It is a balmy breeze that blows through my first afternoon in Buenos Aires. I arrived this morning and have settled into my new home for the next three months. I'm excited and anxious to begin student teaching tomorrow. it seems like a long ways between beginning the teaching program at Western and being here today. Not exactly sure what to expect tomorrow but I do know that I will be teaching science to 9th and 10th grade students, 80% of whom are from all over the world. Many unanswered questions thus far:
- What are these students ideas of home? Most are children of diplomats and embassy employees, moving every few years. Do they have a sense of place, of a familiar community? How different is this than the transitory nature of students and their familes living in the States?
- What will be my sense of place through this experience? Without a firm idea of where I'm at (which is not the Pac NW) how can I effectively teach a science class informed by ideas of the connectedness of natural and human systems when I'm not sure of these communities myself?
- Signs, signs everywhere signs...Walmart, Sony, Maytag . . . how do portenos (BA citizens) and my students see globalization affecting their lives? Their quality of life?
Vamos a ver . . . Highlights of the last 24 hours of travel include watching "Freedom Writers" on the plane flight and a cup of scalding hot coffee spilt directly into my lap upon landing at the airport. I spent a lovely afternoon in a park down the street among families drinking mate and windsurfers in the Mar de Plata. Hasta lluego, I'm off to an asada.
- What are these students ideas of home? Most are children of diplomats and embassy employees, moving every few years. Do they have a sense of place, of a familiar community? How different is this than the transitory nature of students and their familes living in the States?
- What will be my sense of place through this experience? Without a firm idea of where I'm at (which is not the Pac NW) how can I effectively teach a science class informed by ideas of the connectedness of natural and human systems when I'm not sure of these communities myself?
- Signs, signs everywhere signs...Walmart, Sony, Maytag . . . how do portenos (BA citizens) and my students see globalization affecting their lives? Their quality of life?
Vamos a ver . . . Highlights of the last 24 hours of travel include watching "Freedom Writers" on the plane flight and a cup of scalding hot coffee spilt directly into my lap upon landing at the airport. I spent a lovely afternoon in a park down the street among families drinking mate and windsurfers in the Mar de Plata. Hasta lluego, I'm off to an asada.
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