Learning the Ropes

Hi All,

Erin and I have had three days (though not full days as we thought) with the teachers from Bacau and surrounding areas.  Some drive from as far away as 100 km to get here after teaching all morning.  There is no money for them to take a full day off - so they teach their classes then come in the afternoon to the course.  We have had to really think about the role of inservice (as in "service" to the profession).  It has been professionally as well as culturally challenging, but worth every second.

Yesterday we worked through Chapters 12-17 - some teachers confessed that they could not stop there and read to the end.  I was so glad.  They seem to be fully engaged in the text and the ways we are presenting the various strategies to use it. 

We discovered that the teachers are used to the old model of learning - for themselves as well as their students.  The first day was quite an adjustment as I asked them to discuss with their colleagues, to think about the connections between the theory and the practice - the practice part was the stumbling point - the only practice they knew was to lecture or be lectured too - so after I did the powerpoint on the various aspects of literacy instruction and learning and asked them to discuss how this works in the classroom, they were blank.  But you know me - I pushed on through, walking them step by step to see what I wanted them to and then to apply this to group work.  We have done jigsaw, story boards, KWL, Word Walls, prediction and brainstorming.  Today we will do the "inside-outside" group discussion method, and we will begin the poster projects. 

Yesterday after seeing 1/2 of To Kill a Mockingbird, we also had a Skype session with a circuit court judge in Tallahassee.  This was a really great experience and they seemed to really enjoy this. 

We have visited a middle school and a high school and found that students are students the world around.  Today (Thurs.) one of our sponsors is taking us on a bit of a shopping tour, and tomorrow morning we take a drive into the countryside and see a local village school. 

The time is flying by - as it always does, but all in all it has been a very rewarding experience.  More later.  ksf