Ptolemy vs. Galileo

Back when I was teaching 5th grade, one of my favorite (and at the same time, once feared) themes was "Our Corner of the Universe." (I used to have this irrational fear about the universe, so somehow, I managed to avoid learning specific details beyond the fundamentals of the solar system until I started teaching.) Getting back on topic, I remember that one of the introductory "Read Alouds" was about Ptolemy's theory and Galileo's theory about the universe. Ptolemy believed that the universe revolved around the Earth, and since Galileo's theory about heliocentrism clashed with this dominant thought, everyone thought he was crazy. As modern-day scholars, my students laughed at Ptolemy and scratched their heads at the thought of Earth being at the solar system's center. Yet, that was the dominant thought at that point in time, and there wasn't much at Galileo could do to prove himself because he couldn't share his knowledge in a way that was comprehensible to the public.

Sometimes, I feel like Galileo.

Here in Vietnam, I'm on a mission to prove to the people around me that education should be student-centered. Education institutions exist to serve students to help them reach their goals and future aspirations. Classrooms should allow students to process their thoughts and experiences in relation to the given lesson, and they should have the appropriate amount of time and environment to do so. Administration and staff should wholly support what it takes to support student learning (given, within their limitations). By the end of the semester, students should be able to understand where they are relative to their learning goals, and what next steps they should take in their next course within similar subjects.

However, I feel like I have a bunch of Ptolemists working against my mindset and actions. The administration at my school has accepted students last minute (weeks into the school year) to receive more money, without taking into consideration the teachers and students they are inconveniencing. Thus, I have no confirmed registration for any of my classes, making it difficult for me to properly track students progress because I have new faces in my class each week. My department notifies me the day of or a few days in advance of school events that require me to cancel classes, and when I go, everything is in Vietnamese and everyone in the audience is sleeping. The tech room rarely opens in time for me to get the necessary materials and to get to my class early or even on time. Students are scheduled to meet with me once a week. (How the heck do you learn how to speak English fluently if you only speak it 1.5 hours a week?) Also, the construction outside my classroom always knocks out the first ten minutes and the last 15 minutes of my lesson. (Make that 1 hour a week.)

I've been real flexible about all the conditions. I've created rosters and informally tracked student progress on the roster. I've cancelled my class, and throughout the assembly, I thought of all the good reasons why I was there (i.e. seeing my students being rewarded with high honors and scholarships towards the end). I patiently wait for the tech room to open and apologize to my students for being late if I am. I yell over the construction, then decide to close the doors and windows, and if that doesn't work, I'll end class. I've been reaaaal flexible in comparison to how I usually handle these type of situations in the U.S. (Remember, when in Vietnam...)

And yet, I can't help but be frustrated with the fact that this institution is not proving to be student-centered -- meaning, they are even allowing a type of environment where they cater to staff and students in a way that they support what's best for student learning. Why not advocate for multiple class meetings throughout the week to allow meaningful practice? Why not lessen student workload so they can spend time qualitatively learning each subject? Why not create a calendar for staff and students for us to know in advance of upcoming school events? Why not keep tech folks accountable for showing up early to make sure teachers get to start class on time? Why not ask construction workers to work during times that students aren't in classes? These are questions that I ask myself all the time, and when I bring it up with Vietnamese folks, I just get the "I don't know" and double-hand shake-wave. (Vietnam homies, you know what I'm talking about.)

Back in the States, it was so easy to do things the way I saw fit for my students since my administration knew how committed I was to my students and trusted me. However, being in a new country, I've been forced to adapt my ways to fit the environment I'm in. I've been able to backwards plan lessons that I see fit for students, and I often do my best to plan activities where they can engage in the content in meaningful ways. I have a big learning curve to deal with when it comes to understanding the learning culture here... yet, I'm still aiming to share and learn how we can make classrooms for student-centered, whether it takes converting one Ptolemist at a time, or working together with a group of Galileo followers to make the education here as student-centered as possible.