You may recall that last August, I joined a group of about 50 fellow newbie Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) students at an intensive pre-program for the International Education Policy (IEP) group.  During those couple of weeks, I not only got my legs under me to start the Master’s degree program — but I met a small group of people with whom I got to do amazing things in the following 9 months. As we introduced ourselves (repeatedly!) during those first days, we kept hearing one another’s voices:

• “I want to work in Latin America and focus on teacher motivation and development….”
• “I want to work in Latin American and find ways to support vulnerable youth…” [that one was me 🙂 ]
• “I want to work in Latin America in early childhood education and development…”
• “I want to work in Latin America and find ways to use education to address violence and conflict…”

The specific countries we came from and the areas of focus differed a bit, but what was the same — what we could hear in one another’s voices — was that we care deeply about the region and believe that education is the fundamental engine that will enable Latin America and its people reach their full potential. So we came together to form the Latin America Education Forum (LAEF) with the goal of creating a larger community that — together — could spark the change, the innovation, the action to make that happen.

Fernando Reimers, our advisor for both IEP and LAEF, is fond of quoting John Amos Comenius – a scholar from the early 1600’s who is generally viewed as “the father of modern education.”  Comenius said “Let us have but one end in view, the welfare of humanity; and let us put aside all selfishness in consideration of language, nationality or religion.”  For Comenius, for Fernando, and for us, that is the ultimate goal of education.  To establish, maintain and strengthen the capacities and social cohesion that allow all members of society to participate and engage in building and shaping the world we live in together.

And so Latin America Learns was born, with the theme of Building Participation & Engagement for the 21st Century.  As the first-ever conference on Latin American Education to be held at Harvard, we were really starting from ground zero!  It wasn’t exactly like “hey, you’ve got a story and I’ve got a box of old clothes, let’s go out behind my grandpa’s barn and put on a show!!”  But it was darn close. In retrospect, we had NO idea how much work it was going to be and how crazy we were to try it while we were also fulfilling the requirements for our Master’s program — but sometimes ignorance is bliss… and we did it!

We picked areas we felt were central to our theme: peace, inclusiveness, teaching, a vision for the 21st century.  And for each topic we invited a group of people who are actors in those spaces for Latin America. Speakers included current Ministers of Education, the Dean of HGSE and an array of educators, policymakers, innovators and researchers — we were a bit awed by them all to be honest(!) and were honored that they made the trip to be present.

The Role of Education in the Peace Process

The Role of Education in Fostering an Inclusive Society

The Future of Teaching

Vision for Latin American Education in the 21st Century

Our keynote speaker, founder of the Rodrigo Mendes Institute, started us off in the morning with some of the most moving moments of the day.  Following an accident that made him a quadriplegic, Rodrigo created an organization committed to building an inclusive society through education and art — focused on advocacy, research, experience exchange, and training — making huge strides in Brazil, Latin America and beyond. The day was filled with discussion, debate, challenge — and non-stop talking in Spanish, in Portuguese, in English.  The Ministers came away with input and ideas to help shape their visions and policies upon their return, and everyone came away as part of a new network for action.

By the end of the day, we were ready for a fiesta — and a fiesta was had!  One of our classmates from the Arts in Education program pulled out all the stops and we celebrated our 8 months of hard work together and an incredible day.  Performances, desserts, drinks, dancing… Salud!

ONE HAPPY TEAM!  I loved what we were able to do together in just a few short months — and I can’t wait to see the difference this group will make in the world in the years ahead.  Honored to be one of them and looking forward to working with them all again and again and again! Oh — and then there was the day after!  We had the pleasure of spending the day wandering Boston with Minister Cynthia del Aguila of Guatemala and Alejandra Garza from Universidad Carolina in Saltillo, Mexico.  We found ourselves at the Public Garden and I happened to have just bought a copy of Make Way for Ducklings (a Boston classic kids book that just happens to be set in the Public Garden).  So, being Ed School students, we had story hour…. of course!!