Teaching & Cheerleading Sardinian Students
The students in the International Masters Program in Organization Science signed up for a nine-month intense program. In the U.S., candidates apply months before, are accepted, and months later start the program.
The admission process at AILUN was about the same length as a European parliamentary election: there is an announcement. There is an application and interview. School starts two weeks later. This is a reminder that while Americans are efficient at some things, other efficiencies elude us. We consider every possibility, analyze every choice because we have so much to choose from. I am not sure that this plethora of possibilities adds much and may just make us anxious and confused.
I am the first teacher on the first day. The students are attentive. Except for three of them, one of whom was a high school exchange student at Benicia High School 15 years ago, their English is limited. We go slowly taking opportunities to interpret.
They are taking this course of study because they want to raise themselves above the typical unemployed university graduate - unemployment is high in Italy, especially among the young. They want to improve their English. They want to stay in Sardinia if they can, near their families, but Sardinia is a really, really tight market. They have paid 2,000 Euros tuition, unheard of in a society with free higher education. They are motivated.
I am charmed by the students as I always am in Sardinia. They are very bright and know a great deal about history and culture and I have slanted my lectures to build on their knowledge of European political and economic history. We talk about the move from traditional economic organization during feudalism to the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism in Europe. We discuss the remnants of traditionalism in Italian business and politics where family and regional ties continue to exert a powerful influence. We discuss the Agnelli family and Fiat, corruption at Parmalat, and Sardinians' proud individualism and difficulty in collaborating with each other.
The students work well together and present group reports on the lectures. I point out that maybe some Sardinians can cooperate even if their parents and politicians cannot.
They want a chance to build a thriving local economy but history and culture stand in their way. I am a cheerleader and I tell them that together they can make a difference.
More to come . . .
The admission process at AILUN was about the same length as a European parliamentary election: there is an announcement. There is an application and interview. School starts two weeks later. This is a reminder that while Americans are efficient at some things, other efficiencies elude us. We consider every possibility, analyze every choice because we have so much to choose from. I am not sure that this plethora of possibilities adds much and may just make us anxious and confused.
I am the first teacher on the first day. The students are attentive. Except for three of them, one of whom was a high school exchange student at Benicia High School 15 years ago, their English is limited. We go slowly taking opportunities to interpret.
They are taking this course of study because they want to raise themselves above the typical unemployed university graduate - unemployment is high in Italy, especially among the young. They want to improve their English. They want to stay in Sardinia if they can, near their families, but Sardinia is a really, really tight market. They have paid 2,000 Euros tuition, unheard of in a society with free higher education. They are motivated.
I am charmed by the students as I always am in Sardinia. They are very bright and know a great deal about history and culture and I have slanted my lectures to build on their knowledge of European political and economic history. We talk about the move from traditional economic organization during feudalism to the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism in Europe. We discuss the remnants of traditionalism in Italian business and politics where family and regional ties continue to exert a powerful influence. We discuss the Agnelli family and Fiat, corruption at Parmalat, and Sardinians' proud individualism and difficulty in collaborating with each other.
The students work well together and present group reports on the lectures. I point out that maybe some Sardinians can cooperate even if their parents and politicians cannot.
They want a chance to build a thriving local economy but history and culture stand in their way. I am a cheerleader and I tell them that together they can make a difference.
More to come . . .
posted by UC Davis at 6:02 PM
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