Everybody hates to be tested – especially in public.
But almost anyone loves to solve a problem. That is why some of us spend so much time over the Sunday crossword puzzle (or the game of choice on your tablet). But when the problems we tackle are relevant, when the solutions we reach actually improve our life or somebody else’s, then the feeling of accomplishment is tenfold.
Schools were first designed as places where learning “for tomorrow” would happen. Tests were needed to make sure that the students had really acquired the knowledge that was being transferred into them. Once teachers could acknowledge, via the evidence of the written test, that students could at least reproduce on paper the concepts that had been drilled on their brains, their work was done.
It didn’t really mattered if just a couple of days later all those “learnings” had been utterly forgotten or disregarded.
In life, we learn by doing. We find out what works and what doesn’t. We need knowledge, of course, but we know that data must be used to be valuable. Unused knowledge is like unspoken words: they might be there but they need to get out to do their work.
If you want to play the violin, it is useful to get a hold on concepts and techniques – but unless you put your hands to the instrument, you will never produce music.
Problem (or project) based learning is much more like learning to play an instrument, only that it contemplates you as a part of an orchestra from the very beginning. You need to do your part but you must also work with others to create magic.
PBL takes its time, and, because it’s centered in the students and their interests, it can many times move away from the curriculum we are required to teach – which is not necessarily a bad thing. PBL requires careful planning and lots of flexibility.
Recently, at our school, Colegio Valle de Filadelfia in Aguascalientes, México, we began to teach our students about the SDGs – the UN Sustainable Development Goals. When talking about goal #12, “Responsible consumption and production”, we challenged 7thto 9thgrade students to think about the things they use and consume every day and how they could be improved in a way that benefits the planet. Students worked in groups to identify possible problematic products and to brainstorm for solutions.
Our team at the National Science and Technology week
One group looked closely at something each one of them used everyday, most of the day: a pencil. They wondered how many trees were cut to produce the pencils they were using (about 82,000 a year, in the US alone). They wondered, could there be a better way? After trial and error, they came up with a pencil made with crushed, fallen tree leaves and other natural components. They submitted their project to a science contest and eventually the team was invited by the government of our state to present their idea at the National Science and Technology week. They spent five days presenting to authorities and visitors alike. Previously, one of the team members, a seventh grader called Natalia, spoke about their project in a TEDx talk – which of course was a new challenge on its own, one that required honing of other set of knowledge and skills, such as writing (for her script) and public speaking.
Our students had a stand where they presented their project to visitors
Not every day is a PBL day, but many are, in some way or another.
Here are the things you should keep in mind when working global project based learning in your classroom or school
Kids should be part of identifying the problem – that way it will be relevant for them and will not feel like a script they must follow. Give the students some context, of course. When we asked our kids to identify things in everyday use that could be improved to benefit the planet, we gave them a very specific context from where to start. We did not just tell them, “Think about any problem you might want to solve”.
Students should work in groups. PBL is mostly a collaborative model – being able to pick from many brains makes it much more engaging and productive. And of course, kids develop social skills as well.
There should always be an outcome –even if it is just an idea that still needs to be implemented. It is OK if the problem is not entirely solved, but we should feel one step closer to finding solutions. Sometimes, just creating awareness about an issue is an improvement.
PBL is an opportunity to use knowledge and skills and put them in action towards a goal. Note that the key word here is “opportunity”, as opposed to obligation. PBL is not a test. It might very well be used to qualitatively evaluate how kids apply and create knowledge, but it is, above all, a new and engaging learning experience.
As part of C.M. Rubin’s Top Global Teacher Bloggers, this is my response to this month’s question: What does a high quality, global PBL program look like in your classroom?
Recientemente, Al Jazeera English, la cadena de televisión más importante de Medio Oriente, lanzó una nueva serie documental llamada “Rebel Education” o Educación Rebelde, para presentar a “los visionarios que están rompiendo paradigmas en el mundo de la educación”. Seis propuestas educativas fueron reseñadas, cada una en su propio documental de 25 minutos. Me siento profundamente honrada por formar parte de este grupo de “rebeldes”, y por tener la oportunidad de resaltar la importancia de la educación temprana y el gran potencial de los niños pequeños. El programa que se realizó sobre mi historia con Colegio Valle de Filadelfia y Los Institutos para el Logro del Potencial Humano se tituló “Mexico: The Power of Early Education”. Este fue el episodio elegido para inaugurar la serie, cuyo estreno mundial fue el 2 de Enero de 2017.
El documental es el resultado de una semana de filmaciones, en las que participaron alumnos, ex alumnos, maestros y padres, bajo la dirección de Tim Froggatt y las cámaras de Arturo Fons, ambos por parte de la casa productora británica Glasshead. Tras la filmación, un equipo de post producción se encargó de dar forma y vida a la historia. Pero el trabajo comenzó mucho antes, desde las primeras entrevistas por Skype con Dorothy Stiven, líder del proyecto, y su equipo. Con todos ellos estamos profundamente agradecidos.
Muchas otras personas intervinieron en la realización del documental. El Dr. Carlos Hinojosa y las Maestras Griselda Vázquez y Linda Carrillo de Haro, quienes durante muchos años fueron supervisores de las tres secciones de nuestra escuela, accedieron a ser entrevistados. También tuvimos la valiosa colaboración del equipo del programa Prospera, con quienes, en conjunto con Los Institutos, estamos haciendo un proyecto en favor de la educación temprana de los niños mexicanos en situación de pobreza.
Compartimos este documental en el canal de YouTube de Al Jazeera English. El programa está en español, con subtítulos en inglés.
Una mañana de trabajo en el Colegio Karol Wojtyla. Primera parada: Miss Ednna y Miss María José, con un grupo de 3o de preescolar.
Como autora de la Serie Filadelfia para el Aprendizaje Temprano del “Método Filadelfia” con Pearson, con frecuencia tengo la oportunidad de visitar escuelas que están llevando a cabo un programa de Lectura Temprana con nuestros libros. Es maravilloso poder sentarme en el fondo del salón, como si fuera una niña más en la clase, y observar a mis colegas docentes en acción.
Este mes de Diciembre estuve en el Karol Wojtyla, en Tehuacán, Puebla. En los próximos días seguiré compartiendo algunas de las muchas ideas que pude ver en marcha, y que pueden servir de inspiración a otras maestras y escuelas que estén trabajando con el método. Comencemos con una actividad que podríamos llamar Sopa de Letras Filadelfia.
Llegamos al salón de tercer grado atendido por la maestra Ednna Mariela y la auxiliar María José. La puerta del salón estaba muy bien ambientada con el país del mes para este grupo, Grecia (según el programa de nuestro libro Yo Conozco)
Los temas de cultura global están a la vista de los niños: Este mes conoceremos sobre Grecia, admiraremos las pinturas de Rubens y escucharemos la música de Brahms.
La rutina comienza cuando Ednna reparte a cada niño una tarjeta diferente y les pide identificar quién tiene la palabra “viernes” y “diciembre”. Posteriormente, los niños ordenan la frase “¿Cómo me siento?” en el pizarrón y dan su respuesta: feliz. Posteriormente la maestra muestra las palabras de la semana. Es viernes, y los niños ya las conocen muy bien, así es que son ellos quienes las leen.
En este video podemos ver cómo transcurrió esta rutina:
Más tarde, Ednna proyecta la lectura de la semana y la lee con los niños. Ahora ellos deberán encontrar las palabras resaltadas y emparejarlas con las tarjetas de lectura que su maestra ha dispuesto a un lado de la proyección.
Todas estas actividades sirvieron como preparación para llegar a la Sopa de Letras con palabras Filadelfia. Ednna proyecta la sopa de letras y les pide a los niños encontrar las palabras de la semana. Cuando uno de ellos encuentra alguna, pasa al frente a encerrarla.
Muchas gracias a Miss Ednna, Miss María José y a todo el equipo del Colegio Karol Wojtyla por permitirme acompañarles en una mañana de trabajo. ¡Muy pronto publicaré algunas ideas más, de las muchas observadas!
The OECD’s PISA report, The ABC of Gender Equality in Education, featured in The Global Search for Education: Education and Gender, illustrated that the gender gap cuts both ways – boys’ and girls’ attitudes to learning, their behavior in school and their self-confidence impacted their abilities as students.
Today in The Global Search for Education, our Top Global Teacher Bloggers will share their answer to this question: “What are the best examples you have seen of teachers closing the gender gap in education?”
The question stirred up some controversy among our experts. The topic itself is significant because the global gender gap across health, education, economic opportunity and politics has closed by only 4% in the past 10 years, with the economic gap closing by just 3%. On the current path we are on, it may take another 118 years to close the gap completely. The question is controversial because in many countries—in particular English-speaking, developed countries—it is actually young boys who are falling behind in education.
Our Global Teacher Bloggers are pioneers and innovators in fields such as technology integration, mathematics coaching, special needs education, science instruction, and gender equity. They have founded schools, written curricula, and led classrooms in 13 different countries that stretch across every populated continent on earth. These teachers empower and enrich the lives of young people from nearly every background imaginable.
In her blog post, Elisa Guerra (@ElisaGuerraCruz) highlights the real difficultly of solving the problem: “Even good teachers are frequently caught upon stereotypes. Closing the gender gap in education requires serious, conscious effort.” Teachers are important role models in the lives of young people. If teachers are not aware of gender typecasts, they can just as easily reinforce the status quo as they can weaken it. Therefore, it’s of crucial importance to “provide positive role models of women in the sciences and men in the humanities, both in history and today…” so that students do not feel that they are socially obligated to fit in any particular gender role. Read More.
This idea is echoed by Vicki Davis (@coolcatteacher). She notes that, “…it is often an observant teacher coupled with an open minded parent that makes a huge difference in the path girls choose. It isn’t about forcing her down a path, but letting her see as many options as possible that makes the difference in the end.” Read More.
Miriam Mason-Sesay (@MiriamMasonSesa) teaches in Sierra Leone where the gender gap is very serious. Young women are rarely brought up in a way that engenders hope regarding their academic prospects. It’s essential to challenge social forces that make girls feel like they are not strong, intelligent and capable members of society. “The idea is to catch them young and to teach them their value and make sure that the negative messages never get a chance to take hold.” Read More.
Rashmi Kathuria (@rashkath), who teaches in India, feels similarly. It’s essential to provide real opportunities for women to prove to others and to themselves their true potential. That’s why she strongly encourages women to participate in programs like inter-school math competitions. “Promoting gender equity in the classroom involves not only providing equal resources to both girls and boys but also providing equal opportunities to learn.” Read More.
Maarit Rossi (@pathstomath) from Finland asserts that the way to close the gender gap is to have students participate in activities across gender lines. “It is important that the schools deliberately mix the genders in the classrooms, train students to work in diverse groups and so support the growth of equality and understanding.” Students at certain ages are often most comfortable being in groups that are divided by gender. Allowing for these divisions can be damaging. Young people might grow to believe in narrow gender roles because they don’t yet understand the deep similarities in capacities that humans share regardless of gender. Read More.
Nadia Lopez (@TheLopezEffect) emphasizes what works at Mott Hall Bridges Academy, the school she founded. In order to close the gender divide in science, girls should be actively engaged in the magic of science. This not only includes participation in traditional lab experiments but also exposure to the many practical applications of science, including horticulture and animal science. “When opportunities are created for our girls to explore the world of science around them and encourage teachers to be creative in their practices, we then have the power to eliminate the gaps that exist between genders.” Read More.
In his blog post, Warren Sparrow (@wsparrowsa) brings to light a very different problem: young boys are falling behind in many countries. “A strange phenomenon in South Africa is that there are more boys than girls in primary school, but this gets reversed in high school and tertiary institutions. Where do all the boys go?” This question is one shared across many English-speaking countries: Why is it that boys seem to be falling behind in education? Read More.
Adam Steiner (@steineredtech) recommends the blog post of social studies teacher Jay Barry, who notes the trend that “many boys stop reading for pleasure in middle school and those that are reading often choose books that do not challenge them as readers.” He believes that a disturbing cultural trend is developing across America where men are not taught the value of education. They are not encouraged to be thoughtful or scholarly because it’s not “cool” or “tough”. This growing cultural trend is detrimental to the educational opportunities of young boys. Read More.
Pauline Hawkins (@PaulineDHawkins) pushes this line of thought even further. “In general, female students are able to sit for longer periods of time without breaks; they are less likely to interrupt teachers in a classroom; and they read more than males do. In other words, the current classroom is catering to female students and punishing male students.” She believes that testing culture and the traditional styles of learning where children sit silently and listen across the room is more favorable to girls. Read More.
Richard Wells (@EduWells) suggests that this can be remedied by “flipped teaching or project-based learning. This is connected to boys needing to be doing rather receiving. Most boys need to be active learners”. By engaging boys rather than lecturing them might help reverse the trend of male underachievement. Read More.
Craig Kemp (@mrkempnz) says one of the reasons he got into education was “to change the typical stereotypes around boys in education.” He believes boys in his school system need “a positive male role model in their life” and “need to be engaged in a variety of ways”. This month, Craig shares 5 ways to engage boys in classrooms to help close the gender gap. Read More.
The Top Global Teacher Bloggers is a monthly series where educators across the globe offer experienced yet unique takes on today’s most important topics. CMRubinWorld utilizes the platform to propagate the voices of the most indispensable people of our learning institutions, teachers.
Bottom Row: Dana Narvaisa, Richard Wells, Vicki Davis, Miriam Mason-Sesay
(All photos are courtesy of CMRubinWorld)
Join me and globally renowned thought leaders including Sir Michael Barber (UK), Dr. Michael Block (U.S.), Dr. Leon Botstein (U.S.), Professor Clay Christensen (U.S.), Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond (U.S.), Dr. MadhavChavan (India), Professor Michael Fullan (Canada), Professor Howard Gardner (U.S.), Professor Andy Hargreaves (U.S.), Professor Yvonne Hellman (The Netherlands), Professor Kristin Helstad (Norway), Jean Hendrickson (U.S.), Professor Rose Hipkins (New Zealand), Professor Cornelia Hoogland (Canada), Honourable Jeff Johnson (Canada), Mme. Chantal Kaufmann (Belgium), Dr. EijaKauppinen (Finland), State Secretary TapioKosunen (Finland), Professor Dominique Lafontaine (Belgium), Professor Hugh Lauder (UK), Lord Ken Macdonald (UK), Professor Geoff Masters (Australia), Professor Barry McGaw (Australia), Shiv Nadar (India), Professor R. Natarajan (India), Dr. Pak Tee Ng (Singapore), Dr. Denise Pope (US), Sridhar Rajagopalan (India), Dr. Diane Ravitch (U.S.), Richard Wilson Riley (U.S.), Sir Ken Robinson (UK), Professor Pasi Sahlberg (Finland), Professor Manabu Sato (Japan), Andreas Schleicher (PISA, OECD), Dr. Anthony Seldon (UK), Dr. David Shaffer (U.S.), Dr. Kirsten Sivesind (Norway), Chancellor Stephen Spahn (U.S.), Yves Theze (LyceeFrancais U.S.), Professor Charles Ungerleider (Canada), Professor Tony Wagner (U.S.), Sir David Watson (UK), Professor Dylan Wiliam (UK), Dr. Mark Wormald (UK), Professor Theo Wubbels (The Netherlands), Professor Michael Young (UK), and Professor Minxuan Zhang (China) as they explore the big picture education questions that all nations face today. The Global Search for Education Community Page
C. M. Rubin is the author of two widely read online series for which she received a 2011 Upton Sinclair award, “The Global Search for Education” and “How Will We Read?” She is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland, is the publisher of CMRubinWorld, and is a Disruptor Foundation Fellow.
So this is the first time I write in English for my blog. Big deal for me. But the reason is well worth the jump. (The Spanish version of this post can be found here, by the way).
Last December, Varkey GEMS Foundation published the list of the 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize. This award seeks to give merit to one “exceptional teacher”. With one million USD dollars, that is. Of course, the initiative, 2015 being its first edition, is already causing turmoil around the world, and is even being called the “Nobel Prize of Teaching”. One fortunate Teacher will take home the prize next March.
I feel so lucky and humbled to, somehow, have my name on this exceptional list, sharing the honor with other 49 teachers from 26 countries, each one of them with inspiring stories of passion and commitment for education. I am in awe.
So how did it all start for me?
It was somewhere in June last year, by the end of school, when I received an e-mail which stated that I had been nominated for the Global Teacher Prize. It had a link to a webpage that read:
“The Varkey Foundation launched the Global Teacher Prize to celebrate the best teachers around the world, those who inspire their students and the communities around them. The Global Teacher Award seeks to do for education what the Nobel Prize has done for science, literature, and peace. The focus is to uplift the valuable contributions that teachers make every day to establish a flourishing global society.”
After reading the information on that website I realised that any person could nominate any teacher, anywhere in the world. It was huge. A teacher could also nominate him or herself. Nominations were open and free. The next step after nomination was to complete an online application, with several questions that basically referred to our personal story as teachers, our achievements in educational innovation, global education, impact on community and overall contributions to the teaching profession. A recent photo was also requested, and there was the option of uploading a video.
I reviewed the information in great detail. Ok, I concede I was a little weary. I had never before heard anything about this prize. It seemed too good to be true. But if it was indeed true, it was also massive. I recognised the great potential for impact on the teaching profession worldwide. So I googled around and found strong evidence that this was, really, well, true. Oh. My.
My story is not important by itself. My story is just one among many that weave each other around what it means to be a teacher. But my story, as well as the much greater stories of my fellow finalists, gives this prize a human face, -50 faces, actually- a blow of living breath to the real story behind: Varkey Foundation is out to make the teaching profession one of the most prestigious around the world.
It is vastly said that teachers are “key” in society. At least from the lips out, nobody could doubt that educators are truly important. But in reality, being a teacher is not exactly what many people have in mind when they think about a successful career. Like being a doctor, or a lawyer. Well, at least in my home country, Mexico.
I did not dream about becoming a teacher myself. Oh yes, of course, in my childhood play I was often a teacher. A good one. I sat all my dolls in a perfectly lined little classroom made with blankets and pillows, and “taught them to read”. Oh, what a beauty. My perfect plastic students were always smiling, always paying attention, and yes sir, always quiet. Well, it was kind of boring too. I wished that my dolls could come alive and misbehave a little. Just a little.
But then I grew up. Fast. And by the end of High School, I was contemplating a different career path. “I want to be a writer”, I told anyone who cared to ask the perennial question: What are you going to do? So I wanted to study literature. And become a poet, a novelist. Well, you can guess the reaction. “Being a writer is difficult. You are going to starve to death. And just about a second before perishing of hunger, you will have to become a teacher, you will teach Spanish in a obscure and forgotten school somewhere”.
“You will haveto become a Teacher”. Like some kind of punishment for failure. They said this as if it was a death sentence, but trying to make it sound as a well-intended warning about an inevitable deception. But hey, the interesting thing here is not that they thought that making a living as a writer was difficult. We all know that. The interesting thing is that they saw teaching as a direct result from mediocrity.
Well, life took me on a hilly, curvy road. Oddly enough, first I became a teacher, and then, precisely because I was a teacher, I became a writer.
In my youth, one of my poetry books was published. I even won a national poetry contest. My poems were included in a handful of anthologies. But no, I was not able to make a living out of my writing. At least not then.
My road to teaching was sort of accidental. When I became a mother, I got a deep longing for teaching my children about all the beautiful things in our world. Art, music, books, culture. I have always been an avid reader, and I yearned for my kids to derive joy from a good book. So my children became my first students, and, may I say, my first teachers -on how to teach. As they got older, I was not able to find in my hometown the kind of school I had envisioned for them. So I founded my own. And that is how Colegio Valle de Filadelfia was born.
From my childhood bedroom with the quiet dolls, I moved to my living room with eventually three chatty, adventurous little ones, and later to the real classroom: preschool, elementary, junior high. My school grew alongside my children. I grew as well, as a teacher. Valle de Filadelfia extended to other Mexican cities and even to another country: Costa Rica.
Years went by, and many projects took shape. When our secondary school opened, I began to teach History and Geography, and for that purpose I created a complete series of online curricula and materials -in a flipped classroom manner. From the very beginning, these resources have been freely available for teachers and students from all over the country. All the videos are posted on YouTube, and all the materials can be downloaded from our school’s website. Today I teach technology to 8th and 9th graders. It’s so much fun to learn alongside them. From producing videos to designing websites to experimenting with apps and video games, we are all having a blast.
One of my most beloved projects has been creating an early education curriculum to focus on reading, writing and growing up global. Beginning in Preschool, our children explore a different culture or country every month. This same project includes opportunities to discover and enjoy diverse art and music. At school, our kids learn to play the violin, to paint, as they also embark in different workshops according to their interests.
In 2014, after seven years of knocking on several publisher’s doors, Pearson Education Mexico published my series of textbooks for preschoolers and their educators. A total of 12 books were born last summer. I could never have achieved this without the experience gained after years of teaching. The books are now in several Latin American countries, and we even shipped some to Spain.
Becoming a Finalist
It took me some time to finally complete the application for the Prize. In fact, I almost missed it. It is not that I wasn’t excited: I was. But it still seemed so unreal. And seriously, I didn’t really think I had a shot. Well, I would be lying if I said I had absolute no hope of at least squeezing myself into the finalists. It felt like buying a lottery ticket, you know? You realise there is a faintly slim chance that you can actually win it. But you buy it anyway. And then forget about it.
I bought my ticket.
Some weeks went by. Then, one bright, lucky Saturday, mid-November, I got another e-mail. “You have been selected from thousands of applications from around the world as one of our Top 50 finalists”
I think I barely regained consciousness one full day after reading those lines. Even now, two months later, I still find it hard to believe. I check on my profile on the Global Teacher Prize website somewhat often, just to make sure it is still there. And then I read the other profiles. And get inspired. I have my personal favourites, but I admire them all. Overall, I respect them greatly. I am so grateful just to be able to have my name and my picture in the same place as theirs.
The 50 finalists were announced on December 8th. When all the names and countries represented came to light, I was very surprised to find myself as the only Hispanic American teacher among the finalists. I can only believe that, being this the first time that the Prize is given, many great teachers out there were not lucky enough to find about this award. And that is something I would love to see changed: Hopefully in 2016 and the years to come we will have greater latino representation.
So what’s next?
Exciting road ahead. In February, the Global Teacher Prize Committee will announce ten finalists out of the top 50, who will have the opportunity of a lifetime: they will fly to Dubai to attend the Global Education and Skills Forum 2015. There, on March 16, the winner of the Global Teacher Prize will be unveiled.
Don’t even ask. Of course I’m dying to go to Dubai. And I know the chances are as slim as they could be. But the greatest thing has already happened, and is still happening: Varkey Foundation has started a global movement on behalf of Teachers around the world. Maybe we can achieve the cultural and economic changes needed to uplift the teaching profession to the skies. Maybe we will be able to raise the quality standards for educators, maybe becoming a Teacher will be seen as success instead of failure.
I am grateful to the wonderful, international community of teachers, parents, educators, children and youth with whom I’ve had the privilege to share the road. I have been inspired by them, taught by them, challenged by them. I have grown as a result of meeting them. Teaching is learning twice, and certainly I have received much more than what I have given.
I also want to thank Pearson Education Mexico: thank you so much for believing in this global learning project, and for granting me a space among your authors, when so many others closed the doors on me. Thanks to all the editorial team with whom I have been fortunate to work in developing these books: you have been my mentors and my friends.
Thank you, friends and colleagues at The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. You have given me the opportunity to work with brain injured children and their heroic families. They are the bravest people on earth, and you are their guardian angels.
To all the teachers who have dedicated their enthusiasm and life in any of our six schools, to all the children that have enlightened our classrooms, to all the parents that have trusted us with what they hold dearest, to my beloved family and friends, thank you.
What a privilege it is to be able to nourish the minds and souls of our young ones.
If every child has a seed of genius, then every teacher has the potential of an artist.
Global Teacher Prize has a YouTube channel for sharing inspiring stories about teachers and education. They have kindly posted a video with my reflections upon becoming a finalist:
El 8 de Diciembre se publicó la lista de los 50 finalistas mundiales al Global Teacher Prize, una iniciativa de Varkey GEMS Foundation, que busca reconocer a “un maestro sobresaliente”. Esta es la primera edición del que comienza a conocerse como el “Nobel de los docentes”. El premio, de un millón de dólares, se entregará a uno de entre los 50 maestros en la lista, en Marzo de 2015.
Me siento muy afortunada y honrada de que mi nombre esté en esta lista, compartiendo espacio con otros 49 maestros y maestras de 26 países, cada uno de ellos con historias inspiradoras de compromiso y entusiasmo por la educación.
¿Cómo empezó todo?
Fue a finales del ciclo escolar 2013-2014, alrededor del mes de Junio, cuando recibí un e-mail que decía que había sido nominada al “Global Teacher Prize“. El correo contenía un enlace a la página web donde se leía lo siguiente:
“Varkey GEMS Foundation lanzó el Global Teacher Prize para homenajear a los mejores maestros de todo el mundo, aquellos que inspiran a sus alumnos y a las comunidades que los rodean. El Global Teacher Award busca ser para la educación lo que el Premio Nobel es para la ciencia, la literatura y la paz. El objetivo es elevar las valiosas contribuciones que los maestros hacen a diario para establecer una sociedad global exitosa”
Tras leer la información contenida en la página me percaté de que cualquier persona podía nominar a cualquier maestro, en cualquier lugar del mundo. Un maestro podía incluso nominarse a sí mismo. La nominación era abierta y no tenía costo alguno. El siguiente paso era completar una aplicación en línea, en la cual se pedía responder a varias preguntas, básicamente contando nuestra historia personal como maestros, y describiendo logros en innovación educativa, educación global, impacto en la comunidad, y contribuciones al mejoramiento de la labor docente. Se pedía también incluir una fotografía y, de manera opcional, subir un video.
Recuerdo haber repasado la información a detalle, maravillándome ante la magnitud de la convocatoria y lo que ello podría significar para la profesión docente a nivel mundial. Nunca había oído hablar de este premio y al principio reconozco que sentí algo de incredulidad, ¿qué tal que se trataba de uno de esos correos donde te engatusan para conseguir información personal? Sin embargo, conforme encontraba más y más enlaces e información en internet -gracias al poder de Google- la incredulidad se convirtió en entusiasmo: algunos medios de comunicación importantes, como en New York Times, ya habían recogido la noticia. También encontré referencias al premio por parte de asociaciones para la educación, tales como AMEI-WAECE.
Mi historia no es la importante aquí. Mi historia es sólo una más de las muchas que se hilvanan alrededor de lo que significa ser maestro. Pero mi historia, y las historias de los demás finalistas, le dan un rostro humano al premio, le dan un respiro de aliento vivo a la verdadera historia que viene detrás: Varkey Gems pretende revestir de prestigio la profesión docente alrededor del mundo.
Mucho se dice que los maestros son pieza clave de la sociedad, y prácticamente nadie duda de su importancia, por lo menos “de dientes para afuera”. Pero la realidad es que la docencia no es una profesión prestigiada, como ser médico o abogado. Por lo menos, no en mi país, México.
Yo misma no soñaba con ser maestra -más allá de los juegos de la infancia en los que, como casi todas las niñas, sentaba a mis muñecas, ordenadamente dispuestas en un aula perfecta, y les “enseñaba a leer”. Mis alumnas estaban siempre atentas, sonrientes y calladitas: ¡cualquier maestra sabe que eso es lo más lejano que existe al aula real! Más tarde, cuando estaba por terminar la preparatoria y con el tema sobre la elección de carrera latente, casi cualquier persona, -con muy pocas excepciones- cuando les decía que quería estudiar Letras Hispánicas y convertirme en escritora, respondían con un “vas a acabar de maestra de español en una escuela”.
Lo decían como quien emite una sentencia de vida, como una advertencia, como un comentario bien intencionado que buscaba evitarme una decepción ineludible. Pero el mensaje directo era: “no es deseable ser maestra, y eso es lo que serás si fracasas”
La vida me llevó por rutas diferentes, pero curiosamente, primero fui maestra, y acabé siendo escritora precisamente por ser maestra.
En mi juventud publiqué un libro de poemas, gané incluso un concurso nacional de poesía, y fui incluida en un puñado de antologías. Y aunque ello me trajo grandes satisfacciones, no pude hacer de mis poemas un modus vivendi.
Mi camino hacia la docencia fue más bien accidental. Al convertirme en madre nació en mi un anhelo de enseñar a mis hijos todo cuanto es bello en nuestro mundo. Siempre fui una lectora ávida, y deseaba que mis niños gozaran de ese mismo deleite. Mis hijos fueron mis primeros alumnos, y también mis primeros maestros en la profesión docente. Unos años después, al no encontrar en mi ciudad una institución educativa que cubriera cabalmente mis expectativas, fundé la escuela que quería para mis hijos. Así nació Colegio Valle de Filadelfia.
Me titulé como Licenciada en Educación Preescolar gracias al Acuerdo 357 de la SEP. Inmediatamente comencé una Maestría en Educación en la Universidad virtual del Tecnológico de Monterrey.
De la habitación de mi infancia con las muñecas ordenadas, pasé a la sala de mi casa con eventualmente tres pequeños inquietos y ávidos de aventuras, hasta el salón de clases de preescolar, luego de primaria, y más tarde aún, de jóvenes de secundaria. Mi escuela creció junto con mis hijos. Yo también crecí como maestra. Valle de Filadelfia se extendió a otras ciudades de México e incluso a otro país: Costa Rica.
Pasaron los años, y muchos otros proyectos se cristalizaron: Cuando se abrió la sección secundaria de nuestra escuela, creamos una serie completa de recursos en línea -en formato de aula invertida- para las tres materias de ciencias sociales: Geografía, Historia Universal e Historia de México. Desde un principio, estos materiales han estado disponibles de manera gratuita para estudiantes y maestros de secundaria.
Otro proyecto fue la creación de un currículo enfocado a formar “ciudadanos globales”, en el que los niños, desde preescolar, conocen un país o cultura diferente cada mes. Este mismo programa acerca a los pequeños y jóvenes al arte y la música, a la lectura y la excelencia física. El currículo sigue enriqueciendo la conciencia global de nuestros alumnos de primaria y secundaria. En este 2014, después de siete años de tocar las puertas de diferentes casas editoras, finalmente Pearson Educación publicó mi serie de libros para preescolar, un total de 12 títulos para alumnos y docentes, donde se aborda el aprendizaje de la lectura, la escritura y la cultura global. Jamás habría podido crear estos libros sin la experiencia que he obtenido como docente.
La notificación
Tardé mucho en llenar la aplicación al premio. De hecho, por poco no lo hago. De no haber recibido un correo recordatorio, aproximadamente una semana antes de que cerrara la convocatoria, muy probablemente se me habría pasado la fecha. Por supuesto que me había emocionado la nominación, por supuesto que me entusiasmaba la idea de tener, por lo menos, una oportunidad de participar. Pero con el cierre (y luego el inicio) del ciclo escolar, más la publicación de los libros con Pearson, y los viajes para capacitar a las maestras de nuestras escuelas piloto alrededor de México, mi mente estaba en mil lugares al mismo tiempo. Finalmente llené la aplicación, y, como quien compra un boleto de lotería, puse el asunto en una esquinita de la conciencia.
Pasaron varias semanas y no pensé más en el asunto. Y entonces, un sábado a mediados de Noviembre, al revisar mi correo matutino, me encontré con la noticia: “you have been selected from thousands of applications from around the world as one of our Top 50 finalists” (Has sido seleccionada entre miles de aplicaciones alrededor del mundo como uno de nuestros 50 finalistas).
Creo que tardé unas 24 horas en recuperar el aliento. Todavía hoy, siete semanas después de ese correo, me cuesta trabajo creerlo. Cuando leo las historias y logros de los demás finalistas, siento admiración, respeto, y un agradecimiento enorme sólo por poder contarme entre ellos.
El anuncio de los 50 finalistas se hizo el 8 de Diciembre. Los afortunados que conformamos la lista ya lo sabíamos, pero se nos había pedido tratar la información confidencialmente mientras no se hiciera la notificación oficial. Cuando los nombres y países de origen de los finalistas salieron a la luz, me sorprendió ser la única mexicana, incluso la única hispanoamericana en la lista. He tenido el honor de conocer a grandes y dedicados maestros a través de los años, en mi país y en otros países latinos, y por supuesto sé que hay muchos más de ellos. Siendo ésta la primera vez que se ofrece el Global Teacher Prize, sólo puedo pensar que quizá muchos de los excelentes docentes que no conocemos, no tuvieron la información de la convocatoria mientras aún estaba abierta. Pero idealmente eso cambiará: el premio se ofrecerá cada año, y seguramente en 2016 tendremos una mayor representación de latinos.
¿Qué sigue ahora?
El comité del Global Teacher Prize anunciará a diez finalistas, que, elegidos entre los 50, tendrán la oportunidad de viajar a Dubai como invitados al Global Education and Skills Forum 2015. Ahí, el 16 de Marzo, se anunciará al ganador del premio.
¡Por supuesto que quisiera ir a Dubai! Y aunque lograrlo será difícil, considerando la fortaleza de los perfiles de todos los maestros en la lista de los 50, atesoro una semilla de esperanza. Pero lo mas grandioso de todo, ya pasó, y sigue pasando: Varkey GEMS ha comenzado un movimiento en pro de los maestros alrededor del mundo: quizá podamos lograr el cambio cultural y económico necesario para valorar la profesión docente como una de las más importantes y nobles, equiparable a la medicina y las leyes, quizá podamos elevar los estándares de calidad que distingan a las buenas prácticas educativas, quizá el ser maestro no se perciba como la penosa salida del que fracasó en otras áreas.
Gracias a la maravillosa comunidad internacional de maestros, padres, educadores, niños y jóvenes con quienes he tenido el privilegio de convivir: Me han inspirado, me han enseñado, me han presentado retos que me han motivado a crecer. Enseñar es aprender dos veces, y ciertamente he recibido mucho más de lo que he dado.
Gracias a mi casa editora, Pearson Educación México, por creer en este proyecto de aprendizaje para un mundo global, y por recibirme como una de sus autoras cuando tantos otros me cerraron las puertas. Gracias a todo el equipo editorial con quienes he tenido la fortuna de trabajar para desarrollar esta serie de libros: han sido mis mentores y mis amigos.
Gracias a mis compañeros en Los Institutos para el Logro del Potencial Humano, en donde he trabajado como voluntaria con familias de niños con lesión cerebral, durante casi quince años. La entrega con la que realizan esta dura labor de amor y trabajo, padres y profesionales, me ha inspirado cada día.
Y finalmente, gracias a mis compañeros docentes en los seis campus de Colegio Valle de Filadelfia, a todos los niños y jóvenes que han pasado por nuestras aulas, y a las familias que nos han confiado una parte tan importante de la educación de sus hijos.
Qué gran privilegio el poder estimular y nutrir los intelectos y almas de nuestros niños y jóvenes. Si todo niño tiene la semilla de la genialidad, cada maestro tiene el potencial de un artista.
Los temas de cultura global están a la vista de los niños: Este mes conoceremos sobre Grecia, admiraremos las pinturas de Rubens y escucharemos la música de Brahms.
Muchas gracias a Miss Ednna, Miss María José y a todo el equipo del Colegio Karol Wojtyla por permitirme acompañarles en una mañana de trabajo. ¡Muy pronto publicaré algunas ideas más, de las muchas observadas!
