Monarch Butterflies

Ohio Teachers Visit Mexico
by Diane Griffin

March, 2014

As historian Mary Ritter Beard has said, "Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."

When a small group of faculty from Columbus Academy visited Escuela Isaac Arriaga in Angangueo, Mexico in March, they left Ohio unaware of how many ways this trip would impact both their professional and personal lives.

The goal of our visit was to make authentic connections with the students and teachers in Mexico through unit activities about the Mexican culture of this region, to share ideas on making a conservation plan to help save pollinators (like the Monarch Butterfly) and strengthen communication between both school communities through technology. Through visits in the school we met our goals, but we also learned so much more.

The day's activities began with great excitement! Some of the students and teachers were going on a field trip to visit another school to march in a parade for their President's Day (Benito Juarez Day). Classroom students of first, second and third grade quickly jumped into our craft activity to help remind us of the importance of recycling aluminum and plastics. One class of students shared the history of the mine in Angangueo to our teachers, speaking about family members who had worked in the mine years ago and the plans of reopening the mine soon.

Our visit to the 6th grade classroom was one of the highlights of the day. We held a "virtual" conservation summit to help save pollinators by sharing ideas through technology. The students showed slides of their project of protecting and preserving Monarchs. The students would like help from the Mexican government to link with private initiatives to restore the two forests, Pino and Oyamel, and to generate programs and campaigns to stop deforestation. Juan Carlos spoke passionately of his thoughts.

"The butterfly is so beautiful and an important species. It makes a connection between Canada, the United States and Mexico that is beneficial. We should save the trees and places where it lives and protect its migration but first we (the community and our government) have to be willing to help preserve our natural resources. We are very proud that the butterfly lives here in the winter near Angangueo."

One of our travelers in our group, a public environmental attorney, spoke to the students about the importance of conservation and quizzed them about their future job interests, maybe in environment education or ecology?

"Clean up trash and recycle, keep open areas and fields natural without spraying insecticides, replant trees that have been destroyed and plant more milkweed and flower gardens for pollinators" were the student's ideas and included in our letter to President Obama from Ohio that we shared from iPad videos.

My thoughts now travel to Mexico and wonder how our friends' ideas are progressing with their conservation ideas. Since our return from our meaningful visit to Isaac Arriaga, our school is looking forward to using technology to talk with their students and share about our Earth Day activities. We hope that the more we get students involved with protecting nature both here and abroad the more chances our natural world will survive.

The teachers from Ohio witnessed the marvelous monarch butterflies many in small clusters that dangled from the Oyamel trees in an area called La Salud. We paused at a stream to take in the quiet sounds and wonderful views as the butterflies burst from the trees, gathered in the pools of water then took off flying as if following the same path that we were hiking. It was a marvelous day!

The teachers finished their tour and experience in Central Mexico bringing with them a true feeling of delight, many ideas and activities to share with their students at home and cherished the new many friendships they had made. One of our teachers summarized her experience:

"The people were so welcoming and generous in helping us learn about their community and culture. Seeing how their school was so similar to ours, yet also distinct in many ways, was exciting. It certainly gave me a lot to think about in regards to how we interact with our students and move throughout our day here at Academy. The trip also energized me to be more environmentally aware - from seeing the deforestation and its effect on the Monarchs, and simply seeing how the people of Angangueo shop and eat...it was all a great way to reflect on how I live and my impact on my health and the Earth."

Dianne Griffin
Science Teacher
Columbus Academy
Columbus, Ohio