Education in Another Hemisphere

Preface: This is not necessarily a post about South America, but something that's been on my mind for a while now and I came across the way to express it  . . . and it's my blog. 

There are several types of people who entrusted with teaching, educating, nurturing and mentoring future generations. These people range from pre-school caretakers to graduate school professors, with many levels in between. All of which are just as important as the other, for each one builds upon the last and sets the stage for the next to take over and improve the pupil for the world.

There are instructors, professors, lecturers, teachers and  then there are educators.

Educators are a different breed of person. I feel fortunate to be able to say I've been the pupil of several educators, on both sides of the equator.  These Educators are people who truly love what they do. These people do not simply "teach a student", they educate a person with a mind. These are the ones who do not simply make a lesson plan, they create a map of where they want to take their class and use this to navigate but they're never bound to this plan, for they understand that education is a like a living organism that changes everyday and every class period. One question from a student will lead a class to a completely different level of comprehension or to an uncharted area of the lesson map. Once this uncharted region is reached, the Educator becomes a guide, leading on through an adventure in discussion, ideas and topic.

Educators are the ones who will show up on campus early in the morning and stay after class to discuss the day's topic, current events, ideas, fears and goals with their  _____. This is where a problem arises for me. I should fill that blank with "students" or "class" or "pupils" but none of them fit. An Educator does not treat students as such. An Educator instead treats their charges as  intellectually-curious  co-participants in a process of discovery. Yes, the Educator in most all cases is much more familiar with the topic at hand than the participants in this process, but the Educator never treats the participant as such. "Participants" ... I think I like that.

I have experienced this treatment and the pride instilled in participants by Educators. I have been a participant in all levels of  History, Mathematics, Culture, Foreign Language, Psychology, Business, Geography, English and countless other processes with Educators. I cannot imagine how my life would be without some of these Educators.

I have found some differences between the continents though. We the people of North America focus so much on making our way through chapters in books and texts. In South America, (mind you copyright laws are apparently open to interpretation or nonexistent in many cases), most instructors have their own texts and create their own collections to share with participants, compiled to demonstrate the depth one can go into any topic. This is one of the most admirable attributes in an Educator, and those who I feel deserve that distinction in North America happen to have this way of sharing material with participants. Although they tend to pay a bit more attention to copyrights.

South American university-level classes tend to be smaller than many of the same level courses in North America. Now I understand there's many sides to this. There are proportionally many more students in North America and whathaveyou, but that's not the focus here. The focus is the size of the class gives the Educator time to be certain each participant comprehends the topic and gives aid when needed. One of my South American Educators even described how there is more a relationship built between "professor and pupil" than in North America (she has educational experience on both continents). She explained that sometimes the Educator plays the role of a facilitator and consultant to participants' projects. She also explained that the relationship between the Educator and participant here(South America) lasts for years. In fact, many times a (former) participant will call or email an Educator for an opinion or advice, long after their class or degree plan has come to a close. This sounds unusual but as a participant who has had many educators, I am fortunate to know this type of relationship very well.

It seems that in the ways that count the most, South American Educators are similar to North American Educators, although they tend to be tardy a bit more often and a bit more likely to dismiss class early on the day of a Futbol (Soccer) Match than a North American Educator.

I may not have carried through all my ideas here to an end, but it's rather late here and I'm pretty tired. I feel as though I have gotten most of my thoughts and points out to the cosmos though. I'll read this again later and correct.

If I happened to point you to this blog, I hope you enjoyed what you read and understand if I took the time to tell you about it, I value your opinion and appreciate the time you take to give my thoughts ... well ... some thought.

May the sun find you no matter your continent or time zone and the rain make your flowers grow.
Coleton

Soooo ... I'm quite tardy now.

There really is no excuse for my negligence to this blog.

I may use sleep and school and activities as excuses but that still doesn't cut it. I apologize to yall and to myself a year from now when I'm kicking my own tukkus for not having blogged one of the most unique and long-lasting experiences in my life.

I have however, had the format of my cameras' memory cards changed and now I can put photos on my computer and hopefully online just after that. 

As I post pictures, I will recall events and fill you in.

I'm sorry for the flop this blog has been ... Peru will be different ... te prometo.

I'm Sorry I'm So Late But ...

Hello Yall!

Okay ... well I have a few minutes right now when I should probably be doing homework, but I remembered I have this thing called a blog and I should probably do something with it. 

First and foremost, I wish to apologize for my tardiness in getting started, but my first month here was quite the whirlwind. So many things have happened, and I have documented nearly all of them in photograph or with odds and ends cluttering up my desk here in Buenos Aires. I promise, te prometo, I will begin blogging regularly this week and catch yall up on everything. Now I do have to go, but until we meet again ...

Peace, Happiness, and Happy Trails to you all,
Coleton

First Post

This makes one week to the day that I will be leaving my home for South America. I will return home in approximately 5 months. This is my test post.