Carolina Galaz, artist and educator: “New Zealand is 50 years ahead of us in education”

Carolina Galaz is an artist who founded a unique artistic expression workshop for children. Among other issues, the group helps foreign children acclimate to Chile. As part of an education initiative by the New Zealand government, the artist visited New Zealand along with other Chilean educators. The academic exchange program responded to Chilean interest in the so-called Enviroschools; schools which are, above all else, sustainable and environmentally friendly. Carolina spoke to our portal about her reflections on these schools and how they might be implemented in Chile. She also spoke about differences between the two nations’ educational models.

How did the New Zealand invitation come about?

The New Zealand government wanted people in Chile, especially educators, to have the chance to reflect on the relation between education and the environment. They also sought to share how they had developed a better educational model. The main purpose was to see how this new model was achieving progress in many areas of education.

We were invited to experience something, and not just for a theoretical trip. We traveled in order to see what was happening in New Zealand education. In fact, as of today, 27% of its schools are sustainable: a high percentage by any reckoning. It was an incredible experience. New Zealand has a truly enviable culture.

Why New Zealand?

New Zealand is a first-rate nation. It has all the technological wherewithal one would expect in a developed nation. It also has a very strong national self-identity, with its concomitant ties to the Maori culture. This is ingrained in every New Zealander.

They had the intelligence to integrate the nation’s indigenous origins into British culture. They were able to look at each other and integrate. This is New Zealand’s most impressive feature. All school children have as a second language: Maori. They truly identify with and are proud of their national culture.

Additionally, there are no cultural gaps. Everything seems to have developed in an understanding manner. Nobody gained at another’s cost. It is a highly respectful culture. And this respect shines through in its education, children and people. New Zealand is even more remarkable for a visitor from a country like Chile, which has no identity.

What characterizes these sustainable schools?

To begin with, they are very different from Chilean schools. There is a Primary School, which serves 5 to 10 year olds. The Middle School, for children between 10 and 14 years of age. And the High School, for young adults. Thus, schools have the ability to focus on a specific age and specific space.

Not like in Chile, where a school serves 5 years olds and 18 year olds in the same institution. Teachers are forced to understand and deal with everything that happens psychologically and educationally in a spectrum of 13 years.

But what truly characterizes environmental schools is their curriculum. It is focused on the environment and sustainability.

Before opening a school, an action plan is developed (by staff in tandem with students). Thus, we can truly say children are involved in their education, becoming both teacher and student. All this constitutes an environment of respect for what they feel and need.

Once the construction project is launched, each school maps out the construction site. In reviewing this topography, every child’s need is taken into consideration, though never completely forgetting the needs of the institution either. They integrate individual, human, and institutional, with those of the broader environment.

For example, in schools where there was a ravine full of non-recyclable trash 10 years ago, children cleaned up the area and called in experts in various subjects (native flora, water purification, etc.) in order to get advice on how properly recover the area and return it to nature. During that process, children are taught to recycle and protect nature. Everything from math to history teaching is based on the experience of living harmoniously with the environment.

What is the importance of having children in these schools?

The children have returned to the land. They now have an awareness of their environment. They learn how to collect rainwater and build storage tanks so that the water can be used in irrigation. Besides this, the important issue is that children did not learn to separate rubbish, period. They are taught to analyze far beyond that simple task. It is not a question of, "Put the paper and the plastic here and the organic over there." And then out the door it all goes. They are taught to ask themselves, "How can I use this cardboard?”

The little ones are organized to collect money for their needs. They learn how to gather needed resources, make gardens, and how to eat well. It is an ecosystem. As one restores one’s own environment, one own health is restored. Positive energy. It is an impressive cycle to behold, with children becoming empowered from childhood on. They know their importance in the world. They realize they are in a permanent relationship with the environment. They also realize what it needs from them.

When we arrived at school, a group of 20 children gave us a tour. They explained everything to us. They were like foresters, biochemists, marine biologists …but only 10 years old. Full of personality, self-confidence and a belief that what they were talking about was important. They had a true love for their surroundings. Something seldom seen in most places.

The children love each other and work together as a team. They know what they offer one another. They know they can work together in teams and achieve success in a wide variety of challenges. New Zealand has truly created a powerful and enviable educational model.

What are the real possibilities of developing a similar project in Chile?

First, we have to look at who we really are. The trip to New Zealand opened my eyes to the fact that we have two, very different histories. They give voice to the Maori, who are truly part of New Zealand culture. Our Mapuche nation, however, has been silenced and has no forum. No space in our society. And herein lies the crux of the matter for Chile: What are we going to do about that?

They were able to integrate into each other’s culture by accepting one another’s differences. Diversity. New Zealand is about 50 years ahead of us in education. Thus, we still need to go through that whole process (of mutual integration). In that sense, we are not prepared for environmental schools. However, we are prepared for a different education model in Chile. And I wish to add, we are definitely in need of a new educational paradigm.

The beauty of New Zealand is that before launching any projects, they constantly ask what is needed, who needs it, and what does the environment need. And those are questions that no one in Chile is allowed to ask. No child in Chile is given the ability to question this sort of issue. We are light years away. But in order to get to there, something has to change in our teachers and educational system. Children must be valued. They must be given wisdom, which they will someday benefit us all.

What is the main flaw in Chilean education vis-à-vis that of New Zealand?

In New Zealand, the goal is not entering university. Though ideal, it is not the main issue. In Chile, the goal, competition, and stress of every parent are focused on the issue of: which college will my child attend? This is not the only issue in life, but unfortunately, the system is set up accordingly nowadays.

There are several things Chile must ask itself as a country and as educators. What we are doing and why? What are we focused on? What do we want to do? We should also ask ourselves what we want to engender in our children and what tools are really important to their growth. That is, how to help them search for and find who they are, and what they want to do or be.

The trip highlighted Chile’s deepest trouble spots: the insane race between private and state-run schools and SIMCE (academic skills testing) results. When the truth is we have a huge (education) gap and do not even know where we stand at present. There are schools in La Pintana (section of Santiago), or in other low-resource areas, where children do not have fields to play. Nobody has to make them. They can build playgrounds themselves, while being educated at the same time.

How will the Chilean project be implemented?

We have not met since the trip. We will eventually combine everyone’s experiences in order to know what can specifically be done, either to create an organization working together with New Zealand or something along these lines, wherein the New Zealanders would be like the mother and we the fetus.

They have experience and a kit called "How to do this". But I feel that we do not need any prescription. The trip showed me the following: where we are currently at; to feel that our land needs our care and that it is not a limitless resource; and that children are the best tool to restore meaning to life and the land. This process, after all, contributes to our own well-being.

We also saw the cycle wherein people give to the land and it returns the favor immediately. And it gives back to children, families, the neighborhood, and finally, the country. By connecting to the earth, you connect with yourself. It is not something spoken, rather it simply happens. But first you have to know if you want to get into the dirt, so to speak.

Likewise, we have to see how to approach it. It is necessary to make contact with municipalities and have an organization within the school. You cannot just put any teacher in charge of such an effort. You must first seek volunteers who are willing to get into a different kind of space, making play areas and gardens, organizing, sorting garbage, recycling, etc. This type of project requires a factor which is lacking in Chile.

Has the government of New Zealand offered any financial support?

I do not know. That remains to be seen. It is likely, but we are only just now dealing with that issue. Moreover, the idea is not that New Zealand will arrive here to manage our project. They are showing us their experience in order for us to be able to accomplish something, but Chile will have to develop and manage the project.

I do not expect a pre-packaged remedy, because we have our own answers (to our predicament). The need is also on the Chilean side of the equation. So we have to create conditions that will enable us to meet those needs independent of outside help. They do not have to come and do things for us. They may help, but we Chileans must invest money where it really needs to be.

After the meetings a pilot project will emerge. Hopefully this can be done with several schools, a group of people who come from various places and integrate this into education, little by little.