To better understand their Puerto Rican students, Philly teachers travel to Caribbean
"We are working on Page 16 now. En la página 16," teacher
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At the end of the lesson, Guyon rewards students' success with a ticket to a high school fair.
For Guyon, the class isn't only about numbers, problem-solving, and being accessible in two languages. It's also about connecting with students in ways to help them learn.
That's why he and three fellow teachers, funded by a professional grant, traveled to the
"I wanted to find things that my students could relate to," Guyon said. "A lot of the math problems in the textbooks are related to golf, and they can't relate to that."
But the school's principal, Maritza Hernández, said the teachers' initiative also supports children who were born to
"Understanding the culture, seeing what's going on in
She added that the trip benefited other teachers through a video presentation the travelers shared at a staff meeting at the beginning of the school year.
In January, the four teachers received a
They walked around the towns, documented some of the hurricanes' impact, spoke with families -- and even tried to meet with students who had returned to the island.
English teacher Sarah Dueñas noticed that students and families there have a different perception of a teacher's role and that the approach could determine a child's recovery from trauma.
"Dealing with trauma in
She noted how the vibrant colors and artistic scenes painted on street walls of both
Lee Whack, deputy chief of communications for the
"Any time you have a teacher seeing firsthand the ways that he or she can deal with his or her student's care for trauma, homelessness, violence, or not having food to eat, gives them the cultural competency to be helpful when teaching their students how to learn," he said.
Whack wasn't sure whether the
In August,
Social studies teacher
"In
Since taking the trip, science teacher
"These kids are not used to American-style educations and now they have been thrust into it. Seeing into the future, this can help them feel at home," he said.
Hernández looks forward to bridging the cultural and educational gaps that students in
But to get there, she said, her teachers need to be able to develop relationships with the students.
"I can teach them how to teach, but I can't teach them how to relate," Hernández said. "I need them to have that."
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