CHARLENE
Exceptional Education Undergraduate |
CHARLENE
Exceptional Education Undergraduate |
After a 3 hour plane ride and a 3 hour lay over in Newark, NJ we finally made our way home to Buffalo Friday night. As we flew, I thought back to the last few weeks I had enjoyed in the Dominican Republic. I am very blessed I had the opportunity to experience the culture in another country. Being down there made me appreciate what I do have in the United States. Although we take many things for granted, the few things that I greatly appreciate now is pure drinking water out of the focet or well, safe driving on the roads, and the cleanly toilet routine (i won't go into detail). I also greatly appreciate our education system here in the states. After spending my first day back at Buffalo State in my education classes, I have a renewed interest in learning the correct way to teach in a classroom. This trip has really helped me see into the struggles English language learners go though on a daily basis in our schools, and will help me through a class this semester that emphasizes the importance of knowing how to teach English Language Learners (ELLs). It is important for all teachers k-12 and up to know how to accomidate every student in their class. I will take these lessons with me throughout my career. I definitely miss the warmth and sun from the DR but I am also so thankful to be home and able to sleep in my own bed!
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As I count down my final hours before we leave the Dominican Republic, the many people who have touched my life these past weeks come to mind. The Mariposa Foundation as you well know from reading my blogs has left a lasting imprint on my heart. We had our final farewell dinner last night and enjoyed one last meal prepared by Freddie and shared our thorns and roses from the trip. Many thorns included: sickness, spending more time with the Mariposas, not feeling like we made enough of an impact, etc. But then our directors and Mariposa guides reminded us that small impacts sometimes are greater then those you can see. By allowing the older Mariposas to be our Spanish tutors and teachers on this trip, it allowed them to interact with us on an equal basis. No one was above another; we were all teachers. They also got to see into the world of teaching and helping others, which is always a beautiful lesson to learn. Yes spending time at the Mariposa Foundation was an amazing part of the tour, but by being future teachers, our time in the schools was also important. I would have to say this was one of my thorns. I was sad that we hadn't been able to spend more time with the Mariposas and the Maripositas because to me, the morning I spent with the Maripositas was filled with beautiful learning experiences. However, as I was so gracefully reminded, seeing the schools and the teaching styles and the resources was meant for us. We could see the old way of teaching and the results, which is why learning the correct way is so important. We could understand why we are taught the way we are taught because the students can grasp concepts and learn more efficiently. Also, alongside seeing the negatives or difficulties in teaching here in Cabarete, we could also see what we could take back to the states. When we think of lessons, we immediately think of lesson plan templates, list of supplies, copies for everyone, PowerPoints, smart board etc. But in reality, we don't need all of that "stuff". As long as the students are learning the subject and the topic, teaching can be done in songs, on a chalkboard or with one simple piece of construction paper. Technology is an asset but it is not a necessity to be a good teacher.
As we sat in a circle eating and sharing our stories we also began to talk about what we wanted to do when we got back to the states after seeing what we saw here. A couple girls had connections and projects they already want to start while others felt conflicted. They knew they wanted to do something, they just didn't know what, or how to get started. A few girls even mentioned that they debated quitting school and moving down here to help in the DR but then realized they couldn't leave their families and that there is need all over. There are girls and communities in need all over the world, even in our own backyard. You don't need to travel to a third world country to help those in need. Staying in your neighborhood is ok, and so is driving a couple hours to someplace crying for help. Any little bit of service you can provide is better then none. A small gesture can mean the world for someone in need, and can put a smile on your heart as well. I had already been bit by the service bug long before I came on this trip. I have been a member of Orchard Park Presbyterians Church Workcamp for 7 years. Every year we take a week to volunteer in another community. We stay at a local Presbyterian church in that area and get up and work all day to help better someone's life. Whether we work on one project: building a home, painting a home, or recreating a bible garden; or work on multiple little projects: organizing a food pantry, organizing a Habitat for Humanity restore, cleaning pews at the church we are staying at; we are still making a difference. This is a main reason why I told myself I am going on this trip. I knew the DR was a place in need and I wanted to spread my healing hands farther than the states. Working with the Mariposa Foundation connected alongside my work with my church because not only are they working to end generational poverty and create a better life for these young girls, but they are also helping the community. Mothers of the children have an opportunity to work for the Mariposa Foundation to provide for their families and the girls can also spread their learning throughout their community. These girls can become other girls role models and lead the next generation in the right direction. Working alongside the Mariposa Foundation has also reemphasized a dream project of my own. After a trip with my church, I decided I wanted to open up a Cinderella's Closet near Buffalo, NY. We had the privilege to volunteer in one while on a mission trip and it was breathtaking. Their mission to give every girl her chance at a fairytale night is unbelievable. Cinderella's Closet works with schools and counselors and local churches to pin point girls who may benefit from their services. Once the girls are chosen and make their appointments, they get to come in and pick out their very own prom dress to wear on their special night. Girls that may have not been able to afford a $400+ dress, now has the ability to join their friends on a once in a lifetime night. Cinderella's Closet provides these girls with their own personal fairytales and helps them experience a night they shouldn't have to miss. The Mariposa Foundation does this for their girls every day. Every day, as soon as those girls set foot through the gates they are no longer girls living in poverty, they are now Mariposas. For those couple of hours the girls can be whomever they want. They can create their fairytales and dream about living them. The Mariposa Foundation allows these girls to dream and that is what I want to take away from this trip most of all. I want to forever be able to give my service for those in need; I want to see the smile on the faces of those I have touched and most importantly I want to know that I helped encourage a girl towards her fairytale. I know that as a teacher I can help my students find their dreams and learn to soar, and there is no better reward then seeing them grow. This trip has continued to strengthen my love for service and although creating a Cinderella's Closet is a slow process between school and work, one day it will be a reality and I can't wait for that part of my service adventure to begin. Special thanks to the Mariposa Foundation: every staff member and every Mariposa who walked alongside me these past few weeks, to my directors for allowing me to be a part of this trip, to my family and friends for the support that you offered me through the months of planning and to the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church for allowing me to continue the service spark that started within your congregation. I am so thankful I had this opportunity, I will miss those I became close with along the way and I can't wait to share even more stories with everyone once I am home. Goodbye for now! Buenas Noches <3 So, to be truthful…I have been working on the same blog for over a week. I know that blogs should just come naturally but sometimes I want to include so much but can’t figure out how to word it. During our time here we walked through some local neighborhoods and toured some local public and private schools. These places left such an impact on me, but not necessarily one large enough to write blogs about. Places like “El Play”, “La Cienega” and “Callejon de la Loma” were incredible places to see because of the contrast between them and where we stay in Cabarete but to me that’s where it ends. Yes, these places were devastated by the floods and the destruction more noticeable, but they aren’t any different than the rest of the Dominican Republic. History making floods ravaged the Dominican Republic in November to the point that now a month and a half later, homes are still in ruins and roads impassable. How is an earthquake or bad weather in Haiti any different than a flood in the DR? They share the same island yet get no media coverage except a little mark on a map. How can a community of people get no outside assistance after their homes and belongings were washed away, when other places get media coverage and assistance when it rains too hard for them? I don’t understand how the media can leave out the devastation of one country for another. So here we are walking through the streets of these devastated neighborhoods hearing about the struggles and the need and all I can think about is how I didn’t hear about it and how it’s not just these three neighborhoods. To me the tours through these cities should have been eye openers but unfortunately, they looked like the rest of the DR that I have seen.
As for the schools, the public schools looked just like the private schools. I know we were in the public schools on a conference day and a rainy day, but they still didn’t seem as bad as everyone kept saying. We even toured a one room school house, and although they have a limited number of students, the teachers looked like they had complete control over the students. I understand things get loud and teachers aren’t the best etc. but I have also witnessed that in the private schools. For the past few days we have been in a higher end private school called Coral. It seems like a nice school with standards, but it also has its problems. One of the girls on the trip mentioned how there was no toilet paper in any of the stalls in the bathrooms, classes are loud, and sometimes I don’t know if the students are really learning anything. In the first-grade class I have been in the teacher is very nice and looks like she cares for the students, but I don’t see much learning taking place. I know that how you teach comes from who taught you, but the teaching styles in these schools make me cringe. My teacher takes the entire 3 hours to grade homework, and by grade, I mean take each book out of the child’s backpack and put a check mark and the word excellent on each page completed. For math, she writes 5 addition equations on the board and expects the students to write them down and know how to complete them while she sits behind her desk doing homework check. When the students do find an answer, they take their book up to her and she corrects it but while she is working with one child the rest of the class is in chaos. Most of the students would just ask me for the answer and when I would explain how I found it, they had no idea. For literature, it was the same process. The teacher would write literature on the board to show that she was transferring over, then have the students open to a page in their workbooks. After that she sat behind her desk working with one kid while the rest of the class was walking around or talking etc. Very few were actually completing their work. The teaching style and how the class was handled definitely hit me hard. I was completely taken aback and I vowed to myself that I would always 100% be better than that. I have had plenty of teacher role models to keep with me, but this one will stay with me too for the other end of the spectrum. My teaching in Coral was another situation too. The language barrier that I was afraid of before coming on this trip didn’t hit me until Coral. At the Mariposa DR Foundation, the teachers knew some English and would attempt to communicate and help me understand. "No Hablar Español!". At Coral, the teacher and most of the students knew no English. Therefore, to teach a lesson to a group of students was horrifying. We couldn’t explain to the teacher what we had planned, she couldn’t tell us what the kids new, and we definitely couldn’t answer the students when they made a statement or had a question. Teaching in gestures and one word phrases was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in teaching. In the USA, If I need to I can come up with something to keep a lesson going, but here if you didn’t have something planned with a translation you were in trouble. These kids were crazy and I had no way to tell them to behave since the teacher wasn’t. All I could tell these students was “no”. I hope I will never have to use “no” in a classroom, as many times as I have in the past 3 days ever again. The time in the schools was definitely interesting and makes me miss my mariposas. The best part of being at Coral was that when I was on break with my class, my mariposita Mabel was on break from her class. She saw me first the first day I was there and nearly knocked me over as she gave me a hug. Every day since, she has found me on break and given me a hug and hung out with me. Today we even played a game with some of her friends on the basketball court; it was lots of fun. Today was difficult too because I had to tell her it was the last day she would see me. She didn’t want to let me go and even had to face the wall for a bit because she was sad. It took all my strength not to cry too. I will definitely miss her. The mariposas will stay with me forever<3 Saturday and Sunday January 14th and 15th were so much fun! Not only was it my birthday weekend (turned 22 on Sunday) but also a weekend full of city tours and horseback riding. Saturday, we enjoyed a day trip to Puerto Plata. This was the city we flew into when we arrived in the Dominican on the 3rd. As we drove through Puerto Plata I noticed the striking contrast between the city and Cabarete. The streets were more well-kept as well as the houses in the heart of the city. Drivers were also more aware of walkers attempting to cross the road, therefore were kinder in letting us cross. However, I did notice that poorer areas were still visible and the flooding that took place 2 months ago, hit them maybe just as hard as Cabarete. Our first stop was at Mount Isabella, where we took a gondola ride up the mountain. What a sight! It was incredible to watch the landscape unfold before us. You could see the ocean, the entire city of Puerto Plata (including the divide between those with more money and those with without), and the mountain range that divides the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The fog was dense as we ascended the mountain and created a thick cloud above the ground. As we reached the top, a statue of Christ the redeemer stood protective over the city of Puerto Plata. It stood with his arms wide open, ready to embrace all. Although it was too foggy for the scenic hike, as we walked back to the gondola the fog lifted and a breathtaking view loomed before us. Hermosa (beautiful)!!! After the gondola, we stopped by Espigon Cigars, a cigar factory, to tour how cigars are made. We also got to dance alongside a merengue dancer and do the limbo. She was beautiful and gave everyone a good laugh. Laughter is the best medicine after all. A wonderful lunch followed and had amazing comida (food). After eating my fair share of Dominican meals containing rice, beans, chicken, more rice and more beans; I jumped at the chance to enjoy an American bacon cheeseburger and fries. It still makes me drool thinking about It; it was so good. Although I loved trying the Dominican cuisine, I cannot wait to get home to my American meals. As we walked around the central square of the city, a nice surprise awaited with an opportunity to purchase gelato or ice cream. Sweets! Just what I needed! Our final stop of this incredible tour, was on the seaside, to visit Fortaleza San Felipe, a historic Spanish Fortress built in 1577 to protect Puerto Plata from pirates and corsairs. On the roof, the cannons still stand ready to protect. What a sight even as the rain began to fall. What an amazing day! Sunday was my birthday! On a beautiful day, we relaxed until 4pm then went horseback riding on the beach! It was so much fun! The horses were well behaved and although the guides weren’t the best, we made it fun. I was so excited for some girls in my group too because they had never been on a horse before and treated the experience like pros when the guides kept the horses at a trot or faster. After an afternoon of riding, some of us enjoyed a filling dinner at Onno’s, a beachside restaurant. Thankfully the 70% chance of rain all day ended with a 5-minute rain at 11am. The rest of the day was beautiful. Picture Perfect! Wondering where the time has gone as we say goodbye to our Mariposa friends. The last day at the Mariposa Foundation was very emotional. We had become fond of the Mariposas we worked with and the staff that touched our hearts. As it came to the last day, I told myself I wouldn’t cry because although I learned a lot, lessons were meant to be taught and spread, not chained together teacher and student. May Jane one of the wonderful teachers at the Mariposa Foundation, was my Spanish teacher during my time here in the Dominican Republic. Although I wasn’t the easiest student- having no background knowledge in Spanish- she took my difficulties in stride and helped me feel included in a class with others who could better communicate. As I sat in class desperately trying to understand what she was saying and attempting to find any words to form a response to what I think is her question, I thought of how English Language Learners (ELLs) must feel in our classes in the states. As others look on while you try to form a sentence in a language you are not fluent in is the worst kind of embarrassment. Communication, the most basic of skills, and you can’t manage to handle it. After being in the Spanish classes at the Mariposa Foundation, I got a first-hand look at how it feels to be an ELL learner. I know from this experience, I will use the knowledge I have gained to sympathize with any ELL learners I may encounter in my career and strive to make their educational experience less stressful and less embarrassing in the long run. The struggle to communicate is real whether in the working world, classrooms, with ELL learners, but also with students with special needs. Choosing to go to school for Special Education has really opened my eyes to the struggle these children go through daily and the lack of support offered to the children. Although it is difficult to understand them sometimes or they can’t talk, we must be patient and try to find another way to communicate. For example, if I child is speaking gibberish to you, and gets frustrated when you don’t respond back correctly or get angry at them, it might be beneficial to you and the child to find another means of communication. I know it may be difficult, but these children are amongst us and are not going away. Maybe now it is our job to change our tactics to change the world to allow them in. Learning under Mary Jane was an incredible experience that I will hold with me forever. I believe our presence here will stay with these girls and I know one of the girls decided she wants to be a teacher when she finishes school after being part of teaching us Spanish. I was especially touched Friday morning when we get to spend the morning with the Maripositas or little butterflies. We sang a few songs with them then split off into different classes. The girls had three classes in the morning: Health, Art and English. I was in a group that started in Health class and learned about what everyone ate daily and what the correct foods should be for the best nutritional value. Then we went to art and I sat beside a young girl that was so excited to color alongside me. We colored a Mariposa (butterfly) and alternated colors so that our butterflies were the same colors but not the same. After that class, we went to English where she sat next to me on the floor and wanted me to read her three books in English instead of her reading to me in Spanish first. She followed along, and even repeated he English back to me on each page. She was so sweet and didn’t want to let me go. As she waited for the bus we drew in the sand, then played an exhausting game similar to man overboard. The girls wanted to go so fast that before we knew it we were asking for a break to catch our breathes. I was sad to see my little friend go, but I hope she will remember me when she looks at our Mariposas. Our day began with a rainbow over the foundation and I definitely felt blessed as we said goodbye. The past few days working with the Mariposa Foundation has been incredible because I can see what they do for the girls in Cabarete. I also know they chose the name they did to honor the Mirabal sisters, who fought for change in the Dominican Republic in the 1950s when the dictator Trujillo was in power. Before we left, we had to read the book “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez which was based on the lives of the 4 Mirabal sisters: Patria, Minerva, Dede and Mary Teresa. Minerva and her husband were the founders of an underground revolution against their dictator. Trujillo wanted to whiten the Dominican Republic therefore would kill black citizens on the spot. The revolution began in attempt to free both black and white Dominicans and create a better life for generations to come. Patria and Mary Teresa and their families joined in on the revolution and their secret name was the Mariposas or butterfly in Spanish. The butterfly represents rebirth, change and freedom in the hearts of most Dominican citizens. Patria, Minerva and Mary Teresa fought for the rights of both men and women, and the day they were assassinated, November 25, became known as the National Day Against Women’s Violence. These sisters did so much for their country and made their voices hear. Although the sisters died, Dede spent the rest of her life guaranteeing that her sisters were remembered for their sacrifice. Dede Mirabal passed away in 2013.
The Mariposa Foundation continues to remember the sisters through their work with the girls of Cabarete. They teach the girls that it is important to let your voices be heard, and that they can stand tall themselves instead of catering to the men or following the typical stereotype for women born in poverty. Generational poverty can end and it ends with you. Girl empowerment is a real thing and should be broadcasted all around the world. No matter what situation we are in, every girl needs to know how special she is individually and how important it is to find your voice. Both the Mariposa Foundation and the Mirabal sisters represent this ideal and I hope that their vision of Mariposa Foundations throughout the world can come true. The story of the Mirabal sisters stayed with me after I finished reading “In the Time of the Butterflies” and I didn’t know why. To me it was a book that was kind of a slow read to start, but picked up and kept me wanting to know more about each sister’s lives. The book began and ended but to me it wasn’t done. I recommended the book to others, and got a catch in my throat when I would talk about what the Mirabal sisters did especially when I talked in junction with the Mariposa Foundation. It wasn’t until we walked through the Mirabal museum, which takes place in the home the girls lived in the last months of their lives that I realized why the story won’t leave me. These girls are heroes! They lived in a time when women didn’t speak up for themselves and yet they found a way to work against the leader of their country. Their story stuck with me because as I think about it, the books I mainly read are led by a strong female leader. These women either start off strong or find their strength throughout the book; which proves that we are individually strong! There is no reason to follow the crowd, dress alike, buy the popular brands etc. Twinning is something that can be fun sometimes but being your individual person is more important. Like the Mirabal sisters, the girls at the Mariposa Foundation or other heroines in my books; hard work and motivation can get you anywhere no matter what gender, skin color, economic status or nationality you are. The girl effect is real and everyone should stand behind it. These strong women in history or in our books aren’t there for no reason; they are there to inspire, and change can start with you. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi. I saw a tattoo on one of my fellow travelers that was one simple word…UNLESS. As some of you may know, it is from the book “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss and the full quote is “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This book means a lot to me because in the book it focuses on the abuse humans put on the earth and our natural resources. Therefore, unless someone cares enough to watch their consumption and protect the environment things will never change. As I looked at her tattoo as we sat beside the pool, I thought of what we are doing here in the Dominican, what the Mariposa Foundation are working towards and what the Mirabal sisters did. Every one of us is working towards a change and creating a path into the future. Unless those like the Mariposa foundation care a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. Therefore, as I sat beside the pool, I decided that the word UNLESS combined with a butterfly would be a perfect representation of the change I wish to see in this world. “Bwake” aka Break, was the phrase we would hear chanting during our excursion at the Monkey Jungle Ziplining Adventure on Sunday. We had so much fun and the best part of the whole thing was that no matter how afraid we were, we waited as long as we could on each podium to cheer each other along. Acknowledging everyone’s weaknesses and knowing what was needed to feel safe and comfortable shows the bond that we have created as a group. Creating a comfortable environment in every environment no matter who you are with, however it is essential in a classroom. I know Sunday, if I hadn’t believed that the guides were there for our benefit and protection I would not have been able to go as far as I did. With 7 lines and 1 freefall ahead of me, I probably would have turned back at the beginning.(For sure because I am soo afraid of hights!) Similar to my experience, students need to know that you are always in their court rooting them on, giving them encouragement when needed, explaining that it is ok to slow down sometimes and letting them know when it is ok to fly. A “Bwake” is very important for students and definitely for teachers. The subjects being taught are very important but the sanity of the students’ is more important; there is always room for a brain break. Yesterday our brain break consisted of flying across the landscape on zip lines, then venturing into the monkey jungle to feed the squirrel monkeys who call it home. The enclosed “jungle” includes many squirrel monkeys, rabbits, turkeys, peacocks and rhino iguanas. Also within the enclosure is another that contains capuchin monkeys. These monkeys are far more dangerous to humans and others because of their strength, teeth and hands; therefore, they stay within their own enclosure away from others but safe from being sold on the streets. Both sets of monkeys were saved from either being sold as pets or from neglecting humans who paraded them around like puppets. Although they will never be able to be released into their natural habitats, these monkeys and other species are safe and well fed within their new home. After the excursion in the morning, we had a fabulous relaxing evening before going out to celebrate Nicole’s 21st birthday!
More pictures to come once the storm ends but here are a couple to give you an idea!!! Today was our first day of our work down here with the Mariposa Foundation. We had orientation and a meet and greet with some of the girls. The girls are so sweet and energetic and just want to bond. Unfortunately, only one or two of us can speak enough Spanish to actually converse, but we still had a good time, toured the facility, played some softball and had another yummy meal made by Freddie from the foundation who is also from the Cocoa Farm. Today we also visited a local village in the town of Cabarete where some of the girls from the foundation are from. Sara our guide lives in this town as well and explained to us how badly the streets and houses flooded and why the roads are still destroyed. As we walked through the streets you see the mud and puddles but you don’t realize how bad the water was a month ago, until you walk through the pedestrian walk which goes between houses. While walking, you realize that the houses we are walking by are vacated because the water sat a couple feet above the ground in their homes. The lagoon that runs behind the entire length of the village overflowed and contaminated everything as it began to rise. Families had to leave their homes behind and those that could still live there had limited electricity which means limited water and food they can’t keep cold. People were getting sick and Sara said it was the hardest month she has had since living here in Cabarete, DR. When it was time to go back to where we stay, we got into the van and drove around the corner and up the road and we were there. The striking contrast between that village and the tourist luxury we are staying in is undeniable. It made me feel so sad as I rounded the corner and saw our gates because those people had very little and here we are practically across the street with food in our fridges, constant water and electricity. This really opens your eyes to those struggling in this world and why there is such a call for help. Volunteering your time is an amazing way to humble your heart and brighten it all at the same time because you listen to the passion in the guides, workers and fellow volunteers around you when they speak about what they do and who it could help. The Mariposa foundation is an amazing organization and is doing wonders for the girls in this community. I look forward to working with them more over the next week.
Enjoy the rest of your night! It is to the pool for me for some relaxation. Adios :) The first couple of days have been extremely crazy! As we flew into Puerto Plata the first challenges began: going through customs and working our way through the airport and onto the busses with all our luggage. Luckily our Mariposa Foundation guide speaks English- Phew! She was originally from New Hampshire, taught Spanish and used to bring groups down here to volunteer. She was happy with her job but knew there was so much she could do and so much she still wanted to do. Therefore, she booked a one-way ticket to Puerto Plata, eventually found her way to Cabarete and found the Mariposa DR Foundation (http://www.mariposadrfoundation.org/). Turns out that immersing herself in the culture and working to better the lives of the girls she works with, working with groups like us and teaching English was her passion. So, we made it to our temporary homes and the first thing you see is the beautiful view and the amazing amount of kite surfers. There are so many I wonder how the lines don’t get caught on each other. Cabarete is the top Kite Surfing location of the world because there are winds 365 days a year mixed with the perfect set of waves; meaning that there is an immersion of different cultures all mashed together in this little town. My first day here and I heard Spanish, French and English from others. It is quite the experience and a wonderful area. We could unpack and settle into our houses before dinner and then got to enjoy a nice Dominican meal of chicken and shrimp on plantains with rice and an avocado salad. Lesson learned today… I am not a fan of plantains haha. Official Day One Complete!!
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AuthorI am very excited to have this opportunity! I am a Junior at Buffalo State College and live in Orchard Park, NY . I enjoy reading, singing, swimming and looking at nature. I never stop smiling and am ready for this adventure! ArchivesCategories |