That's a wrap! by Professor Buske

 That's another program done and dusted.  

During the 2.5 weeks in Bali, I watched students grow, learn, adapt and face all kinds of challenges -- all with a smile and open spirit.  I watched them make connections with people very different from themselves.  I watched them ask questions with intellectual curiosity and with respect for a culture and people very different from themselves.  

I couldn't be prouder of this bunch.  They supported each other at every turn and embraced everything that was put in front of them -- whether it was new and different food, monkeys on the loose, torrential rains with heat and humidity, or travelling via motorbike.  They were amazing -- as a group and individually. Once again, I am grateful for their trust in me and willingness to join me on this adventure.  This is why I love my job!

Green School -- by Emery Greenwood

 

At the edge of the city, past the rice fields and through some winding hills lies Green School Bali. Centered around sustainability in all aspects of learning, Green School takes a new approach to education focusing on hands on learning rather than a traditional academic setting. Under the bamboo archways and treehouse-esque buildings, you find classrooms that feel more like summer camp meeting houses. The classrooms, though intricately built of bamboo and open air, aren’t where students find themselves throughout the day. Students are taught to embrace learning wherever it finds them, whether that be under water participating in their coral ecosystem projects or up in the trees focusing on Balinese habitats. At first glance, the Green School seems great, teaching students about the earth while actively working alongside it.

 

However, from a purely academic lens, the lack of traditional classroom structure and formal curriculum creates a dangerous situations whereby student led learning becomes more like student led play. I was pleasantly surprised when we, as visitors were required to wear passes which detailed rules we we were to abide by:

●      No photos or videos allowed

●      No smoking

●      No interaction with students

●      Stay within visitor area

An open campus concept can create excess risk in terms of outsider access to students, but the security team, parent workspace and required passes brought reassurance that the organization was doing its best to control who enters and remains on school grounds.

I must admit that I enjoy structure, rules and routine. Throughout my elementary school experience I found comfort in knowing what classes I had and when and what expectations I was to meet, so while learning about the schools nontraditional approach to education I couldn’t help but be wary of the standard of education these students receive. Looking beyond my personal grievances, I do believe there are types of students who would benefit from having control over their daily schedules, allowing the day to take them wherever their curiosity takes them. Students with attention deficit issues would thrive in the environment that Green School provides, their attention spans would dictate their schedule.

Alas, children need structure early on and throughout educational experience to prepare them for the tasks of adult life. A traditional schooling environment with pre-planned classes teach children about responsibility, organization, and prepares them to enter and adult world where punctuality, respect for  other people's time and following through with obligations are highly valued skills. While Green School wouldn’t have been the right school for me, the beautiful campus does bring about a type of whimsy and grounding that a typical school lacks.

Law School...in Bali - by Samantha Clements

 I won’t lie I was nervous to visit a Balinese law school. To a certain extent, I felt

unqualified to tour the school and interact with their law students. I was learning about children’s

education rights in Bali, surely they knew better than me. But what started as a nerve-wracking

interaction turned into one of my favorite conversations of the entire trip.

Professor Buske was presenting a lecture on the American perspective of children’s

educational rights, and we law students were to participate in a panel afterwards. While most of

Professor Buske’s lecture was a general overview comparing international standards, America’s

compliance, and competing cultural beliefs, the conversation with the law students took an

unexpected turn.

Same sex marriage is illegal in Indonesia, primarily because religion and law frequently

intersect. The law students had thoughtful but difficult questions about what rights children have

in learning about LGBTQIA+ identities. Some of them saw sex education in general to be

wrong. Others thought that only same sex education should not be taught in schools. But all their

opinions were framed through the lens of the rights of the child. Does a child have the right to

learn about gender identities that may go against the law? Does a government have an obligation

to educate about marriages it does not allow?

It was no surprise that the American law students had starkly contrasting views from the

Indonesian law students, but the conversation was not tense. Everyone listened openly and spoke

honestly about their views on the rights of the child. I think everyone left feeling refreshed by

such a compelling conversation. After the panel, I befriended many of the law students on social

media, allowing for this conversation to continue long after this class ends. Cross cultural

understanding happened in their classroom, and it will continue to occur through the

conversations they have with each other as well as the conversations they have with others. My

perspective was changed, and I hope that they found value in what we had to say too.

Ultimately this is experience is what the December class was all about – understanding

the rights of children throughout the world, even if those rights may differ depending on where

you are. I firmly believe having these difficult conversations is the best way protect children and

ensure their rights. If all children are to have rights, then all perspectives must be shared.