Fulbright Guiding Question leads me to ideas for collaboration!

 Well  - What I was most curious about as I came to Uruguay was how well the Uruguayan educational system and schools were able to prepare students for understanding the importance of environmental activism. As I reflected on this throughout my weeks here, I also was comparing it with how well we do the same thing in the United States. 

What I have to say is that I was truly amazed in the rural communities how the environment was an embedded component in everyday lessons and honestly, I believe Uruguay outshines the US when it comes to bringing the United Nations 17 Goals for Sustainability into the classroom>

Here are some reasons why I feel this way!

Alfredo Nobal Escuela #88, the entire day of learning was built around how their rural local environment could teach them more about reading, science, math and art. We witnessed intensive research projects (similar to what I do with my students) by 5th and 6th graders who were working with GLOBE Program in Denver, Colorado to develop gardens that would produce habitat for "mariposas" - butterflies. Reading, writing, math and art were then all incorporated around this them of butterfly habitat. 

Los Pinos - students shared some student robotic projects with us. Several of the student projects focused on robots that could combat climate change, recycling and reusing resources. 

Ceibal - the national organization/company that distributes electronic devices to every student in Uruguay (for FREE) showed us how they are constantly reusing computers, computer parts, cables, microchips, etc. to repair and reuse computers. According to the organization, "nothing is thrown away". 

Pablo at Rural School #67 had built learning around the community. Each Friday, parents from the tiny community would come and meet in the "park" to read books to the students. The focus of this time and the books is to read about environmental causes and supporting the planet in healthy ways. 

Ines at Rural School #30 builds her days around teaching the students of local and global reasons to protect the environment. She has recycling every week and creates math assignments around it. She is teaching her students to garden and produce their own food for the school. She also is encouraging them to be activists for their own well being by helping them write letters to a large local farm company who keeps spraying illegal pesticides on the land surrounding the school. 

In route one day, we stopped at an Eco-Park. (We say capybaras, ostriches, monkeys, and so many other fun animals.) But what struck me there were the constant recycling containers around the park. And most had plastics in them. In Montana - we no longer recycle plastic!

At CeRP - the school for emerging teachers, the campus had recycling for everything! Glass, metal, plastic, paper, organic material, and "hidro carburo's".  I had to look up hyrdocarbon recycling and it turns out are specific plastics that can be re-fined into lubricants, fuel oils and raw materials for petrochemical purposes. 

At the Salto Grande Dam - I learned more about hydroelectric power than I every thought I would! the collaborative efforts of Argentina and Uruguay as they share the energy resources of the Uruguay River is an example of bi-national organization and planning for clean energy.

Of course, I kept thinking how this tied in perfectly with my Fulbright guiding question focusing on environmental awareness and protection.  

With Isabel at Liceo Rural San Antonio - I was extremely excited and impressed to see that students there were engaged in similar work to what I was doing with my Extended Studies class. They were using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to create impact projects of their own choosing, aimed at improving, changing, or raising awareness about issues affecting the planet.

This trip (and the full year of study) has been invigorating, intense and exhausting. I mention this as it is now August and it's now time to connect with all those that I've mentioned above. Can't wait to share what we come up with for Uruguay/Montana educational connections.

So, as I close up my Uruguayan time and my year long journey with Teacher Global Classroom Fulbright learning, I can say that I am beyond impressed by the focus of environmental education that takes place in Uruguay. I'm eager to collaborate with Uruguayan teachers and colleagues to develop lessons that will benefit the students, schools, community and the global environment.