Italy from the POV of a Filipino-American Educator: Lessons Still Significant Today
2012 Italy Travel Observations of a Bilingual SPED Teacher Day No. 1
With my family busy preparing for our move, I thought I won't be able to post regularly for a while. On a bright note, while decluttering my digital files, I came across my journals from a trip to Italy in the summer of 2012. The trip was one of my requirements to complete my graduate studies at George Washington University focused on bilingual special education. Even then, I was writing from the point of view of a Filipino educator teaching in the USA. Here is part of what I wrote on the first day of our trip which is still relevant today:
Day One Journal Entry
My goal for this trip is simple enough: soak my senses in Italian culture and history. I intend to see, hear and experience both the Italian sights and common streets. I want to be with the common people as they travel using public their public transportation or as they walk on their cobbled walkways. I want to listen to the rhythm of their language and try to capture its essence using my limited knowledge of Italian phrases. Using my camera, I intend to document what I can, and then reflect on how the Italian culture and history impact education. I will do all these from the perspective of a Filipino who has been teaching children with special needs in the United States since 2003.
Gems from the Next Entries
I read the rest of the journal entries and was surprised about what I wrote and its impact on my practices today. I strongly believe that, even if it was written more than a decade ago, there are still gems worthy to be shared to you, my dear readers. So, allow me to share with you these entries, for the next few weeks, then go back to more recent posts. Here are the next topics: