#ServeHAITI Education - The road is hard, the sun is hot, get going...

There comes a time when you can't help but look back and smile as you realize you were part of something big.  Something bigger than you or me.  Something that is life-changing. Something that you are assured has an impact that reaches beyond a single person.  Something you know without a doubt was guided by a hand much bigger than your own.  Our trip with ServeHAITI in June was one such time.

Several American teachers have been involved in teacher training in a mountainous area outside of Port-au-Prince known as Grand-Bois.  In 2013, ServeHAITI partnered with a group of 20 schools who sent a teacher, one per week for three weeks.  This partnership was for a three year commitment.  My husband Brian and I began in 2014 to be part of this partnership, working with two wonderful Iowa educators, Mary Froeschle and Janet Green, to develop lesson plans to be used with the Haitian teachers.  The focus was on planning lessons that included student involvement and collaboration along with strategies that would encourage students to be actively involved with the learning.  Year one (2013) was an exploration of teacher manuals provided by ServeHAITI for each school.  With the manuals written in Haitian Creole, it was difficult for American educators to understand how to develop lessons so the focus became providing the lesson plan framework and instructional strategies to engage learning.  Year two (2014) picture books  were introduced - providing guidance on how to share a picture book with a class and how to write lesson plans related to fiction.  Lessons were also provided on math using a hundreds chart as well as incorporating music and art.  Every school received a set of picture books and hundreds charts.  Year three (2015) we moved to non-fiction and created lessons on natural disasters, geography, and math using manipulatives.  We emphasized using text clues to comprehend information and taught two-column note taking for recording concepts.  Each school received math manipulatives, science books, and blow-up globes.  Once year three was concluded it was time to partner with 15 new schools in 2016.

Key players with ServeHAITI Liz McDermott, Cindy Broders, and Gary Froeschle were open to suggestions on how to change the education program for the Haitian teachers.  ServeHAITI has a strong focus on the "a hand up and not a hand out."  They seek ways to empower Haitians to take responsibility in solving their own problems.  This organization provides the example and resources but the Haitians of the Grand-Bois area must provide sweat equity to move forward.  Through discussion it was decided in order to empower the Haitian teachers the top five strongest teachers from the previous trainings would be selected.  They would attend a training, be involved in writing lesson plans, and then the following three weeks provide the training to the Haitian teachers from 15 schools, receiving payment for the training they provided over the three weeks.

It was my honor to be there this year for the original training.  Sometimes you enter something with just a wish and a prayer but with a vision for how something can be done.  Entering the training with manuals I could not read and only a vision of empowering and collaborating with Haitian teacher leaders, our journey began...