Delta State University\u2019s chair of the Department of Mathematics, Dr. Clifton Wingard, recently took part in a unique international professional development opportunity.<\/p>\n
Wingard, now in his 19th year at Delta State, and about two-dozen American educators visited Cuba in November through the People to People Citizen Ambassador program.<\/p>\n
Thanks to a special license issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the program offers exclusive trips to Cuba. The program features a mix of professional development, cultural exchanges and hands-on international experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main goal of the trip was to find out about education in a foreign country \u2014 to learn about the educational structure at elementary, high school and postsecondary levels,\u201d said Wingard. \u201cThe trip had a focus on the math and sciences.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group of former and current teachers, school district employees and curriculum coordinators were provided first-hand access to Cubans involved in education.<\/p>\n
Meetings and interactions took place with representatives from the Ministry of Education, the director of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, an agricultural high school, and with faculty and students at a postsecondary institution focused on sciences.<\/p>\n
Wingard, who previously took part in People to People with trips to China and India, kept an extensive journal and took photos in Cuba. Along with the professional educational exchanges, participants had opportunities to learn about culture and tourism \u2014 mostly in the Havana area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was another opportunity to find out about education in a foreign country,\u201d he said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t find out as much as we wanted to. They\u2019re a little bit protective of their institutions. They sometimes see us a little critical of them, so they\u2019re very careful about information.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Wingard agreed the Citizen Ambassador program sparked a unique professional and cultural understanding in a country whose borders are typically closed to American travelers.<\/p>\n
The timing of his trip is particularly relevant, as President Obama and his administration have shown interest in healing the strained political relations with Cuba, something Wingard is hopeful for.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we got from our tour guide what the government wanted us to hear,\u201d said Wingard. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have much access to the local people, to find out what life is really like. I\u2019m still trying to process all of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems that Cubans are very proud people. They are proud of the advances they\u2019ve made. They do have a big impact globally in some areas. They\u2019re not a big exporter of anything, but they do a lot of training of physicians for South American and African countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
And learning about the advances of other countries is something Wingard believes is extremely important for growth in America.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in competition globally for jobs and technology,\u201d he said. \u201cWe work with industries around the world, and we compete with many other countries in terms of our education system. I think any time we have an opportunity to learn how other countries are educating their students, it helps us in the global market. We can take away from them good things, and then implement those things here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The weeklong trip certainly made an impact on Wingard\u2019s global knowledge, and he strongly recommends the People to People program to those working in education.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf someone can get on one of the trips and go to another country to learn about what\u2019s going on, I highly recommend it. I encourage other people to travel abroad to experience different cultures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wingard continues to organize his notes from the journey and hopes to arrange a public luncheon in the near future to share his findings.<\/p>\n
Learn more about the People to People Citizen Ambassador program at https:\/\/citizens.peopletopeople.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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