Recently I was able to sit down with four teachers whose roles are similar to guidance counselors in the Unidad Académica School (read earlier posts regarding this special school!)
This is part two of our interview (part 3 in the series):
What are your goals for this year?
Diana- With them the goal that I always have, with the students I tutor is to try that they all can at least pass and move onto the next school year. Because they may fail, but that it’s the less possible so we don’t have the students who owe a lot so that it becomes very difficult that they can make it.
It’s each semester’s goal, to achieve, now that the school year is ending, that the ones in first year pass to second, that they can move to the next course in the best possible way.
That if we can even achieve that they pass it all, and by the end this is making an impact on them, this when I think about first and second degrees, if I think about the ones on third, it’s that they finish a career, that they finish high school and if they do enter a career to try to be there, in a follow up with them so that they make it. I would love to, it is not up to us, they really have to be there, but we can try that they achieve this. Also to help them in this road of properly choosing a career that the one they choose and hopefully get in, is what they want to do, so tomorrow they can make a living on something they want, that they enjoy, it’s like each semester’s goal.
Karen- It depends on the grade, the goals can vary if we talk about a first year, a goal would be to decrease the fail rate. It has diminished, this semester that just ended, from August to December if we compare it with the last one, we saw a decrease on the fail rate, and we have a collaborative work, not only this but all the teachers, therefore we must help the teachers, give them the tools, the motivation, that is also very important and also for the students.
And if we talk about a second and third degree, to help them in their professional, vocational choice and that the higher amount of students or all in third degree could get in and insert in the environment they choose, either in careers, there are people who decide to get to work, to help them with this life choice or life project.
Alejandra- I think if I speak about first year, my goal is that they can understand, the new educational plan is starting with the first year, and so that they can also understand everything that is going to be worked on, because if it’s new for us and sometimes complicated, they who are entering high school with a new approach and all that, then it’s even more complicated. That I could support them in that part, so they fail the less possible, and not only to support them in the academic side, but that I could also manage to support them on a personal basis, the ones who need it, because in first year I’ve encountered a number of cases that do need a personal support, but sometimes time is not enough to make a follow up. With second year to support them as much as possible and obviously to guide them the best possible for the choice of their elective subjects, which will help them to choose their careers and so they can enter faculties.
Well in my case of second and third degree, one of the goals that I set for myself this year is to find the way to have a personal talk to each one of them at a given time. Because what sometimes happens is that we enter the classrooms, it can’t be done with all of them and the fact to be able to get to know them a little better help us to get to know their necessities so it’s a goal I have in this semester, to talk to all of them even for a little while to get to know them deeper, and with the third years, the accompaniment in this professional and vocational part. With the irregular students my goal is to try to get most of them back on track, I don’t have a goal in numbers, that I have said 50, 60%, my idea is that it’s most of them. I don’t have a precise number but it should be the highest amount possible.
Could you tell me about the communitarian (service-learning programs) project?
Diana- Well the academic unit, it’s created having in mind the people who are in this area of Mérida, which is the south part, thinking that it’s people with low resources that could get in the UABIC at high school level, that is why it’s created, the admission doesn’t charge a fee, the idea is that the students pay as less as possible, so that is the intention to make an impact on that area, because when the students finished secondary school it may be hard to enter the high school because apart from the UABIC the other schools charge something, even if it’s monthly and even if it’s very little, it could be seen that not everyone could afford that, so they didn’t get to study high school. That’s the intention of the creation of the unit. That’s why through all these years even one of the criteria to get in is that you have to have low income and this project also seeks, as Karen commented that what is done here has an impact on the community of the person, that’s how communitarian projects are born.
Karen- Which is to be developing projects with the whole community, so they can also receive something from these students so it’s not only this part when the student comes, we give him everything, but also that we teach him that he has to give back to the community. So this is what is sought after through the whole project, and to try by all means that these people pay as less as possible.
Alejandra- Every time is harder for the UABIC, due to the economic situation, it’s also generated from the competence approach, which is what I told you that is different from the other high schools on the time, the student must develop skills not only to study and work but also for his daily living, learn how to solve problems, how to survive in the best possible way and above all thinking that if the students at least finish high school , the possibilities to improve their life quality expand a little bit, and if they continue in a career it’s even better, that’s the intention of the project.
Which are the most important national issues in education, for you?
Diana- The most pressing matters, I think it’s first to try that education can be for everyone even when they don’t have the means, one of the things that the school is about. Because there are people who simply have no resources that couldn’t make it if there weren’t places where you can study even if you have low income, then you won’t make it.
Another thing I think it’s important, as Claudia says, that we not only focus on the academic part, one is everything, it is “I’m smart I’m doing fine” and everything but also the personal side, to learn that the student can have the emotional intelligence to adapt and survive, to solve problems because jobs are a demand in some way. Another one is that when the study plans are created, this population is also taken into account, it’s what we were saying, sometimes I ask something from a student and it’s all on the Internet, print all of it and that’s a lot of money, and if the student doesn’t have it, also to think about the people which you are targeting the education to, not all of them can do all you ask of them.
Claudia - I think it’s also important to consider all of this, and also the characteristics of the schools, to be aware of all this to know what to take with me, we even see that not every generation is the same, there are ones with different problems and you realize that sometimes my lessons have to be different because the students have certain characteristic, it’s day to day challenges not only here but maybe in the education field in general.
Another important matter of the education I think it could be the teacher’s training, to open up spaces for this and find the way that the teacher doesn’t feel it’s an imposition but rather a place open to acquire new knowledge that go along with this formation this creation of study plans that suit the population that I’m working with and also that it could be clear that in the education not everything has to be so rigid, it can be flexible according to the population that I’m targeting, even the classroom that I am teaching.
Karen- Likewise I think there would have to be that the knowledge are really of use for each population, that it can be applied on their daily life, because sometimes we pretend and come up with a super study plan and in reality it won’t be of any help for the population, so, that the education and knowledge being offered can be applied on their daily basis, I think that’s important, also to take into account the personal issues of each generation, each individual and each classroom, because I can teach the same subject in three different classrooms and I work in different ways because each classroom works in a different way.
Alejandra- There’s also the part of the educative system, speaking specifically about the country, the highest authorities that regulate, to see that these are people really focused on the student rather than in personal interests of whoever is in charge at the moment. Because many times the workers union and that kind of groups are looking after their interests and we miss the basic and most important which is the quality of the education that is being given in the country. Regarding the students, the quality of the education we are providing, how are we preparing people from pre-school level to bachelor’s degree that is now like a business, there are many schools with the permits and many people come out of these schools with a degree and they lack the preparation.
So we take good care of the economic-interest part, and also the teaching vocation, a teacher is someone who has to have a call and to be really looking after the well-being, that part of the knowledge that they commented, this closeness to the student and all of that, not just coming here and teaching and if they understood well, if not too bad.
When I asked them what they would most like to change at their school, it was again, a very similar refrain...
Diana- I’d very much like to, well I think, that the teachers have a greater opening to understand that many times a student’s behavior in the classroom is also related with the situation at his house, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a super problem or something, or maybe it’s regarding his personality traits, to learn to understand that there is something behind, that we can talk to them, that the teachers won’t be so drastic and that they don’t label a student. That they learn they can handle this, to be open about these situations, to have more sensibility, more empathy.
We have teachers who definitely have this, but others have a harder time with this part, I think it’s a very important job to give them a space where they could maintain a contact, either through courses, activities where they get the chance to develop these abilities because sometimes they are also very busy with activities all day and it’s harder to work with them in some way, they don’t cooperate as much. That’s one of the things I would do.
Karen - I think what would also help and be cool is that , a change that could be made, is that if we demand that people here have to be really in need, with low resources then we could offer more economical support and scholarships so they could really finish the high school, the same number of scholarships is given as in high school number 1 and 2, and we have more people in need here so I think there would have to be a lot more of this help here in this school, so that would be possible.
Alejandra- Yes, I think the economic support part is important and also as they were commenting before, the training, that the teacher could be aware, we can’t ask them to think like psychologist but that he could notice, even to channel a case, to explore the corresponding problems with the tutors, that the psychologists could explore and see if they discover a problematic situation.
In the same way that some space would be open where we could deliver the grades, normally for us, our parents took a look at our grades, be it at the meetings, because they can read and write, here sometimes we’ve seen some parents can’t read, so if they come for the grade and they don’t ask out of shame, they leave with many doubts, they also don’t know about the Internet. Open up a space so the parents could check these grades online, we have been asked about this, to open a space for parents so they know how to access, because the student does but he doesn’t always show this, sometimes it’s not convenient for him because he is doing badly academically.
Claudia - Also another thing I would change, is to have a bit more of collaborative work in the different areas, because sometimes we have a situation and we have to see who can help out, so if we all would be in the same tune, focused on look after the best for the student it’d be easier to support the students in that sense.
COMING UP, alternative views on education and an interview with the Director of my favorite school
This is part two of our interview (part 3 in the series):
What are your goals for this year?
Diana- With them the goal that I always have, with the students I tutor is to try that they all can at least pass and move onto the next school year. Because they may fail, but that it’s the less possible so we don’t have the students who owe a lot so that it becomes very difficult that they can make it.
It’s each semester’s goal, to achieve, now that the school year is ending, that the ones in first year pass to second, that they can move to the next course in the best possible way.
That if we can even achieve that they pass it all, and by the end this is making an impact on them, this when I think about first and second degrees, if I think about the ones on third, it’s that they finish a career, that they finish high school and if they do enter a career to try to be there, in a follow up with them so that they make it. I would love to, it is not up to us, they really have to be there, but we can try that they achieve this. Also to help them in this road of properly choosing a career that the one they choose and hopefully get in, is what they want to do, so tomorrow they can make a living on something they want, that they enjoy, it’s like each semester’s goal.
Karen- It depends on the grade, the goals can vary if we talk about a first year, a goal would be to decrease the fail rate. It has diminished, this semester that just ended, from August to December if we compare it with the last one, we saw a decrease on the fail rate, and we have a collaborative work, not only this but all the teachers, therefore we must help the teachers, give them the tools, the motivation, that is also very important and also for the students.
And if we talk about a second and third degree, to help them in their professional, vocational choice and that the higher amount of students or all in third degree could get in and insert in the environment they choose, either in careers, there are people who decide to get to work, to help them with this life choice or life project.
Alejandra- I think if I speak about first year, my goal is that they can understand, the new educational plan is starting with the first year, and so that they can also understand everything that is going to be worked on, because if it’s new for us and sometimes complicated, they who are entering high school with a new approach and all that, then it’s even more complicated. That I could support them in that part, so they fail the less possible, and not only to support them in the academic side, but that I could also manage to support them on a personal basis, the ones who need it, because in first year I’ve encountered a number of cases that do need a personal support, but sometimes time is not enough to make a follow up. With second year to support them as much as possible and obviously to guide them the best possible for the choice of their elective subjects, which will help them to choose their careers and so they can enter faculties.
Well in my case of second and third degree, one of the goals that I set for myself this year is to find the way to have a personal talk to each one of them at a given time. Because what sometimes happens is that we enter the classrooms, it can’t be done with all of them and the fact to be able to get to know them a little better help us to get to know their necessities so it’s a goal I have in this semester, to talk to all of them even for a little while to get to know them deeper, and with the third years, the accompaniment in this professional and vocational part. With the irregular students my goal is to try to get most of them back on track, I don’t have a goal in numbers, that I have said 50, 60%, my idea is that it’s most of them. I don’t have a precise number but it should be the highest amount possible.
Could you tell me about the communitarian (service-learning programs) project?
Diana- Well the academic unit, it’s created having in mind the people who are in this area of Mérida, which is the south part, thinking that it’s people with low resources that could get in the UABIC at high school level, that is why it’s created, the admission doesn’t charge a fee, the idea is that the students pay as less as possible, so that is the intention to make an impact on that area, because when the students finished secondary school it may be hard to enter the high school because apart from the UABIC the other schools charge something, even if it’s monthly and even if it’s very little, it could be seen that not everyone could afford that, so they didn’t get to study high school. That’s the intention of the creation of the unit. That’s why through all these years even one of the criteria to get in is that you have to have low income and this project also seeks, as Karen commented that what is done here has an impact on the community of the person, that’s how communitarian projects are born.
Karen- Which is to be developing projects with the whole community, so they can also receive something from these students so it’s not only this part when the student comes, we give him everything, but also that we teach him that he has to give back to the community. So this is what is sought after through the whole project, and to try by all means that these people pay as less as possible.
Alejandra- Every time is harder for the UABIC, due to the economic situation, it’s also generated from the competence approach, which is what I told you that is different from the other high schools on the time, the student must develop skills not only to study and work but also for his daily living, learn how to solve problems, how to survive in the best possible way and above all thinking that if the students at least finish high school , the possibilities to improve their life quality expand a little bit, and if they continue in a career it’s even better, that’s the intention of the project.
Which are the most important national issues in education, for you?
Diana- The most pressing matters, I think it’s first to try that education can be for everyone even when they don’t have the means, one of the things that the school is about. Because there are people who simply have no resources that couldn’t make it if there weren’t places where you can study even if you have low income, then you won’t make it.
Another thing I think it’s important, as Claudia says, that we not only focus on the academic part, one is everything, it is “I’m smart I’m doing fine” and everything but also the personal side, to learn that the student can have the emotional intelligence to adapt and survive, to solve problems because jobs are a demand in some way. Another one is that when the study plans are created, this population is also taken into account, it’s what we were saying, sometimes I ask something from a student and it’s all on the Internet, print all of it and that’s a lot of money, and if the student doesn’t have it, also to think about the people which you are targeting the education to, not all of them can do all you ask of them.
Claudia - I think it’s also important to consider all of this, and also the characteristics of the schools, to be aware of all this to know what to take with me, we even see that not every generation is the same, there are ones with different problems and you realize that sometimes my lessons have to be different because the students have certain characteristic, it’s day to day challenges not only here but maybe in the education field in general.
Another important matter of the education I think it could be the teacher’s training, to open up spaces for this and find the way that the teacher doesn’t feel it’s an imposition but rather a place open to acquire new knowledge that go along with this formation this creation of study plans that suit the population that I’m working with and also that it could be clear that in the education not everything has to be so rigid, it can be flexible according to the population that I’m targeting, even the classroom that I am teaching.
Karen- Likewise I think there would have to be that the knowledge are really of use for each population, that it can be applied on their daily life, because sometimes we pretend and come up with a super study plan and in reality it won’t be of any help for the population, so, that the education and knowledge being offered can be applied on their daily basis, I think that’s important, also to take into account the personal issues of each generation, each individual and each classroom, because I can teach the same subject in three different classrooms and I work in different ways because each classroom works in a different way.
Alejandra- There’s also the part of the educative system, speaking specifically about the country, the highest authorities that regulate, to see that these are people really focused on the student rather than in personal interests of whoever is in charge at the moment. Because many times the workers union and that kind of groups are looking after their interests and we miss the basic and most important which is the quality of the education that is being given in the country. Regarding the students, the quality of the education we are providing, how are we preparing people from pre-school level to bachelor’s degree that is now like a business, there are many schools with the permits and many people come out of these schools with a degree and they lack the preparation.
So we take good care of the economic-interest part, and also the teaching vocation, a teacher is someone who has to have a call and to be really looking after the well-being, that part of the knowledge that they commented, this closeness to the student and all of that, not just coming here and teaching and if they understood well, if not too bad.
When I asked them what they would most like to change at their school, it was again, a very similar refrain...
Diana- I’d very much like to, well I think, that the teachers have a greater opening to understand that many times a student’s behavior in the classroom is also related with the situation at his house, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a super problem or something, or maybe it’s regarding his personality traits, to learn to understand that there is something behind, that we can talk to them, that the teachers won’t be so drastic and that they don’t label a student. That they learn they can handle this, to be open about these situations, to have more sensibility, more empathy.
We have teachers who definitely have this, but others have a harder time with this part, I think it’s a very important job to give them a space where they could maintain a contact, either through courses, activities where they get the chance to develop these abilities because sometimes they are also very busy with activities all day and it’s harder to work with them in some way, they don’t cooperate as much. That’s one of the things I would do.
Karen - I think what would also help and be cool is that , a change that could be made, is that if we demand that people here have to be really in need, with low resources then we could offer more economical support and scholarships so they could really finish the high school, the same number of scholarships is given as in high school number 1 and 2, and we have more people in need here so I think there would have to be a lot more of this help here in this school, so that would be possible.
Alejandra- Yes, I think the economic support part is important and also as they were commenting before, the training, that the teacher could be aware, we can’t ask them to think like psychologist but that he could notice, even to channel a case, to explore the corresponding problems with the tutors, that the psychologists could explore and see if they discover a problematic situation.
In the same way that some space would be open where we could deliver the grades, normally for us, our parents took a look at our grades, be it at the meetings, because they can read and write, here sometimes we’ve seen some parents can’t read, so if they come for the grade and they don’t ask out of shame, they leave with many doubts, they also don’t know about the Internet. Open up a space so the parents could check these grades online, we have been asked about this, to open a space for parents so they know how to access, because the student does but he doesn’t always show this, sometimes it’s not convenient for him because he is doing badly academically.
Claudia - Also another thing I would change, is to have a bit more of collaborative work in the different areas, because sometimes we have a situation and we have to see who can help out, so if we all would be in the same tune, focused on look after the best for the student it’d be easier to support the students in that sense.
COMING UP, alternative views on education and an interview with the Director of my favorite school