Category: Remsen

3rd Annual Global Issues Network Conference at RHS

25/4/2016

Posted by Erik Remsen
On Thursday, April 7th, Rutland High School held its 3rd Annual Global Issues Network Conference. The purpose of the day was to inform students about global issues and inspire them to take action. Our keynote speaker this year was Zach Ingrasci (pictured above), the executive director and co-founder of Living on One, a production and social impact studio. Their most recent film, Salam Neighbor, chronicles Syrians living in a refugee camp in Jordan and was screened before a large crowd of students, faculty, and community members at the Paramount Theater that evening.

Posted below are a few pictures from the day that showcase student leadership in organizing and facilitating the conference as well as the myriad ways students grappled with and began to make sense of the various pressing global issues. More information about the conference can be found at the website and in future blog posts. Stay tuned.

All photos courtesy of Brandon Levesque

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Field Research - India

16/8/2015

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Posted by Erik Remsen
During my three weeks in India, the Teachers for Global Classrooms program asked me to undertake an investigation into a educational topic of interest to me. Last spring, as the trip drew nearer, I bounced back and forth between several topics before settling on student involvement in learning. In the past few years, Rutland High School has undertaken more project based learning and a key part of this learning method is allowing students to have voice and choice in what they study and how they show learning. This is probably where my interest in the topic originated. The Buck Institute for Education says student voice and choice is one of the essential elements of project based learning. Additionally, both our Global Studies concentration and our STEM concentration give students opportunities to delve deeper into specific subjects that interest them. As RHS continues to move towards giving students more say in their education, I was curious to find out what sort of voice Indian students have.

I should be clear that increasing student involvement is not simply for project based learning. Research from Penn State University indicates there are numerous benefits to be had by increasing student involvement. Because of their unique perspective, students can be essential in improving school climate and academic quality. Instant feedback from students can improve curriculum and when students attend meetings with teachers, the teacher behavior is often more professional. Moving to some of the upper rungs on the ladder shown below can clearly bring about educational improvements.

Ladder of student involvement from: http://soundout.org/ladder-of-student-involvement/

Arriving in India, I suspected I might not see much in the way of student voice and choice in the schools I visited. There are not a lot schools anywhere in the world that have totally embraced giving students full voice and choice. Most have likely never advanced beyond rung four on the ladder above. Additionally, I was somewhat aware of the larger class sizes and mandated curriculum common in many Indian schools which may hinder Indian educators.

To a large extent my suspicions ended up being confirmed. Class sizes were indeed much bigger than Vermont schools. Of all the classes I observed, I would say the average class size was around 40 students. It would indeed be a challenge to effectively manage increased student voice and choice in a class of that size. Most classes I observed were also following a mandated curriculum, in some cases from the state and, in other cases, a national curriculum. Indeed, I heard almost the same English lesson, centered on the story of a dog, in two different schools, which also, perhaps, speaks to the lack of teacher choice in designing learning experiences. Given the large class sizes, the mandated curriculum, and the importance of end of year tests, especially for standard 10 students, it would be extremely hard for any public or government school teacher to successfully introduce more student choice into the course.

On the other hand, I saw several unexpected examples of student voice during my numerous school observations. To start with, every school I visited started the day with a full school assembly. In all the schools, the assembly was run by students. At the Kendriya Vidyalaya Malapurram School, the assembly was completely run by students. Students made all the announcements, led the singing of the national anthem, emceed, adjusted microphones and attended to other technological needs, and shared the news of the day. The standards (grade levels) rotated the duties of preparing, orchestrating, and executing these assemblies, which lasted 10-15 minutes. These assemblies were very much student driven.

Of the numerous reasons for increasing student voice and choice, giving students respect, responsibility, and autonomy are several of the important ones. At the KV Malapurram school, I observed that while the upper school students may not have voice and choice in their education, they most certainly were given respect, responsibility, and autonomy. This was clearly evident in those few classes where the teacher was absent for the day. To my surprise, there were no substitute teachers. The students were in their classrooms without a teacher for that block of the day. They were expected to be in the classroom, do any work that needed to get done, and behave. From what I observed, those classes without a teacher did just that. While this is not exactly getting students more involved in their education, it is treating students as more than just passive recipients of knowledge. They were treated as responsible and trustworthy citizens of the school.

As educators, we all need to work to find ways to involve students more in their education. It is something that both Indian and American educators must address. In both cases, however, good things are happening. Some U.S. schools, like Rutland High School, have begun to give students more voice and choice in what and how they learn. In India, students are trusted with autonomy and responsibility. Students who are trusted and respected and who are allowed voice and choice are active learners. Active learners are likely to become active citizens and dealing with today's global issues requires active participation. Therefore, if we want our students to graduate and go on to become active world citizens, we cannot treat them as only passive receptors of information.

Further reading on student voice here and here.
Information on Project Based Learning from the Buck Institute here.
Want to add a student to your school board? Here is a guide for that.

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India - the paradoxes

8/7/2015

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Posted By Erik Remsen
First a disclaimer: the inspiration and thinking behind this post are not mine. Instead, the credit goes to Maya Menon, of the Teacher Foundation in Bangalore, who spoke to my TGC group about the paradoxes of India. She raised many interesting points that are worth sharing and I've tried to find some of my pictures to better illustrate the paradoxes.

WEALTH & POVERTY
The two pictures above were taken in Delhi about a block apart from each other. The first is the lobby of the hotel that our group of teachers was staying in and the second is of two men carrying a small clothes dresser down the sidewalk next to a small slum area. While there is extreme wealth, there is also extreme poverty, and I often observed the two almost side-by-side throughout India. In this case, the posh hotel and ramshackle slum share the same street in the capital city.

BEAUTY & UGLINESS
The picture on the left should be instantly recognizable as the Taj Majal, one of the most well-known structures in the world. The other picture is a roadside trash pile in Delhi that spills onto the sidewalk. This contrast between beauty and ugliness is another of India's paradoxes. The country has both man-made beauty (such as the Taj Majal) and physical beauty in abundance, and yet there seems to little interest in keeping public areas clean. I saw lots of litter, pollution, as well as public urination throughout my trip.

URBAN & RURAL
India has 1.2 billion people, and in less than 15 years it will likely be the world's most populous country. The vast size of the cities and the cacophony of noise are likely to shock any Vermonter visiting for the first time. Despite the enormous population there are still places, such as areas in the Western Ghats between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, that still retain natural beauty.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
The picture on the left is a small cluster of shelters underneath the Delhi Metro. There is one child in the picture next to a man in what might be called an open kitchen. That child is unlikely to receive the same educational opportunities as the girls in the picture on the right at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Malapurram School. They have parents who could afford the expense of sending their children to this school. They attend a school with decent resources, SmartBoards and a computer labs, for example. It is a school that seeks to enhance learning through teacher exchanges; our host teacher had taught in Ohio for 5 months in 2014. It is a school that conducts instruction in three languages (Malayalam, Hindi, and English). Finally, it has a good track record at sending students to post-secondary education. All of these things help to ensure these girls will be able to succeed in the world once they are finished with school. What education awaits the child on the left?

India has a track record of producing outstanding students who shine even when measured on the world stage. India produces some brilliant students, but it also offers little opportunity to those who do not have the means to access it. India has 450 million students under the age of 18 (that's larger than the entire population of the United States) and they do not all have equal access to education, yet.

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The look of education

4/7/2015

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Posted by Erik Remsen
What does education look like? During my three weeks in India, I saw a lot of similarities between education in India and the United States. Students are students wherever they are in the world and their curiosity exists regardless of nationality. Subjects like math, science, and social studies are also pretty much universal. On the other hand, I saw a lot of things that looked very different. Class sizes of 40 to 50 were the norm and because of the climate, schools are constructed differently in India. (Cooling, not heating, is the priority.) Teachers in India also have very little discretion about what and how they teach due to end of the year tests that are of great importance for students, teachers, and schools.

While capturing education in images is difficult, I've made a mediocre attempt by gathering together a few sets of images. Below are some pictures of what education at Rutland High School looks like:

At RHS, education goes beyond the core subjects. Art, music, theater, and athletics are considered part of education. Students are also being given increasing voice in what and how they learn. Additionally students, on occasion, take on the role of teacher and educate other students.

In India, I visited schools that are completely publicly funded, schools that are private schools, and schools that are financed through a combination of public funding and private tuition. Below are pictures of schools students can attend if parents can afford the tuition costs.

At these schools, students have resources similar to those available to U.S. students. However, class size is often much larger and most classes have the teacher as the focal point, sometimes on a raised platform. Most classes are in the lecture format with great emphasis on memorization so that high results can be achieved on the end of the year tests.

Finally, the following are pictures of public primary schools in India.

These schools often lack the resources of private schools, but they function in a similar manner. In all Indian schools, discipline is emphasized and seen in the everything from the straight rows of students during morning assembly to the rules about how students must walk through the halls (hands behind the back, no running). Respect is also of the utmost importance and all teachers are addressed as "sir'" or "madam."

Is either country 'doing' education right? Has education developed, in both countries, based on their culture, history, and economy and therefore uniquely fitted to each place? Are there things to be learned from each other that can improve our respective education systems? My answers to these questions: no, probably, and yes, without a doubt.

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Learning Languages

29/6/2015

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Posted By Erik Remsen
During my time in India, I was fortunate to visit 5 of the 29 states: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. I visited schools in three of those states: Karnataka, Kerala, and Delhi and while in the schools I was struck by the variety of languages being taught in schools. There are 122 major languages in India and the country has 22 'scheduled' languages. (A scheduled language is one that is recognized, given official status, and encouraged by the government.) The official government languages are Hindi and English. What this all means for Indian schools is that many students are learning three languages all the way through both primary and secondary school. In Bangalore, students were learning Kannada, the local language, plus English and Hindi. In Malapurram at my host school, the students were learning Malayalam, the local language, as well as English and Hindi.

I've written earlier about my host school, the Kendriya Vidyalaya school in Malapurram and their commitment to global education. It should be no surprise then that their language instruction is another marker of how their students are being prepared to be global citizens. All students at KV Malapurram study Malayalam, Hindi, and English. In fact, the whole school morning assembly alternates between the three languages. So for example, the Monday assembly was in English, on Tuesday it was in Malayalam, Wednesday was in Hindi, and Thursday it was back to English. This means the pledge is recited in three different languages, and announcements are made in three languages depending on the day. KV Malapurram recognizes the benefits of multi-lingualism and realizes that learning another language will help students as this world grows ever more interconnected. It is important to note, however, that KV Malapurram is not exceptional in this regard. We visited a public primary school (pictured above) that was predominantly attended by lower class students. Some students did not have shoes, and during our visit, the school had no power so classes were being taught in murky darkness. Technology at the school seemed to consist of one overhead projector, obviously not working that day due to the lack of power. However, students were nonetheless learning Malayalam, Hindi, and English. (There was also an Urdu language class.) Language instruction in India seems to be considered part of the core curriculum and thus mandatory at all levels and not subject to budget cuts.

Unfortunately, this level of language instruction does not exist in the United States. Only 25% of U.S. elementary schools and 58% of middle schools offer foreign language instruction. In total, only around 20% of Americans report speaking a second language. Clearly, the United States is behind India (and much of the rest of the world) when it comes to language acquisition. As the world grows smaller and the United States becomes more closely tied to the rest of the world, clear communication is essential for understanding, problem solving, and conflict avoidance. However, communication is easier with multiple languages to express yourself and that is something not many U.S. citizens are able to do.

One further note about the language abilities of the students at KV Malapurram. The students are learning 3 languages, a statement which can also be made in regards to some U.S. students. However, most often, U.S. students learn Spanish, French, or German as their second and third languages. While not exactly the same, these languages all have very similar alphabets. The students at KV Malapurram, on the other hand, are learning three languages with three different alphabets, as can be seen in the slide show above. The English alphabet has 26 letters, there are 44 letters in the Hindi alphabet, and around 50 letters in Malayalam. The students who spoke English with me while in their Hindi language class and then chatted with their friends in Malayalam are quite impressive and certainly on course to become global citizens when they finish school.

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Playing a good game

19/6/2015

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There is a lot of talk in the United States at the moment about the importance of global education. Schools like Rutland stress the need for students to recognize perspectives, communicate effectively, investigate the world, and take action. While we are saying the right things, do our actions actually signal a genuine interest in the wider world?

My week at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Malapurram School in Malapurram, India with fellow history teacher, Robert Lurie of Lansing, Michigan, has given me a new definition of what it looks like when a school community truly values global education. On day one of our visit to the school, we were the central focus of an all-school assembly. The assembly included their normal activities: singing the national anthem, the word of the day, news headlines, and birthday announcements. It was then followed by a welcoming ceremony specifically for us. We were presented with flowers, lit a ceremonial flame, and were treated to a traditional dance performance. We were also asked to speak about our teaching backgrounds and the purpose of our visit. One hour into our visit to the school and it was already evident how much they valued our presence.

Since the welcoming ceremony, both Robert and I have been astounded at the attention we have been showered with by the entire school community. We have met several times with the principal and other administration members and discussed educational practices. (The principal has also provided tea and snacks each time we have met with him.) We have observed numerous classes and then been asked for feedback by the teachers. We have presented to several classes about our schools and communities. Students have then asked us questions about everything from cricket ("Why don't Americans play the sport?") to educational practices ("What are the major differences we see between the two countries?"). We were asked to present a lesson so that teachers and students could get a taste of American educational practices. Obviously, the school recognizes the importance of learning and sharing with others and has a desire to see things from another perspective.

Additionally, we were asked by the Malapurram community council (a mix of school board and aldermen) for our input on a new interactive educational initiative being launched. (It looked good to us.) We’ve had our picture taken by local media and appeared in the local newspaper. Finally, three different teachers invited us to dinner so that they could talk with us more in order to better understand the United States and our educational beliefs.

Clearly, this is a school and community that values global education. They have gone into the stratosphere and beyond to make us feel welcome. It is not an understatement to say that we are treated like celebrities here. This is a school whose actions show they see great value in global education. At Rutland High School, we are certainly saying the right things and talking a good game, but are we playing the game as well as the Kendriya Vidyalaya Malapurram School?

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Gender and India – It’s complicated

14/6/2015

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Posted by Erik Remsen

Last month, World History 2 finished the year with a unit on gender equality. Students looked at gender issues around the world, including India. The purpose of the unit was to work on research, writing, and communication skills and to gain a deeper understanding of gender inequity around the world and at home. While I know, and my students now know, that India is a country with gender inequality, I did not expect to witness blatant gender discrimination in person while here in India.

Before I get to the discrimination incident, let me first say that I believe it was an anomaly. My first days in India were spent in Bangalore with several amazing women from the Teacher Foundation. The Teacher Foundation is working to improve education in the state of Kernataka by empowering teachers and working with them to improve their practice. (In this, they share a vision similar to that of the Rowland Foundation.) The traditional method of teaching in India is to stand and deliver and make students memorize facts, figure, words, definitions, and anything else that can be memorized and regurgitated. The women we met from the Teacher Foundation are great at what they do and we saw examples of teachers that they have worked with who are dynamic in the classroom. (In my opinion, the Teacher Foundation should win a WISE prize for education.)

My experience with gender in India began to change when we arrived at the Bangalore airport at the start of our trip to Malapurram, a city near the Arabian Sea in the state of Kerala. When our group of six got to the security lines, we realized they were segregated, one line for men and one line for women. Additionally, the body scan for the women was done behind a wall, while the men were screened in view of everyone. Finally, the men were screened and searched by other men and only women screened the women. Everything else at the airport was mixed, but security was clearly segregated.

I am spending a week in Malapurram with Robert Lurie, a fellow history teacher from Lansing, Michigan. We have been joined for the first few days by Emily Lester from IREX, who is doing a site visit to our school and another one. The three of us checked into our hotel, went on a brief tour of Malapurram with our host teacher, Thomas, and then returned to our hotel for a snack in the lounge before dinner. However, when we went to enter the bar, we were told that females were not allowed. Emily handled it with grace and accepted it. I was dumbstruck, it caught me completely off-guard. We quickly formulated a plan to have dinner elsewhere.

At this point, we still do not have an explanation of why Emily was told she was not welcome. Robert and I have not yet been inside, so we don’t know why women are not allowed in. We do know that Malapurram is largely Muslim, but that does not necessarily explain the discrimination. (I should add that Emily was dressed modestly, but that her head was uncovered.) This is one incident, in one hotel, on one night so it is clearly not representative of Indian views (or even, perhaps, Muslim’s views) on women, but it was upsetting and disappointing, especially given our experience with the women of the Teacher Foundation.

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India Day 1

8/6/2015

Posted by Erik Remsen
Day one of of my India experience is drawing to a close. For the most part, it was a rest day, given the length of the journey here. The trip here involved 3 flights, almost 26 hours of traveling, and a journey across 9 1/2 timezones. (Yes, 9 1/2. India is 9 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Vermont, but I haven't learned why yet.) Oh, and after the three flights, the last leg of the journey was made on this bus...

Stylish, eh?. It was a sight that put this weary traveler at ease at 3am on the last leg of the journey.

After a morning of rest, a few of us ventured out for a short walk. Below are a few pictures of Bengaluru, city of 8 million.

Late this afternooon, our TGC group attended a presentation on Indian education. It was very fascinating One of the interesting tidbits was the fact that, on average, India spends $140 per pupil per school year. Compare that to the Vermont average which is somewhere north of $16,000 per pupil.

Another interesting bit that appealed to my interest in geography was a map of India that was shown to us (I've included it below to the right.) It is a map made in India which shows India as including areas currently controlled by both Pakistan and China. India has border disputes with both countries and each of the three countries claims control of some of the others' land. In the northwest corner, India claims all of Kashmir and Jammu, though parts are under Pakistani and Chinese control and, in the northeast region, India claims that part of China actually belongs to the Indian state of Aranachal Pradesh. The situation is, of course, much more complicated than this, but nonetheless, it is interesting and thought-provoking to see the Indian perspective on these disputed areas visually portrayed on the map. (For contrast, I've included a map that highlights these disputed areas. You may need to click on the maps to see them in their entirety.)

Traveling to India

3/6/2015

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Posted by Erik Remsen
On June 6th, I depart for India for three weeks as a member of the Teachers for Global Classrooms program run by the U.S. Department of State and IREX. I will be traveling with 14 other teachers from around the country and we will be visiting the cities of Bengaluru and Delhi, as well as embedding in an Indian school for a week. For me, the Indian school experience means traveling with teacher Robert Lurie from Michigan (check out his blog here) to Malapurram in the state of Kerala, not to far from the southwest coast. At the school, we will have the chance to observe classes, talk with both students and faculty members, and guest teach several lessons. As the global studies advisor and a teacher of 10th grade world history, this trip is a wonderful opportunity to make connections with fellow educators, experience another culture, and learn about other perspectives on both history and education. It's experience that will no doubt enrich my teaching.

While I have travelled to western Asia (Qatar) and eastern Asia (Japan), India is a new destination in Asia for me. Below, in no particular order, are some of the contrasts I will experience during the trip:

Bengaluru is a city of around 8.5 million and Delhi has over 20 million people. Even Malapurram has a metropolitan population of around 1 million. The entire state of Vermont, by contrast, has around 650,000 people.
This morning the temperature as I drove into Rutland was around 45 degrees. Last week, the daily high temperature in Delhi was also 45 degrees... celsius. (That's 113 degrees fahrenheit.)
Our school year is ending in a few short weeks. In Malapurram, the new school year begins next week.
The average class size at RHS is around 20 students. The school in Malapurram where I will be guest teaching averages 40 students per class.

Will there be some culture shock? Yeah, probably. However, it is something to look forward to.

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RHS students, faculty, and alumni with global experiences to share with the community.

This blog is not an official U.S. Department of State blog. The views and information presented are the grantee’s own and do not represent the Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, IREX, or the U.S. Department of State.

3rd Annual Global Issues Network Conference at RHS

Field Research - India

India - the paradoxes

The look of education

Learning Languages

Playing a good game

Gender and India – It’s complicated

India Day 1

Traveling to India

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