Passports

Janayra Santiago

Green Academy, Brighton MA

Examine the communal and environmental impact of upcycling among indigenous peoples of South America to engage students in a cross-disciplinary, problem-based unit on sustainable practices.

Where I've Been

Buenos Aires, Argentina
La Paz, Bolivia
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rapa Nui, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Montevideo, Uruguay

My Fellowship in Images

Admiring the sustainable fashion line at the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Río de Janeiro, Brazil. Students find ways to transform secondhand clothing into amazing pieces.

Hands on at Horacio Sanchez Fantino's studio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He creates maps using discarded cans found in the neighborhoods he is mapping.

Bottle caps are used as part of Carnival costumes in Montevideo, Uruguay. They take repurposing to a different level.

This occluder device is saving lives in Bolivia. It is used to close a hole in the heart, primarily in children. It is manually weaved by the Amayra women of Bolivia, that apply their weaving techniques to create each device.

This is a sustainable music school in Rapa Nui, Chile. It was made from discarded tires, bottles and cans found on the streets. It has solar panels and water reutilization systems that allow the school to be completely off the grid.

Bureo makes skateboards out of fishing nets that collects from the Chilean coast. The skateboards are helping minimize the amount of plastic in the water.

Your Personal and Professional Growth

How have your knowledge, skills and capabilities grown?

This opportunity has allowed me to experience first hand different cultures that I teach about but had not been able to have a meaningful exchange. I am a Spanish teacher working in an Environmental School and it was amazing to learn about how different countries in South America repurpose materials. The creativity showned while minimizing waste is something we should aim to do.

As a result, in what ways will your instructional practice change?

I would like to focus on the cultural aspect. Identify interactions, patterns of social behavior, social norms and customs that are typical of the target culture, and discuss how they reflect language and cultural perspectives.

What is the greatest personal accomplishment of your fellowship?

I believe that being able to visit so many countries and being able to keep up with the pace. Personally I was very excited about having the opportunity to see the occluder device and be able to talk to the doctors. I like that the device is both innovative and old school because of the Amayra women weaving techniques that are passed down generations.

Impact on Your Classroom, School and Community

How will your experiences positively impact student learning in new ways?

I teach Spanish II and I'm constantly teaching about all these countries that I have never been to in South America. This trio gave me the tools to return to my classroom and incorporate social issues to my curriculum. Our trip was through the upcycling lense, but sometimes we fail to acknowledge that sometimes yes, they do it because they want to minimize the waste impact but they also repurpose out of necessity.

What are your plans for working collaboratively with colleagues?

We plan to use this experience as the foundation in creating a unit that is truly authentic for a project-based, cross-curricular exhibition.

Imagining the Future

How do you envision celebrating of your students’ new learning?

Our school is moving towards the creation of project-based, cross-curricular exhibitions. Students will dive into the artifacts and stories from our South American experience. How has upcycling affected the people? How has it impacted the community? In what ways is upcycling a sustainable practice in terms of the environment, economy and empowerment? Ideally they would come up with a repurposing project that they can do as a class.

Are there issues or challenges in your school, community or the greater world about which you and your students might try to make a difference?

We are a Green School, so we are always looking for ways to minize waste, which is a problem everywhere. We can try to go beyond recycling and do more upcycling around our school and our community.

How would you describe to a friend or a grant funder the most fundamental ways in which your fellowship has changed your personal and/or professional perspective?

I am truly grateful for the opportunity given by Fund for Teachers. It was a life changing trip that allowed me to learn about countries that I have only read about. It has provided me with a wealth of primary sources that I can incorporate in my curriculum. I have listened to stories that even though they were being told in different countries they sound familiar. Learned about the injustice but also learned about the resilience of the people.