California educators hold conference in Belize
Over forty educators from the United States are in Belize City this week as part of the sixth annual International Congress on Challenges to Education. Two Belizean participants have joined the teachers in discussion of the theme “Balancing Unity and Diversity in a Changing World.” So why did the American educators choose to bring their conference to Belize? Janelle Chanona reports.
Stanley Swartz, Professor of Education
“What I’ve learned so far about your country is the tremendous diversity you have in terms of languages and people with different backgrounds and we have a very similar situation in California. We have a lot of immigrants who are bringing different cultures and languages with them so we are facing some of the very same challenges.”
With these similarities in mind, Swartz says many aspects of Californian educational programs can be adapted for use here. And the Belizean experience can also help educators in California.
Stanley L. Swartz
“I was able to tour some of your schools yesterday and I felt like some of what I saw gave me a pretty strong feeling that we’ll have something that we could share. I think we can learn some things from Belize and I hope that Belize can learn some things from what we’re doing in California.”
Carla Burton, a Belizean who teaches in New York, agrees but adds that in one aspect the Belizean student is better off than an American student.
Carla Burton, Educator
“Here in Belize, there is a real integration because so many people know exactly the mix that they come from I’m half Creole, half Indian, half this, half that, so there’s is less of the dry acknowledgement and more of the integration because that is what defines self.”
Burton maintains the acceptance of their own ethnic heritage by the student removes the isolation many students may feel and inspires them to participate more fully in their world. Burton says that because of the cultural diversity in Belize and the mix of races, the students here don’t have to worry about feeling alienated.
Carla Burton
“There is more of a consciousness of “I am not just one thing, I am a mix of things, I am a history of peoples, so there is less of a disconnecting and disjointing prejudice as you would find for example in the United States, unfortunately.”
While the educators were impressed with the enthusiasm of the Belizean teachers and students, they did find some things lacking.
Stanley Swartz
“I think more materials, I didn’t see as many books and materials that we probably have seen in other places. I think that would be a goal that certainly your teachers would agree with immediately.”
And some relief to this problem is almost immediate in this case as the International Congress donated books, in both English and Spanish to the Public Library.
Janelle Chanona for News Five.
The conference ended today but the sharing of information will continue. According to Swartz, the Ministry of Education is sponsoring ten teachers at a similar conference about literacy programs this August in Los Angeles.
