The Purpose of Education

We were scheduled to visit Escuela Normal Superior de Cartagena de Indias today. Our 'home' school, Bertha, was actually closed for the day because the neighborhood around the school did not have water today. 800+ students at school without water in 90+ degree heat -- I cannot imagine.

Escuela Normal Superior serves students from pre-school through 11th grade and offers a two-year program for students who want to become teachers. My interest is piqued by their innovation to address students' needs and through their impending participation as a bilingual school or a school with an English emphasis.

One program they have here is through dance. Every grade level has dance classes, focusing on a different type of dance over two years. These dances are traditional dances from the various cultures represented in Cartagena. Our host, Gabriel, said today, "We are rescuing our dances." At the end of October, the students fro Escuela Normal Superior hold a parade in El Centro in Cartagena to showcase their dances and gorgeous costumes. We had three adorable and talented primary students along with school musicians perform for us today.

I love the idea of a school working to preserve, to save, and to share the culture of it's students and community. While focusing on the traditional, Escuela Normal Superior is working incredibly hard to bring English and rigor to its students so that students are able to improve their lives.

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