Porque no?

Porque no? Why not?

Here we are, living in a new city and culture, teaching new students in a new education system. What better place to take some chances?

Having travelled a little bit in the past, my personal mantra for any time abroad is always the same, "Never say no." Whether it is an invitation for a challenging hike, a late-night adventure or a trivial trip down to the supermarket, I try to accept each and every opportunity for a new experience. You simply never know what you will remember, see, experience or learn. A new place can make the most routine activities captivating.

One merit of the IB school system is increased student autonomy and inquiry. Students are given more freedom to explore their own interests, learning things they are intrigued by in a style that suits them. Yesterday in my M3 (8th grade equivalent) English course, a few students asked my cooperating teacher, "Mr. Tong, may we go study outside for the remainder of the period?" (read this question in an incredible British accent to do it full justice). Mr. Tong, responding to these 14 year olds, said without hesitation, "Why of course, enjoy the sunshine and work hard." I was shocked. As a middle schooler (high schooler or college student) I would have ran wild with this freedom. Finding the students outside, I was shocked to approach them under a distant tree in an intense academic debate. In this case, the student's operated autonomously and with full academic freedom, yet still remained totally focused and engaged in their own learning. By Mr. Tong responding to a student's request to control their own learning by saying, "Porque no?", he encouraged a stimulating and comfortable learning environment unique to the students in his room.

While in Spain, I think it is of paramount importance to take chances and risks, both as a fascinated traveller and a developing teacher. This new place, people and culture all have a lot to teach us during our brief 8 weeks here.


--Lars