I am always amazed by how much I can learn preparing to teach others...through research, through studying, through questioning. This is no more evident to me than as when I am preparing for and teaching the Jamaican teachers on our Teaching with Jamaica trip.
Starting in late October, we start meeting as a team to discuss preparation for the next summer's trip. We are assigned our teaching teams and our subjects, and we start discussing fundraisers available to be able to raise money for the trip. Monthly through the rest of the year until we leave in July, we meet as a group and additionally with our different teams to plan out details of the overall trip, our lesson plans, and the gathering of supplies. Many of us organize book and supply drives at our schools and our local churches This year we even organized a baby shower to gather toys and other learning supplies for the Robin's Nest Children's Home to supplement the teaching of the Pod Moms we added due to last year's request for everyday educational and discipline help from the head manager of the home.
Starting in late October, we start meeting as a team to discuss preparation for the next summer's trip. We are assigned our teaching teams and our subjects, and we start discussing fundraisers available to be able to raise money for the trip. Monthly through the rest of the year until we leave in July, we meet as a group and additionally with our different teams to plan out details of the overall trip, our lesson plans, and the gathering of supplies. Many of us organize book and supply drives at our schools and our local churches This year we even organized a baby shower to gather toys and other learning supplies for the Robin's Nest Children's Home to supplement the teaching of the Pod Moms we added due to last year's request for everyday educational and discipline help from the head manager of the home.
At the actual conference, I not only am able to impart my knowledge to the Jamaican teachers, but by practicing what I am teaching, in this case questioning, I am able to learn from the teachers. This year, I learned some new brain breaks that related specifically to the Jamaican culture that my students would love to learn...especially since they are involved in gathering books and supplies to take to the Jamaican schools. The Jamaican teachers were also able to share with me how they used lessons in their classrooms that we taught them last year...how the students responded...how answers and activities that were student-driven differed than the activities and questions American children came up with and how all this related to cultural and life experience differences (many due to economic differences). They loved sharing how they tweaked lessons and activities--specifically writing activities, graphic organizers, and song implementation. Jamaicans love to sing everywhere, so they implemented this in their classrooms. I feel that would work for many students in ours. Honestly, it was eye-opening to think about higher level activities and engagement without the use of technology, as most of these schools we work with have no access in the classroom unless a teacher uses their own Smartphone to share information with the whole class.
The teachers are so happy when they can share their ideas with us. They are so smart, so eager to learn, and so eager to share. They are excellent in engagement and adaptation of resources. They love their students as much as we do and so want them to be successful on their exams. We can learn as much from them as they do from us if we just open up questioning, discussions, and listening...not to mention collaborating. It is important that they share how they used activities, what did work, what didn't work, so that we can all work together on how to make changes to those lessons and techniques as well as to the new information they will get this year. Quite frankly, I think if we added some collaboration time between their teachers and us, we would make this conference even more successful than it already is for students in both countries.
The teachers are so happy when they can share their ideas with us. They are so smart, so eager to learn, and so eager to share. They are excellent in engagement and adaptation of resources. They love their students as much as we do and so want them to be successful on their exams. We can learn as much from them as they do from us if we just open up questioning, discussions, and listening...not to mention collaborating. It is important that they share how they used activities, what did work, what didn't work, so that we can all work together on how to make changes to those lessons and techniques as well as to the new information they will get this year. Quite frankly, I think if we added some collaboration time between their teachers and us, we would make this conference even more successful than it already is for students in both countries.
As we get ready to prepare for next year's conference, we are blessed that we have applied for and gone through many steps to gaining non-profit status and are awaiting final approval from the government. Hopefully next year we will be able to have sponsors for the trip and so not have to pay the $1500+ each for the trip plus the cost of supplies, and so can focus more of our energies on what strategies might help their students be successful and how we can all collaborate together throughout the year for more success in all of our schools. We are hoping that this might help us reach more Jamaican teachers and schools by having the teachers we mentor then teach and mentor other Jamaican schools and teachers....kind of like the old adage "if you teach a man how to fish..."
I have to admit, this year was a little hectic, and at times frustrating, in all areas because we took on a couple of different big projects other than the teacher's conference. We added in the building of a library for Farm Primary and Junior High School in addition to the VBS, teaching of Pod Moms, and gathering of learning supplies for Robin's Nest. Because of the frustrations and distractions of being pulled in so many directions, our board realizes we need to focus on our mission of teaching the teachers. Our group was founded to help the Jamaican teachers help their students be successful on their major testing, thus helping their students become successful, life-long learners.
I have to admit, this year was a little hectic, and at times frustrating, in all areas because we took on a couple of different big projects other than the teacher's conference. We added in the building of a library for Farm Primary and Junior High School in addition to the VBS, teaching of Pod Moms, and gathering of learning supplies for Robin's Nest. Because of the frustrations and distractions of being pulled in so many directions, our board realizes we need to focus on our mission of teaching the teachers. Our group was founded to help the Jamaican teachers help their students be successful on their major testing, thus helping their students become successful, life-long learners.
I love this mission and so love sharing the information with others. The Jamaicans are a great, loving group of people who soak up new knowledge like sponges. We Americans are so used to seeing apathy in the classroom and in teacher inservices, that working with these teachers is like a breath of fresh air. Their love for their children and their determination to do the best they can for their students is evident in the signs painted around the school--both outside and in. I would love to have that positivity visible around our schools. Last year was my first year to go on this mission trip, and I came back so excited to get back into my own school year! I have the same excitement about this coming school year at Vaughan. Because I have blessed others, they have blessed me. Isn't this one of the key arguments for collaboration in any venue?