By Andrea Dávila, Colombia
It was a rainy day when we arrived at Easthampton High School. From the entrance, everything looked different from the schools in my country. It was an open space, without private security and with a big space for cars to park. To me, it looked like a university in my city.
When we entered, the director, one teacher and students welcomed us very kindly. Then, they divided us into groups with students from the school. Everything was very well organized as we had a tour around the school facilities and then observed some classes.
The school was very big and beautiful. The teachers and students were very kind; they asked us some things about our countries while we were in their classes. After the tour and the class observation, we had a break to share with the students. They gave us a school t-shirt as a gift. We had time to talk to them a little more about our cultures.
At the end of the visit, we were able to meet with the students who guided and accompanied us during the visit, as well as meeting with the teachers and administrators. I was personally impressed by the commitment shown by the students who are part of the “We the People” class, in which they learn more in depth about the Constitution and the history of the United States. I was also amazed by the commitment of the teachers to make their students learn a lot in a safe, calm and friendly place across the different school subjects.
The day was important because I got to experience an American High School, the pedagogical system, the schedules they handle and the dress code they use. Here, I could notice another big difference with my country, since in all the schools in my country the students wear uniforms. Another difference is that in my culture, the schools go from sixth grade to eleventh grade, all in the same building. I learned that the “We the People” program is an elective subject that is quite relevant in high schools, since they have a national competition on it, and not only the students but also the teachers who teach this subject prepare very hard for that.
My favorite moment of the day was listening to the students during the meeting in the library talking about what they learned at school and how some of them had decided on their professional careers, influenced by their favorite classes. We all had the opportunity to participate in the meeting, asking questions about the school, classes, methodology and other important topics in the educational field. The day was perfect, we felt welcomed and it was really exciting to meet a Colombian teacher at this school, who kindly offered to give us a tour of Amherst during a free weekend.
It was a day I will never forget.
All opinions expressed by the program participants are their own and do not represent nor reflect official views from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, or of the Institute for Training and Development, Inc.
