Anecdotal Successes

Throughout the training, and afterwards, Joy and I have worried that while the teachers found the course interesting, they wouldn't want or be able to apply any of it in their own classrooms.

But, just from keeping tabs on the emails teachers send in to Pwof Ansanm (which is itself a success!) I have a few "warm fuzzies" to report:

Teacher 21 wrote in October to say that he had been using the internet to look up information on distance for a lesson. To keep the students interested and to do something hands-on, during class he had them measure the dimensions of the classroom, their heights, etc. The active lesson was so popular that the students in other classes were begging their teachers to do the same. (I also have the feeling that this may have been the first time most of the students knew their own height.)

Teacher 21 wrote again this month to say he was using the internet to research space and vectors. He reports that he encouragess them to see what discoveries they can make on the internet.

Teacher 41 wrote this month that he along with Teacher 51 organized a debate with some of the students, reporting that it was quite interesting. The debate was one of the activities over the summer that was wrought with drama and complications, but it turned out to be so popular that people requested a second round.

The teachers have also organized themselves to have a two- or three-day seminar at one of the high schools to share what they've learned with the rest of the teachers at that school. If everything goes according to plan, it will take place in about a week. Joy will also be visiting at that time, so she will be able to observe the process. It is exciting to note that she is not the one organizing the seminar. The teachers really are doing it.

It's nice to see at least a few signs of progress. Change takes time, and it's hard to be patient, but as I had my English students there frequently repeat, "Rome wasn't built in a day!"