This topic was fairly difficult for Stephanie to answer. Some of the issues regarding excellence in their school system were extremely different from what I expected to hear. I was thinking about discussions regarding the quality of the early childhood programs in regard to meeting standards, expectations, and materials available to them. However, the information she was able to provide falls along the lines of serving vulnerable children, one of the issues discussed in Columbia University's article. (2009), as well as helping those not part of the mainstream culture.
Stephanie and some of her fellow co-workers from the United States find that one of the major issues related to providing excellence and equity in education is to ensure that those coming to Suriname to teach do not send a message that ," All things American are better" through their attitudes. First off simply because that is not always the case; water and preventive medication in Suriname are of better quality than the United States. Secondly, the focus is to ensure that they are there to educate children and only taking into account their background when it comes to education them, but not as a way of seeming better than others. With many of the local teachers being from America, this has been a problem previously within their school system.
Also, I have had a hard time comprehending the other conversation we had. While discussing this assignment with some of her co-workers, she also had a chance to talk with a young local Suriname teacher. He mentioned the following experience at a local school, in fact a few local schools that led schools to being closed. He said one school was closed today because several of the kids started getting into a "trance" and wanted to run into oncoming traffic
"They didnt say anything more, but I heard that this is the third time it has happened, happens in different schools. The news used the words "trance" but it should be "possessed". Apparently some of the kids are involved in "winti" which is what witch doctors use to heal or put curses on people. So what happened is ..one kid fell into a trance and suddenly several of the other kids started right after.
In another school they were tearing their clothes off throwing desks, being completely "taken over"
The reason we both found this to be an interesting coversation for this topic was because it is an issue in several of their schools. Even though it may not be an issue I understand, it is something the teachers there are having to deal with. These issues also impact the systems ability to provide teaching and learning opportunities that are of excellence. However, as teachers and administrators this is a major discussion when it comes to providing excellence and equity in the schools. As a teacher, they hold the same mission as many of us do- to provide the best for each and every one of our children. In this situation "the best" must begin with a way to help those who are encountering those "trances" and finding ways to help those children.
Again, after this last conversation my mind had been consumed by this situation. I think of the situations I encounter each day. Yes, I have children struggling with emotional and social skills, children who have pushed desk out of anger, and those who struggle with empty bellies every morning they enter school. After coming into work before my conversation with Stephanie, I was having one of those " it can't get any worse" kind of moments. In my mind I was thinking what my students ( and I as there teacher) face to be the worst. This conversation has left me thinking, " What would I do?" "How could I help those children?"
Jo
ReplyDeleteIt was great reading your post and getting to know about the trance and the witni that children encounter. I have never heard of these encouters. I wonder what can these teachers do to stop these behaviors.
Hi JoAnn,
ReplyDeleteThis is Roikensha "Kensha." My cell phone was stolen and my blog is set up through Google Reader. With my account, I have the two-step verification in which upon signing in, google sends a verification code to my mobile phone to verify it is me. With my phone stolen, I can not get the code, so I had to access your blog from the blog links in our online classroom and from a different google account. Anyway....your post was highly interesting. Wow! I do not know how I would handle the situation regarding the "trances". From my professional knowledge, I do know that cultures that practice witchcraft have a strong belief in its practices. I am sure the schools close out of fear and because of feeling helpless. I wonder how the families of those children react? I mean I wonder if parents allow the children, who are possessed, to return home? I am sure they are afraid, as well. I thing I learned from your post was the quality of preventive medication in Suriname. I would have never guess that it was of higher quality than America's preventive medications.
Jo Ann: I am not really sure I have the complete understanding of the experience provided regarding the children and the supernatural experiences they were encountering; however, I would like to know how the administration and educators are solving this problem. Did your international contacts provide any solutions they are currently implementing to solve this problem? How are parents responding? What remedies are being used by the school and medical personnel to counteract this foe?
ReplyDeleteHi JoAnn,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like something I would defintely like to read more about. My question is the same as Christina's...what is the administration and the parents doing about this? If this has happened in other schools what is being done to try and keep this from affecting other children?
I do not understand it either. It completely shocked me. I will ask her. She was not directly involved. Thankfully that has not occured at her school, but I will ask her to get in touch with the young teacher she talked to. I wonder how our administration would handle such an experience.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question you both had. After reading the conversations between the Suriname local and Stephanie it seems that this is a cultural problem. It is not simply with the children in the school. This school is close to a cemetery. Some people believe that the spirits are from there. However, at this current moment, they are planning to fix the spirits by using other spirits. If that makes any sense.From what I gather they feel another spirit would be the remedy of this problem. From more information I have gathered from other events in this high school, I can not imagine how they maintain a "normal" school day. I hope this helps answer questions.
ReplyDeleteJO,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point in terms of watching our words. I like that you said that your friend teaching abroad has to be careful not to offend other cultures by pointing out that the United States is great, and that the United States does has a certain way of doing things, doing this does not promote equality; this would offend other countries. I have a bad habit of comparing the state of California to Georgia. Because I grow up in California I have deemed that we are so much better than Georgia on many levels, including education. However, I have not considered what impact my words may cause for others, I have noticed that people do get offended, when I some what talk bad about the practices of Georgia. So maybe I am not promoting equality by doing this.
Alice Jones