History and Social Studies teacher at Inglemoor High School in Kenmore, WA
Keyword: Indigenous Contributions and Colonization, Cultural Impact of the Potato, the Enlightenment and Tupac Amaru’s revolt, From Guano to U.S. Imperialism
I teach World and U.S. History at Inglemoor High School, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Kenmore, Washington. Now in my eighth year of teaching, I have developed a keen interest in exploring the complexities and misconceptions within the units I cover. One area of focus in my World History class is the Spanish colonization of the Inca, the largest pre-Columbian empire of the Americas.
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The Fulbright Peru trip provided me with opportunities to deepen my understanding of this topic. I attended lectures by scholars, visited archaeological sites, listened to Quechua, and ate more potatoes than an Irish farmer during the famine years . These experiences gave me a much greater appreciation for the pre-Incan influences, the staggering scale of architectural structures, and the lasting presence of Incan culture throughout Peru.
Equally important to me was my goal of increasing my knowledge of Spanish and Latin American culture. Eight years ago, I learned that our Hispanic population comprised the largest group of at-risk students in our district. Last year, three of my classes included students with little English ability. This motivated me to break through language and cultural barriers. The Fulbright program allowed me to immerse myself in the language and culture, significantly improving my fluency and cultural understanding.
Additionally, this trip provided an opportunity to collaborate with fellow educators from across the U.S. The diversity of subjects and age groups they teach helped me broaden my perspective on education. I also had the privilege of exploring Peru’s education system, teaching lessons at a local elementary school and visiting COAR Piura, an IB high school, where I gained insights into how the IB curriculum is implemented in a different cultural context.