NEW YORK—According to the United Nations, some 300 million children worldwide are still unable to complete secondary school. From April 21 to 27, the Global Campaign for Education marked Education Action Week, encouraging its members in 120 countries to teach "The World's Biggest Lesson" to local and national politicians, with children as active participants. I have my own small contribution to that effort.
In the summer of 2007, I started participating in a project organized by the University of Tucumán, in the North of Argentina, to expand the knowledge of rural teachers in the province of Tucumán through a project called "Maestro 1,2,3" (Teacher 1,2,3). I chose to teach them the techniques of oral history, something that they could teach their students in their own communities. The results were highly satisfactory. Teachers in rural areas were motivated to learn the technique and transmit that knowledge to their students.
Although some of the teachers live near the rural school where they teach, for many others travel to their school is extremely hard. In many cases, teachers have to travel on horseback for several hours through mountains and rivers to reach the school. Others prefer to live in the rural school where they teach and go home once a month during the school year. Their work and sacrifice were an example for me.
Some of these rural teachers I trained work in several schools. Because of distance and cost, few of them have the opportunity to attend faculty development workshops or courses. These development activities are very important for them, since the Ministry of Education assigns "value points" that allow the teachers to obtain better pay and secure permanent jobs.
During the workshop I conducted, we read some recollections, among them one by the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda entitled "Confieso Que He Vivido" (I confess that I have lived). We also discussed theory, methodology, types, and ethical concerns of oral histories. We also looked at samples of what some schools in the United States had done to preserve traditions by involving school children in interviewing community members.
All projects we developed during the workshop were tied to needs in their communities. All involved intensive interviews carried out by children. Some of the topics included investigating the possibility of an after school program so that children with untapped talents could be tutored by their teachers; designing a small museum of rocks and plants from the area and having children study them; investigating the use of medicinal plants in their community; looking into the issue of water pollution of mountain rivers which are used for washing, drinking, and waste disposal; and recording the history and process of a ritual by which a bull and a cow are "married" in the spring as a fertility ritual.
As I reflect on this experience, I realize that my work at Empire State College in New York was one of the best trainings I could have for this project. Our philosophy at the College is to take the students at whatever stage they come, respecting their experiences, and creating activities related to their life histories, interests, and goals. This allowed me to listen to my students' needs and honor those needs.
I had heard so many negative things about rural teachers before I became involved in this project that I didn't have high expectations of what was possible to do with them. The teachers and everybody associated with the school where I conducted the workshop proved me wrong. These teachers loved their students and had a lot of creativity, but some had lost it because authorities at the Ministry of Education demanded some goals that were inappropriate for their students.
Working with "Maestro 1, 2, 3," I found intellectually inquisitive minds ready for discussion and learned that they were grateful that somebody had taken the time to listen to them and work with them in their communities. I also learned that although material resources are important, willingness to learn is even more important to have vibrant, accomplished schools.
The students at my workshop claim that they learned a lot from me. But I consider the experience a gift that the University of Tucumán, the hosts, the teachers (my students), and school administrators gave me.
Dr. Silvia Chelala is an Associate Professor of Cultural Studies at the Empire State College in New York.
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