Educators
Education Evolution
The way kids are educated is changing and there is a shift from modular "subject" based classroom education towards experiential learning that incorporates skills from multiple disciplines. Many kids thrive when they're given an exciting context in which to develop their skills and special interests. If you are an educator, reach out to us to discuss how we can work with your students.
EXAMPLE: How Experiences Exploring Caves, Jungle, and Bats Translates to Learning Math and Real-World Skills
Specific Translational Skills
1. Applied Data Literacy (The "Real Math" Connection)
The Activity: Using bioacoustic detectors to record bat calls, looking at spectrograms (visual sound), and identifying species based on frequency and shape.
In the Classroom: Moves math and physics from abstract concepts to concrete tools. "Slope" and "Frequency" are no longer just lines on a graph; they are the difference between a Ghost Faced Bat and a Fruit Bat.
In the Real World: Data visualization and pattern recognition are the cornerstones of the modern economy. This builds the ability to look at raw data and extract meaning—a critical skill for data scientists, financial analysts, and engineers.
2. Adaptive Resilience (The "Grit" Factor)
The Activity: Trekking through humid jungles, navigating uneven cave floors, and dealing with physical discomfort or fatigue while pursuing a goal.
In the Classroom: Increases the threshold for frustration. When a math problem is hard or a sports practice is tiring, the child has a reference point for pushing through physical and mental barriers.
In the Real World: The ability to maintain focus and performance under stress or discomfort is the defining trait of high-level leadership and entrepreneurship.
3. Non-Verbal Communication Agility
The Activity: Playing and collaborating with Cuban peers where there is a language gap, relying on gestures, tone, and play to connect.
In the Classroom: Enhances emotional intelligence (EQ). The child becomes better at reading social cues and including isolated peers in group settings.
In the Real World: In a globalized economy, the ability to negotiate and build rapport across cultural and linguistic barriers is a top-tier executive skill.
4. Calculated Risk Assessment
The Activity: Navigating "animal obstacles" (e.g., seeing a snake, handling a bat) or moving through a dark cave. Learning not to panic, but to assess the threat and act calmly.
In the Classroom: Helps with decision-making and reduces anxiety around testing or public speaking. The child learns to distinguish between "perceived danger" (fear) and "actual danger" (risk).
In the Real World: Essential for investment banking, emergency medicine, and strategic management—knowing how to evaluate risk without being paralyzed by it.
5. Structured Inquiry (The Scientific Method)
The Activity: Formulating a question ("Why are the bats flying here?"), gathering evidence, and drawing a conclusion with a mentor.
In the Classroom: Transforms "studying" into "investigating." It improves the quality of essays, lab reports, and research projects because the child understands the structure of an argument.
In the Real World: This is the basis of all innovation. It translates to root-cause analysis in engineering, diagnosis in medicine, and troubleshooting in IT.
6. Cognitive Flexibility (Openness to Novelty)
The Activity: Eating unfamiliar foods, sleeping in a new environment, and accepting that schedules in Cuba may change (e.g., "island time").
In the Classroom: Reduces rigidity. The child becomes more adaptable to changes in teachers, schedules, or unexpected assignment criteria.
In the Real World: Change management. In an era of AI and rapid disruption, the ability to pivot quickly and accept new norms without complaint is a hiring superpower.
7. Abstract Conceptualization (Visualizing the Invisible)
The Activity: Understanding echolocation—navigating the world using sound waves they cannot see.
In the Classroom: Directly aids in understanding abstract physics, chemistry, and advanced mathematics (calculus), where one must conceptualize forces that aren't visible.
In the Real World: Translates to software architecture, theoretical physics, and strategic planning—the ability to build mental models of systems that don't physically exist yet.
8. Collaborative Problem Solving
The Activity: Working as a "field team" with parents and other kids to set up equipment or solve a logistical challenge in the jungle.
In the Classroom: Improves performance in group projects. The child learns to value different roles (the note-taker, the observer, the leader) rather than trying to do it all alone.
In the Real World: Cross-functional teamwork. The ability to work with people of different ages and skill sets to achieve a singular mission is vital in almost every corporate environment.
9. Deep Observation (Attentional Control)
The Activity: Sitting silently in nature, waiting for a specific animal, or looking for subtle movement in the brush.
In the Classroom: Combats the "TikTok brain." It trains the attention span to focus deeply on one thing for an extended period, crucial for studying and reading comprehension.
In the Real World: Quality control, surgery, coding, and law—professions that require sustained, minute attention to detail where a small mistake has large consequences.
10. Systems Thinking (Ecological Awareness)
The Activity: While in the fields among fruit trees with bats, discussing how the bat affects the insect population, which affects the crops, which affects the Cuban farmers.
In the Classroom: Helps in biology, geography, and history. The child moves from memorizing facts to understanding relationships and cause-and-effect loops.
In the Real World: Logistics, supply chain management, and executive leadership. It is the ability to see the "Big Picture" and understand how pulling a lever in one department affects the entire organization.
