On teaching the elite...

It’s March! I hear the weather back home is getting to be Spring-like! This is surely good news, although I also hear you all didn’t get much of a winter…

Weather here on the equator doesn’t change too much…also the time change doesn’t change either! Always a bit chilly at night in the mountains, warm, dry sun during the day. Sunrise at 6:30AM, sunset at 6:30PM. I like it though. I always tell the story of time change when I told my indigenous friends a few years ago that in the US, we have time changes. And their response was, “What? I don’t get it. The president gets on the radio and tells everyone just to change the clock? WOW! Now that is power! The power to change the time!

Let’s see, not a whole lot of news here…just some blabber

AASSA conference-Our school is hosting the annual conference of American International Schools in South America Administrators and Educators conference. We’ve now been preparing for this for over 2 years and it’s finally happening at the end of the week. We’ve got over 600 administrators and educators coming to Quito. They’ll stay at the Swiss Hotel and then come to Academia Cotopaxi during the 3 day conference for workshops, exhibitions, vendors, breaks, etc. As with all conferences, there are SO many logistics. I’m glad I’m not in charge! I’m excited to network with others around the continent and am proud that our school is hosting such a big event.

Teaching the elite-You all are well aware, because I’ve written about it now several times. I teach very wealthy children. Some of their tendencies are very difficult for me to deal with, but I’m learning lots of patience! For example, I overheard one of kids tell another, “My mom told me that girls just have to be pretty and boys just have to be smart and make a lot of money.” Hmmm…where does that leave me as their teacher?

I’ve recently had a realization. Although I think it feels much more “rewarding” teaching impoverished children like I had in Mo Co, I CAN make an impact among the future leaders of South America (as I am coming to think of my 2^nd graders!) Academically, they are fine! They are MORE than fine! That’s not the challenge. Socially, behaviorally, emotionally is perhaps where I should be focusing more. Sharing, collaborating with others, LISTENING to what people have to say, cleaning up YOUR own mess, filling other’s buckets, being KIND, no exceptions. These are life lessons that although they seem basic, I think will go a long way in helping my students be kind, compassionate future government leaders, business leaders and just healthy global citizens. Whew. It actually feels really good to have found a new calling…and to think of my teaching in that sense. They GET the math, they GET the reading and the writing and the social studies. It’s the other stuff that I can teach them and hopefully make an impact on them.