Episode 20: The Teacher As Traveler with Ricardo Calderon
How can you reach Ricardo:
Transcript:
(transcribed by kayla.r.fainer@gmail.com)
Melissa Milner 00:09
Hi, this is Melissa Milner. Welcome to The Teacher As... podcast. The goal of this weekly podcast is to help you explore your passions and learn from others in education and beyond to better your teaching. The Teacher As... will highlight uncommon parallels to teaching, as well as share practical ideas for the classroom.
In this episode, I interview Ricardo Calderon. Ricardo is a world traveler and a passionate educator who uses project based language learning in his work as a Spanish teacher. His story and travels are inspiring. I hope you enjoy The Teacher As... Traveler.
Welcome, Ricardo.
Ricardo Calderon 00:45
Hello, hi there. How are you?
Melissa Milner 00:47
Great. Could you just tell The Teacher As... listeners a little bit about what you do?
Ricardo Calderon 00:53
I'm a Spanish teacher. I've been teaching Spanish at different levels all the way from elementary to university. And I also want to be a huge tech integrator in my classes. And another thing that I try to do is involve travel. I'm actually an international educator.
So I've been teaching for the past 15 years abroad. I was seven years in the Middle East, in Oman. And the rest of the other years, I spent them in the US teaching in North Carolina and in New York City.
Melissa Milner 01:32
Wow. Did you start teaching by teaching abroad? Or did that just fall into your lap somehow?
Ricardo Calderon 01:38
Yes, well, actually, I started in my home country, Panama. I started as an elementary school teacher, homeroom teacher for the very first years. And then right after my third year, I had a professor that kept telling us, just don't wait until you get older. Go ahead and pursue your Master's degree or even go for your Doctorate.
And at that time, we had several programs that were marketing universities in the US. And I ended up pursuing one of those. And I ended in North Carolina and attended North Carolina State University where I pursued my Master's in Spanish Language and Literature. And from there, right after that, I started teaching in the public schools of North Carolina. And I met several international teachers that were being hired from abroad to teach different subjects.
And I said, why not? Why not give it a try? And seven years later, I gave it my first try. And it so happened that an opening appeared in the Middle East. I had never been in that part of the world. I didn't even know what the Sultanate of Oman, if it was actually a real country or what.
Melissa Milner 02:52
Right.
Ricardo Calderon 02:53
So I jumped right into it. I said, I've never been in that part of the world. Why not?
Melissa Milner 02:58
Did you always have a passion for travel and for going to different places like this?
Ricardo Calderon 03:03
Yes, absolutely. Also, I have had the opportunity growing up. My parents used to work for a transnational company, United Fruit Company, which is well known by Chiquita Banana.
Melissa Milner 03:17
Oh, yeah.
Ricardo Calderon 03:19
Yes, quite possibly the world's perfect food. So we had teachers from-- the way I was educated, my teachers were all from different parts of the world. And at our school, we were able to travel quite a bit.
So that somewhat brought into me that global perspective of life. And I just wanted to continue doing that, especially in my classes. Once I became a teacher, I say we all need to have that global perspective. And after all, it's a small world, and we have so much in common.
Melissa Milner 03:56
So you start teaching in North Carolina, and then you end up in a totally other part of the world.
Ricardo Calderon 04:04
Yes.
Melissa Milner 04:05
Was there a program to teach you how to teach abroad or you just were thrown into it?
Ricardo Calderon 04:12
Well, it was a little bit of-- well, I was pursuing what is called international education. So the majority of them follow either the IB, the International Baccalaureate, or they follow the US curriculum. So the school I ended up working for in the Middle East was following the US curriculum. It was an American based school.
So I was doing the same thing I was doing in the US, the only thing in a total different country. So living as an ex Pat, of course, in a whole different culture, everything completely different. At least in the school, everything was Western oriented.
So that wasn't that much of a cultural shock. What was more of a cultural shock was actually when we left the confines of the school campus. And we were right in the middle of a whole different culture, a whole different language, and traditions and everything.
But little by little, of course, we did get a little bit of training, especially being a Muslim country, of how we had to behave, and what we could and could not do, and what we should and must not do, and so on and so forth. So it was definitely a learning curve, but it was well worth it. Well, well worth it.
Especially being the Middle East, many people have many preconceived ideas of what it is. And just being there, you get to see it's totally different. Nothing that you thought that it would be.
Melissa Milner 05:47
That's fascinating. Could you describe the biggest lesson you learned from teaching abroad?
Ricardo Calderon 05:58
The biggest lesson I definitely have had and I keep learning is knowing that, again, this is a small world. And even though we may come from different cultures, different traditions, at the end, we have so much in common, whether it's celebrations, whether it's the way people or families communicate and do things.
Especially being Latino, I definitely saw a big connection between the Hispanic culture and that of the Arabs and Muslims. Because they're very centered in relationships. So I was able to see that and to live through that. For example, if you come to visit, the Arabs or Muslims will invite you into their homes, and they'll greet you. They'll give you everything they might have at that particular moment. They will offer you coffee or tea with some dates. So you always see that relationship building that starts from the very beginning. So definitely, I would say that that's the biggest lesson, that we actually have to concentrate more on looking at our similarities rather than our differences.
Melissa Milner 07:22
Right. It's a It's a beautiful theme throughout education. So what is your philosophy of teaching languages? And do you believe in full immersion? What are you used to teaching, what methodologies for teaching Spanish?
Ricardo Calderon 07:41
I definitely and I truly, truly believe in comprehensible input. First of all, you don't necessarily learn a language. You acquire a language. And that's what I concentrate and focus with my students is on how to help them acquire the language. That is to help them how to communicate and not necessarily focus on learning about the grammar and how to get the correct conjugation.
Because when you go out into the real world, you won't be asking somebody like, I really want to tell you something, but at this moment, I can't remember what's the correct conjugation of the past subjunctive or something like that. No, you try to always get your message across.
And with students, my philosophy is definitely based on these three modes of communication, whether it's presentational, writing or oral. If it's interactive, person to person or if it's interpretive, reading comprehension and listening comprehension. It's how they can use the language to communicate their needs, their aspirations, get the message across. That's my biggest philosophy when it comes to language acquisition.
Melissa Milner 09:01
And what is the best either tech, tool or strategy that you use when you teach?
Ricardo Calderon 09:09
Yes. The good thing is now, especially with current impasse, technology has definitely come in as a huge aid to teachers and educators worldwide. And one tech tool that I've been using the most has been Flipgrid.
Melissa Milner 09:28
Oh, I love flipgrid.
Ricardo Calderon 09:31
Especially because you're able to empower those students to be as creative as they can. And also in a fun way, right? They're still communicating, they're interacting. It's just like having, I guess, before when you had just a discussion board and people would post written comments. In here, you actually can do it through video, and you can have the stickers and all that.
So that has been a game changer, using Flipgrid and also to Adobe Spark with its Spark Page, Spark Video or Spark Post. It's for also students to be able to use creativity and create whether it's posters or even a blog. You can include images, videos and use different fonts, and make it definitely more visually attractive. So those are my two biggest ones I've been using right now.
Melissa Milner 10:26
Where are you teaching now?
Ricardo Calderon 10:28
Yes. That's a good question, yes. Well, this year, I was back in Panama. And I accepted a job in mid March to teach in Shanghai.
Melissa Milner 10:40
Oh, wow!
Ricardo Calderon 10:42
Yeah. So I'll be relocating to Shanghai, hopefully sometime soon. So yes, I'm definitely looking forward to that. It's going to be a whole different challenge, because it will be how to help Chinese speakers acquire Spanish and also the culture. So then again, it's a whole different way we communicate. But they're definitely big, big on wanting to acquire the Spanish language.
So yes, supposedly right now I'm waiting for-- the borders have finally opened. I'm just right now in the process of my visa paperwork. And also, hopefully sometime soon, the flights will be able to-- the price will go down. Because right now they're like $4,000.
Melissa Milner 11:34
Wow.
Ricardo Calderon 11:35
It's just ridiculous. So hopefully within a month or so, I'll be relocating to Shanghai.
Melissa Milner 11:42
So how do you go to a place where you don't speak--? I assume you don't speak?
Ricardo Calderon 11:48
I don't.
Melissa Milner 11:48
Yeah. That doesn't scare you or make you nervous, like getting lost?
Ricardo Calderon 11:57
Yes. Well, the good thing about Shanghai, it's a financial city. It's a huge financial city. So it's very cosmopolitan. It's like being in New York City or being in another major city around the world. So I know that I'll definitely be able to find people with whom I can communicate, whether in English or Spanish.
But I'm definitely looking forward to also acquiring Mandarin and be able to communicate. That's also my biggest thing, being an ex Pat teacher, is to definitely get immersed in the culture and the language. So I'm definitely looking forward to-- I know it might take me quite some time, a few years, to fully get to acquire Mandarin. But I'm definitely looking forward to it. No, no.
And then I would say that no, I'm not feeling nervous or anxious. I'm just excited. I'm beyond excited to go into a new culture and to learn. I'm definitely that lifelong learner, go getter. Let's do this.
Melissa Milner 13:09
Awesome. What's your proudest moment in your work?
Ricardo Calderon 13:12
My proudest moment in my work has definitely been for students to approach me at different stages, whether they're still at school or they have graduated, for them to send me a OneNote or a little message or something that says, Mr. Calderon, I just wanted to say thank you so much for this, this and the other. And that has definitely been the proudest moments, because you get to see that you definitely made an impact in the lives of these students. And really, the effort and all the activities you plan for them, the way you design the learning activities, all this pays off. They definitely have been able to make a connection with you. And I would say that has been my proudest moment.
Also, for parents also to contact me and say, oh, my daughter. Like I have had a parent whose daughter ended up going for a summer, she did an internship in Nicaragua, and she went there for the summer. And the parents later contacted me and said, my daughter is out there in Nicaragua, helping in this community. And she's definitely being able to use her language skills and they have come very handy. And for them to contact you and let you know that, it's quite mind blowing, yes.
Melissa Milner 14:42
That's great. What are you zooming in on right now with your work?
[ZOOMING IN SOUNDBITE]
Ricardo Calderon 14:50
Right now, I'm totally really excited. The program that I'm trying to work with, especially now because my audience are Chinese speakers, so I'm also trying to make connections with them and building relationships. And so I'm also, in the way that I'm learning Chinese or Mandarin, is to be able to incorporate Chinese and Spanish without having to use English in between. And to let them know that I'm also invested in learning their language.
So that's my big, big, big project right now. Beyond that, I almost started to become a Google certified coach. But perhaps in going to China, where Google is blocked, I have had to put that on a standby for now. So I'm concentrating on integrating more Chinese into the activities, and learning more about the culture, and how to close that gap between Latin America and the Spanish speaking world and that of China.
Melissa Milner 16:11
Very cool. So this is probably seeming like a strange question, but what's your favorite movie, and why?
Ricardo Calderon 16:20
That's a really good one. I would have to say my ultimate favorite movie that I definitely take into consideration and I could watch over and over again-- I do prefer comedy. And maybe perhaps it might have to be a connection with why I decided to move to China or relocate to China. This movie is called Kung Fu Hustle.
Melissa Milner 16:45
Oh, yes.
Ricardo Calderon 16:48
And I've told several friends, it's my ultimate favorite. I know it might not be the most go to movie. But it's its own comedy. It's a comedy, but it has a very touching line at the very end. And it's very humane in many aspects and very realistic. So that's what has made a big connection with me. Especially because growing up, when I used to spend time with my dad-- My father, he's a fan of all types of Asian movies, especially that have to do with karate or kung fu or anything other than that. And I think that has to have had some connection in me, enjoying watching over and over Kung Fu Hustle.
Melissa Milner 17:40
Interesting. I haven't seen that since it came out. I'm gonna have to watch that again. I remember enjoying it.
Ricardo Calderon 17:47
It is quite funny.
Melissa Milner 17:50
So do you like Enter the Dragon and those types of--?
Ricardo Calderon 17:53
Yes, I've seen quite a few of those, as well. But I think these tend to be a bit more dramatic. But I definitely still enjoy. My go to movie type is always comedy. And I guess that's why it's always made that connection with Kung Fu Hustle. It has a little bit of dancing, a little bit of action, a little bit of comedy, a little bit of weeping moments.
Melissa Milner 18:20
Right. So I did go on your website. Can you tell us more about your website, and is the website about travel or education?
Ricardo Calderon 18:29
Well, I have decided to merge two of my biggest passions, which is education, but mainly tech integration, and travelling onto my website. And what I do is, and I guess this also connects with what's one of my biggest projects, is I keep using project based learning. But in my case, as a language educator, we call it project based language learning. And we do follow the standards for PBL, for high quality PBL.
But being the Spanish speaking world, I try to showcase to students the richness of the Hispanic community everywhere. And it's to help them make connections with the culture, the traditions, and also for them to become agents of change. And I'm also a true believer in service learning.
And so I definitely use my PBL activities to get students to use their talent and to reach out to those that are less fortunate in their communities, in their countries or even abroad. Especially in my class, as they're acquiring Spanish, it's how can they help make a difference in the lives in some way of Spanish speakers. How can they just aid, or help, or collaborate with them in order to solve a particular issue?
So that's what my website is mainly about. I design and implement project based language learning, and I post them on my website for the other teachers who I come in contact with. So they can actually use them and replicate them. For example, coming up for the ACTFL, which is the language convention that we have in November, a group of friends and I are also presenting on project based language learning. And that's what it is there.
So my two biggest passions, to travel, again, so I'm showcasing the similarities that we have rather than differences. And then how do we use technology to bridge that gap, whether it's distance or language wise, culture wise, and bring them a little bit closer to what language acquisition really means.
Melissa Milner 20:52
What's the website? Because I went on, I don't remember it off the top of my head, but it was really cool.
Ricardo Calderon 20:58
Yeah, so I have two. The one that I use for project based language learning and anything that is tech related, it's called Fliperentiating. You get to flip the classroom and also design activities. So literally, it's fliperentiating.com. Please go and visit it. Show it some love.
And then the one also connected there with travel. It's called el-musafir.com. And actually, the translation of that is a combination of the article, the, in Spanish, el, and musafir, which is the Arabic word for traveler. So it's the traveler.
Melissa Milner 21:46
I think I went on to the El Musafir.
Ricardo Calderon 21:49
Musafir, yeah.
Melissa Milner 21:50
Yeah, because it was all travel stuff. It was very cool. So Fliperentiated.
Ricardo Calderon 21:55
Fliperentiating.
Melissa Milner 21:56
-Ing.
Ricardo Calderon 21:57
Yeah, I-N-G.
Melissa Milner 21:58
How about your Twitter and all that?
Ricardo Calderon 22:01
I'm at @Fliperentiating. I'm trying to make it all connected to that. And you can find me on Twitter through @Fliperentiating, which is also connected to my website about tech integration and project based language learning.
Melissa Milner 22:14
Are you on Facebook or Instagram?
Ricardo Calderon 22:16
Yes. Facebook, I don't use it as often as I should. I use it just to connect to when other people I follow make the presentations. But on Instagram, definitely, that one is el_musafir. And there you can see my posts that are related to travel, and how do I integrate it with my classes. And also, I like to showcase a little bit of my culture and my country, as well, Panama.
Right now, I'm close to 60 countries that I've visited. And so my goal is to someday make it to 100. So I can be part of that 100 countries club that exists out there.
Melissa Milner 23:06
That's a totally reachable goal, considering you're already at 60.
Ricardo Calderon 23:10
Exactly, exactly.
Melissa Milner 23:11
Thank you so much, Ricardo. This is really amazing, and I have to admit, very inspiring.
Ricardo Calderon 23:17
Definitely. Thanks for this opportunity. I could definitely encourage all my fellow educators out there to, if you have the chance or the opportunity to go and teach abroad, don't think about it twice. It's definitely a very enriching activity to be able to go abroad and do that. So you get to travel and fulfill your aspirations and dreams of being an educator out there.
Melissa Milner 23:45
If you enjoyed this episode, and have not done so already, please hit the subscribe button for The Teacher As... podcast so you can get future episodes. I would love for you to leave a review and a rating, as well, if you have time. For my blog, transcripts of this episode and links to any resources mentioned, visit my website at www.theteacheras.com. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @melissabmilner. And I hope you check out The Teacher As... Facebook page for episode updates.
I am sending a special thanks to Linda and Lester Fleishman, my mom and dad, for being so supportive. They are the voices you hear in the Zooming In soundbite. And my dad composed and performed the background music you are listening to right now. My intro music was "Upbeat Party" by Scott Holmes.
So what are you zooming in on? I would love to hear from you. My hope is that we all share what we are doing in the classroom in order to teach, remind, affirm and inspire each other. Thanks for listening. And that's a wrap!