates, but here I am, back again with more time to reflect on Math, Education, and Life.

When a semester ends, a chapter is closed. It is always a bittersweet sensation; especially at Prepa Tec since teachers are rotated depending on the programmed subjects for the following semesters. Moreover, students reach their next level, and one is left expecting the next batch of people to work with. I guess nostalgia is a quientessential feature of every formative experience.

This semester's closure struck me for a particular reason. It has been the semester where I had the largest amount of failures in my 3-year career as a teacher. Every profession has its "horrific confession". Medics have to confess whenever cancer is detected, CEOs and Boards must declare a bankruptcy, a bank representative has to announce a foreclosure, and a boss has to directly fire someone due to budget restrictions. In education, this "confession" takes form in telling someone he or she has failed the course. It is especially striking with a person who struggled throughout the semester, but did not quite "make it".

To all those students who have experienced this situation I daresay--do not lose hope. If you tried hard, try harder now, and never get intimidated by the success of others. It is in YOUR hands, and SOLELY IN YOUR HANDS to achieve whatever you want to pursue. As teachers we commit endless hours to provide you with all the necessary tools you need, now it is time to act responsibly. Persist. Persist, and do not get desperate in dire times. Consider Math as an opportunity, and never as a threat. I will NEVER get tired of saying--NO ONE SUCKS AT MATH. Pardon the informality of the statement, but it is true. Keep on trying, do not settle. Eventually, you will master the topics that may not appear later as equations and integrals. The analytical process you developed will help you take better decisions in life. Even emotional ones ;)

Remember this quote whenever your hands get dirty when approaching a Math or Life problem:

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”
--Gandhi

"Globa", the Global State

An extremely interesting and highly debatable article regarding the exponential growth of the Internet, communications, and its effects on society.

It considers English as the dominant language (instead of Mandarin Chinese), the conflict between multicultured vs. monocultured individuals, economic blocks, and
interesting concepts such as "the artilect", "terrans" and "cyborgists".

Comments are always welcome!

http://www.kurzweilai.net/globa-global-state-by-2050