Going to Colombia I was open minded, I had no idea what was to happen, what I would learn. The global education online course had given me the language to talk about what I valued in education and humanity. I barely knew anything about this beautiful country which rose through the clouds. When I got there I met a proud people baptised in humility through the struggle of history. A people filled with joy , layered by melancholy of a blood stained past. The stories of drug wars lingering in the background, these people are fighting with education and culture as ammunition to change the discourse in and out of their nation. What I found was a part of myself in each person I met. I heard my own voice in their laughter, found my own rhythm in their music. The powerful connections that I made with the teachers go beyond the professional and polite exchanges. In Colombia, I found my family. Family comes in many forms, takes many faces. Here were my people. I knew them. And they recognised as their own. I have traveled the world, these kind of authentic amazing experiences are precious and rare. I felt part of my heart and soul where I got in the plain to return home. But I will be back with my daughters so they may feel and see the gift Irex gave me
My capstone question had been :how does global education manifest in the Colombian art room. While there we visited several school. Arts education (music, theatre, visual art, dance) as we experience it here does not seem to be an emphasis in general public school practices there. However we visited, a school for the arts in Armenia which was amazing. A pilot, one of its kind and caveated by the students of Colombia. In this school the students learns contemporary, traditional and classical music and dance! It was inspiring and a very emotional experience to see the students blossom and become bigger than life through this art forms. Fine art and theatre was not part of the curriculum. And in general, in the public schools the visual arts were lacking and underfunded. If students were truly interested in developing those skills they had to take private lessons.
So although my question was about the arts and global education before I arrived, when I was there, the question about community became important and more relevant to me. In my own work as an artist, I try to extend my family through performative installations. In my classroom in the US, I educate my urban students through the power of relationships. In Colombia I found a people loyal to culture, country, friendship and family. The deep connections, respect, supportive relationships and diverse community is the foundation of the Colombian culture and family. If we could "rebuild the village " following those examples of pure humanity, our urban centers would be healthier and our kids would have a shot at changing their given trajectory.
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