Concrete poem

Escadaria Selaron (the tiled stairs in Rio)

Artist Jorge Selaron was from Chile

but lived a long time in Rio. 

He started to tile the

steps around his home.

He originally had the stairs tiled in colors to

represent Brazil.

It soon became very popular and people from

all over the world began to send him tiles

You can find lots of tiles from Utah, probably from

all of the LDS missionaries who have been to Rio.

He  spent 20 years on the

staircase and would have

continued until the entire

place was covered.

However, the artist was found

murdered on his famous

steps earlier this year. 

There are over 4,000 tiles. 

Flamengo for Alex!

One of the many Utah titles

Fortunately I was able to visit many parts of Brazil

For one of our classes at CCL we had the students read the first part of the Fortunately story. Then we had the students finish the story, using the same pattern.  To summarize my last few days in Brazil, I wrote my own Fortunately story.  Erica, Liza and I went to Iguassu Falls and Rio.  Below is the original story starter and then my own story. 

Fortunately

by Remy Charlip

Fortunately, Ned was invited to a surprise party.

Unfortunately, the party was a thousand miles away.

Fortunately, a friend loaned Ned an airplane.

Unfortunately, the motor exploded.

Fortunately, there was a parachute in the airplane.

Unfortunately, there was a hole in the parachute.

My Story

Unfortunately I booked my flight from Salvador to Iguassu on two different airlines, which required me to check my bags again in Rio.

Fortunately Erica’s flights were around the same time so we could help each other.

Unfortunately I only had two hours between flights to re-check my luggage and get on a new flight.

Fortunately I was the second person off the plane in Rio and re-checked my bags in under a half hour!

Unfortunately I had just spent the last two hours on a plane sitting next to a creepy guy who kept inviting me to stay at his house in Rio.

Fortunately I sat by great people on the flight to Iguassu.

Unfortunately it was dark when we arrived to Iguassu and we couldn’t really see anything.

Fortunately we had a great hotel that was lots of fun.

Unfortunately it was really rainy the next day.

Fortunately we were going to get wet by the falls anyways.

Unfortunately there were loads of bugs!

Fortunately they preferred Erica

Unfortunately I am really scared of water

Fortunately we had safe seats on the boat ride and Erica and Liza watched out for me

Unfortunately the gift shop at Iguassu was closed

Fortunately the gift shop at the hotel was open.

Unfortunately the next morning we had to wait forever for a taxi

Fortunately the airport was only a few blocks away

Unfortunately it was cloudy in Rio

Fortunately we found a great place to watch Brazil win the FIFA Confederation Cup

Unfortunately the next day was just as rainy and cloudy when we went up Sugar Loaf

Fortunately we also toured a Favela, which was amazingly insightful

Unfortunately they were fumigating the hotel room next to ours and it smelled awful

Fortunately we left the hotel and had a great time at Christ the Redeemer

Unfortunately it became very crowded there

Fortunately Liza got to dance with an attractive Samba musician on the train!

Unfortunately we had another day that was really rainy

Fortunately we spent it at a cool art museum

Unfortunately Liza led us down a dodgy part of town

Fortunately she knew right where she was going and we ended up at the Escadaria Selaron (Tiled Stairs).

Unfortunately our time in Rio was coming to an end

Fortunately we spent our last night at a Samba club and our next morning on the beach

Unfortunately I had to leave one of the most amazing places I have ever been to visit

Fortunately I have made new friends who I look forward to talking with and visiting in the future

Sugar Loaf!

Watching the soccer game

Christ the Redeemer

Samba night!

The beach in Rio

The Tiled Stairs with a Texas tile!

There were lots of tiles for Utah!

Iguassu Falls!!!

What I will miss

The things I will miss most ….

·      Debriefing with Erica each day over a Guarana Zero and a Montana carmel

·      Learning new Portuguese words and phrases

·      Trying new foods

·      Finding similarities between all the different places I’ve seen

·      The incredible acceptance of Brazilians and their lack of fear of performing in front of others

·      The different fruit we don’t have in Utah and drinking different suco.

·      The thick and tropical trees

·      Tapioca pancakes

·      The warm and strong ocean

·      Refreshing enthusiasm of the students

·      Learning the history of all the places we visited

·      Brasil’s sobremessa!!!

·      Air containing humidity (I live in a desert!)

·      The staff at Hotel Pio

·      How everyone gathers outside their houses in the evening to socialize

·      Guarana Zero

·      Watching a soccer game surrounded by energetic Brazilians

·      TAM airlines candy that is given out before you take off

·      And most especially, all the people I met and call my friends. 

Brazilian food is Massa!

Watching Brazil win the FIFA confederation cup!!!

BBQ Cheese...yum!

Samba!

Brazilian students are amazing!

Mario loves Little Miss English and she loves him too!

Forro!

Alex eating school lunch

Two students from the language school in Parnaiba.  They were both LDS and were excited for me to tell them about Utah.

The Delta!

Suco

Showing students the carbon fiber samples for Hexcel.

Brazilian rock stars! (Alex included)

I learned how to give five Brazilian style

A fantastic team!

The ice cream...oh how I miss you already!!!

I feel so blessed to have been partnered with Erica. She is an amazing teacher and a dear friend!

Ate logo!

Definitions

My principal Kim Baker and I at a conference in D.C.

The principal at Elefante Blanco in Brasilia

The principal at a public elementary school in Teresina 

Alex, the principal at CCL with Little Miz English

Definitions:

Encino Fundamental: n. the term for grades 1-9 in Brazil.  These schools are funded by each city.

Encino Medio: n. the term for grades 10-12. These schools are funded by each state. 

Public School: n. free to students.  However, the resources and instruction is sometimes lacking and is considered the lesser quality education.

Private School: n. very expensive.  Often has more resources, better instruction, and higher passing rates than the public schools.  This is the desired education for most Brazilians but is not accessible to all Brazilians. 

Vestibular: n. the exam to get into university. This is a very difficult test and students often have to take a different test for each university they want to apply to. 

Public Universities: n. paid for by the Federal government.  These are seen as the best universities but are extremely difficult to get into.  Acceptance is based on a student’s test score only.  Private secondary schools have a higher acceptance rate for the public universities so a lot of parents/families make great sacrifices to send their children to private schools. 

Technology: n. In Brazil technology is a luxury.  Very few public schools have access to a lot of technology.  The public schools we visited in Brasilia did not have computers in any of the classrooms or LCD projectors, or even overhead projectors. Technology is not a luxury in Utah but seen as a common place necessity.  Each teacher has his or her own computer. There is most often an LCD projector and in my district, most classrooms now have Apple TV.  Schools often have more than one computer lab and are starting to get iPad labs.  I talked with a chemistry teacher in Brasilia who had almost no supplies in her lab, which instantly humbled me because I have been whining about only having four net books in my classroom!  I’ve learned through this experience that a universal teaching skill is to make the best of what resources you do have.  While I may not have enough computers in my classroom for each student, I have learned that the majority of my students now have smart phones.  I’ve started adjusting the ways I incorporate technology by having students use their smart phones instead of computers to do interactive activities.  The teachers in Brazil are even better at providing a quality education without access to technology.  The teachers make sure their lessons are engaging and interactive for their students. 

Motivation: n. the eternal and universal educational challenge.  In talking with a lot of teachers in a variety of public schools, a common frustration was student motivation.  I found that so interesting because that is also a common frustration among American teachers!  However, the root cause of a lack of student motivation is very different.  Most teachers in the US would say students are unmotivated because they already have everything they want and do not see a need for education.  The Brazilian teachers told me that most Brazilian students are unmotivated because they do not feel they have the opportunity to go to college because it is so difficult and students in a public school have a distinct disadvantage over those in a private school. 

Assessment: n. the hot topic in America!  This is one of the biggest focuses of American education. One of the biggest questions being asked is “how can we know if students are learning?”  There is a big push for common summative/formative assessments.  Student test scores are now becoming a part of teacher evaluation and pay.  Testing has always been a sensitive issue in the US because most tests are standardized and are limiting in the information they provide. These tests are used to group students and to determine college acceptance (though they are used in conjunction with other elements such as GPA, citizenship, and extracurricular activities).  Assessment has brought about the push for data-driven instruction and standards-based grading.  Assessment seemed very different to me in Brazil.  While teachers are concerned whether or not their students are learning, there is less emphasis on formative assessment. The major focus on assessment is on preparing for the vestibular.  When a teacher assesses his or her students, he or she writes a test. Then the teacher gives the test to a specific person who types up the test and then prints it off. I was very surprised to see that most schools just have one printer, rather than a copy machine.  The tests were always printed in color and one at a time and the secretary would then staple all of the tests by hand.  I take it for granted that I can make an assessment in about ten minutes.  I type it up, printed, and then copy it for my students.  In talking with one of the teachers in my program who spent time with a teacher near São Paulo, commented that her teacher  had 300 students but was only allowed 150 copies each term.  

Principal: n. A school leader. In the US the principal is the main leader of a school. He or she is responsible for overseeing academics, athletics, and the budget.  A principal must have an administration license and often a master's degree.  A principal is usually a vice principal for a while before he or she becomes a principal.  In Brazil a principal is usually one of the teachers at a public school (but not necessarily at a private school).   The principal is either appointed or elected into his/her position.  The principal I met with at Elefante Blanco in Brasilia was voted in.  She received 100% of the student/parent votes but only 50% of the teacher's votes.  She thinks this was because she had not been at the school for very long.  She will be the principal for three years and then will have to run again if she wants to continue to be the principal.  Principals do not have any extra training or receive any instruction! Alex, the principal at CCL, continues to teach classes at CCL along with being the principal.  He has a lot of responsibility!  He is very resourceful and contacted his professor at Kent state who recommended some books for him to read.  Erica has her administrative license and I am almost finished with mine so were also able to recommend resources for Alex.  Alex is an amazing example for his teachers and works hard to help them have international experiences to enhance their teaching and learning. 

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Brazil

 

Some of you may be familiar with the poem "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.  I decided to write a parody, describing what I've learned about teaching from my time in Brazil.  The first poem is the original so you can see the pattern. 

"All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten"

by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

                                         

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Teresina

Most of what I really need to remember about teaching

I observed in Teresina, Brazil.

Insight was not in my University classrooms,

but there in the city of the two rivers, Parnaíba and Poty.

These are the things I learned:

The teacher is the most important resource.
Teachers need to build a strong relationship with their students.
A noisy classroom is an engaged classroom.
The best teachers are life-long learners. 
Teachers must be flexible.
The more time a student spends in school, the more he is able to learn.
Students are universally social!
Rigid structure often hinders independence, responsibility, and creativity.
Teachers can collaborate, even when they don't speak the same language.
The structure and role of education needs to change because the world is changing.
Education must become more global.
Teaching is a noble endeavor no matter where you are in the world.

Teachers at the elementary school we visited.

The administration at the private school where Alex teaches, Integral.