Adventures in Yucatan, Mexico

 Last night we continued our professional development program and explored the role of the 21st century professor. We thought about what it means to teach (transmit, share, guide, inspire, communicate) and what it means to learn (internalize and reproduce, appropriate something, make it your own).  For someone to really learn something and internalize the information, the learning must be memorable, or significant. It must be connected with some kind of emotion. But not everyone has the same emotional reaction to everything. Some students love  math, and some can't stand it. Some kids excel in gym class, and for others it seems like torture. Some people find history fascinating and others couldn't care less what treaty was signed in what year by some guy in a wig. But maybe it's not the content, or the subject, that are really causing these emotions but the way  in which they are presented, the context  in which we encounter them. Math isn't always numb...

Yesterday afternoon we began the second round of our professional development program here in Mérida titled "The Concert." The course is divided in 5 sections: Setting the Scene: the classroom and spaces The Conductor of the Orchestra: professor as a guide The Orchestra: directing the students The Music: creating experiences The Instruments: using didactic resources Last night we looked at the spaces that we must create for our students and what a professor in the 21st century should focus on to generate memorable learning.  We also looked at the Japanese concept of IKIGAI, which is a philosophy of life that brings together your passion, your profession, your vocation and your mission to discover a "reason for being," or a purpose. Being content with what you have and what you do is more important than money or success. We also looked at various quotes from well-known educators, these are some of our favorites:   Stay tuned for more t...