SchoolsEstela RomeroFebruary 13, 2020

"Educación y Patria"

SchoolsEstela RomeroFebruary 13, 2020

SCHOOL VISIT

There we go on driving along the trails throughout the “Sierra Chincua” mountains!. Every day can be so incredibly different, so much fun!. Well today, while cheerly driving up hill, in a really steep mountain to reach “Educación y Patria” elementary school, in the “Nicolás Romero” community, VW bug ”Rocinante” carrying your Ambassador Monarchs, suddenly found himself surrounded by baby and adult oxen and cows, who calmly inspected “Rocinante” and tried to recognize us, before they made up their mind and finally decided to kindly let us in !!! Up to the steep hill we reached, while as soon as hearing brave “Rocinante” roaring, children ran towards the white bug already parking at the school yard knowing their symbolic Monarchs had already arrived!. All ready to get together and to talk about our special topic of the season today: “Threatened, Endangered and Extinct plant and animal species in our local ecosystem”. Very, very interesting to hear children speaking of stories like: “Mom says that Grand-ma used to prepare delicious jam and wine with Quincy fruit; not anymore, Quincy trees are less and less seen and to think that its intense sour flavor, once sweetened, is unique!”. —Ramón, a boy in the class said—. “Listen, —Aida addressed her classmates—, once, years ago, grand-ma says, that a family coming from México city, knocked at our door asking them if they knew where they could collect “Mazatetes bulbs”, my family took them to a beautiful creek running very close and collected lots of them growing alongside into the water and creek-walls. They said “Mazatetes” were miraculous for curing several illnesses; my grandparents never asked them more!, we just know them and see that plant is there in our creeks”. Then, Arturo, another boy in the class raising his hand said: “The Camaleón” is a shocking, incredible animal!. One has to be really smart to notice it in the forest, since it may change to bright, wonderful, electric colors, to camouflaging itself green to brown!, it looks like a small relative to dinosaurs still living today and all the time changing colours!. My Dad says there used to be many more when they were children”. Teacher Angélica and Estela agreed much in advance, on planning the visit, on assigning a special homework for children: to talk to their grandparents and ask them about this topic at home, which was fantastic, since grandparents are fantastic story-tellers and know so much of everything!.. Well, before closing our story today, it might be of interest for you to know that assigning homework to children at this school for this visit later was an exception, Nowadays in our country, the idea of assigning homework to our students, before they go home, for the weekend, or on holidays, is somewhat a controversy!. So far, it is up to each principal at each school with his staff of teachers, whether to do it or not. At this elementary school today, “Educacion y Patria”, teachers told us they have forbidden to assign homework to their students. Teachers here consider much more important that children can play and be with their families and rest after school time!. What is this like for you in your school?. Children enjoyed with great excitment to open their Ambassador Monarchs comparing, by spotting their procedence, that state by state, city by city they are coming, is, in reality, the migration corridor that real Mathusalen Monarchs fly to get to us as well !!!.