Today we are in conversation with Jazmin Jinnah, who shares her experiences with Gallatin’s Great World Texts course in Buenos Aires. For six years, NYU Buenos Aires has been sending NYU students to local high schools viaGreat World Texts, which focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the literary canon. The NYU students serve as tutors in the Argentine classrooms and each work closely with a group of students to creatively engage with texts from multicultural authors. The local high schools have found have inspiring NYU student mentors to be a meaningful experience for young Argentines.
1. What year, school, and major are you? What inspired you to study in Buenos Aires and when did you go?
I’m an Education Studies major in Steinhardt graduating in May. I wanted to go to BA in the fall because I took a class the previous semester on Human Rights and Eduction in Argentina under professor Carol Anne Spreen and Anna Hillary. I had the opportunity to go to BA for the class during Spring Break. I was inspired to come back after talking to the students at Leguitas and EN10. I had so much left to learn about student agency.
2. When did you first hear about Gallatin’s Great World Texts course and what drew you to it?
I heard about Great World Texts my freshman year from the New York Campus. As an education major, I’m naturally drawn to being in the classroom, so I was very excited that they offered the course spring semester in BA. It’s one of the major reasons I decided to go to BA. This way I would still be critically analyzing education.
3. I understand that the course focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the literary canon and involves working with local high schools. NYU students serve as tutors in the Argentine classrooms and each work closely with a group of students to creatively engage with texts from multicultural authors. How was this experience? What was most surprising? Rewarding?It of course was an eye opening experience. What really surprised me was the differences in the class from the NY campus. The NYU students in NY are placed in schools that are almost all POC, have higher pregnancy rates, speak multiple languages, and are economically disadvantaged. The schools in BA that we were placed in are elite, but still came with its own challenges. Grappling with the differences is very interesting. Even though I was in an elite school (Lenguitas), there were of course barriers to language and there was no technology. For the first time, I had to teach without using a computer or powerpoint. It forced me to be more innovative with my teaching.
The most rewarding aspect was getting to know my students. They were fierce and passionate about human rights and their rights for education.
4. Can you give me an example of one of the texts you worked with? What was it like to work with the students? Did engaging with them change your own perspectives on the texts?
We worked with waiting for Godot. They hated the text, but loved engaging the various activities I planned for them. They thought it was very abstract, and did not see the purpose. Engaging with them made me reflect on what I valued as a teenager. My students are so creative and they taught me how to make the text less abstract and more concrete. For example, one of the final projects used a blog to highlight mental health issues (which was present in Waiting for Godot).
5. How do you think this course contributed to your experience studying abroad overall?
This course was a main reason I wanted to study in Argentina. I learned so much about the power students have and continuously try to bring that into my teaching practice in NY.
6. Would you recommend this course to other Buenos Aires students or those thinking of studying in Buenos Aires? If so, why?
ABSOLUTELY take Great World Texts! You get to actually interact with local Argentines. They are so loving and are incredibly curious. You won’t regret it. You learn along side of them. They taught me more than I taught them.
7. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your time in Buenos Aires or experience with the Great World Texts course?
Being part of this course is a fabulous experience, and one that has informed my teaching practice in NY. Anna and Betina are so supportive with the experience and are truly passionate about NYU students learning.