Conduct a school visit in Haiti to learn more about its program and needs, and establish a collaborative learning environment that benefits students in both countries.
I have a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the Haitian cultural I was "attempting" to compare our culture to for our first grade students. Much of the content I presented to my students was based on hearsay and information I had found on the internet. When I teach this school year, my teaching will be based on actual experiences through which my students will learn. My goal is to inspire them to help others and appreciate other cultures and ways of living.
I will have stories and actual experiences to share. Including my own narrative in my teaching will make my teaching more authentic. Students like to hear what their teachers experience. In addition, I have always felt grateful for living and working in a community in which resources are readily available. I also learned from the Haitian educators that you can do more with less. The teachers with whom I traveled and the Haitian educators all had the same goal-to do what is best for children.
My greatest accomplishment was working with the students and realizing that all children want the same thing and I was able to provide that in Haiti, as well as at home-all children want to be encouraged, made to feel that they are capable, and have adults who truly make them feel as if they are the most important people in the world! I connected with the Haitian students just as I connect with my American students. It's a really good feeling to know that you are inspiring children.
The students in my fourth grade class will be learning about their state of Connecticut. Having had this recent Haitian experience, I can draw upon what we have in terms of government, education, and resources in comparison to the Haitian culture. Having another culture with which to compare, pushes the students to make connections and deductions. It's a higher order of learning which will challenge some while for other students, I can make my experience more tangible which will benefit them.
I have plans to work with the primary grades to share my experiences. I taught first grade for the past five years and through another grant, we had established a relationship with Ecole Flamboyant in Deschapelles. The kindergarten, first, and second grade students had learned about their own culture through a comparative study with our sister school in Haiti. I have artifacts that will enrich their learning as my fourth grade class buddies with the second graders. I plan to share it all!
I will continue to teach my students how knit hats which we will sell to our school community. The profits from the knit hats will continue to fund the four students whom we are currently sponsoring to continue their education in Haiti. My experiences will bring the reality of what life is like in a third world country closer to the students. Hopefully, through my experiences, the students will be inspired through charitable service learning.
I want to inspire and teach about the concept of sustainability and how we, in a society with a plethora of resources, can support people in struggling countries to sustain their families through education.
I have always been charitable, but being exposed to a nation that literally shows no signs of progress has opened my eyes to what "simple" exposure to a trade or a craft can do for a community. Isn't the saying, "Teach a person to fish?" I am SUCH an advocate of this, seeing the impact it can have.
FUND FOR TEACHERS ©