Relationships ... and Relaxation: Reflections on a Successful Capacity-Building Initiative in Haiti

The Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute for 2018 has come to an end. Much work needs to be done to continue to foster the capacity of teachers in Haiti, however, for the moment, we are relaxing as we prepare to return to Canada. 

The success of ELI is really due to relationships.

Some of those relationships were established 10+ years ago. In this picture, Thelus Wilson and I have just finished a meeting about his PhD studies. I met Thelus on one of my very first trips to Haiti more than 10 years ago. At that time, Thelus was a vice-principal of a public high school in Cap-Haitien. He is now a successful school principal and nearing the mid-point of his PhD research. His wife, also an educator, has been working on her Masters degree. They have three children, one with a significant special need. They are making a major difference in Haiti.

In this picture, I am with some of our great Haitian university students who have supported the STEAM camp and ESL program this year. Samy Charles and Doody (to my left and right) were the two high school students who participated in Laurier's first ESL program in Cap-Haitien. Doody has now graduated from university and is hoping to pursue graduate studies to be a psychologist. Samy is in med school in Port au Prince. Both are leaders in their communities.

Other relationships are new. We have had new Canadian educators join us this year. Josee is a principal of a French language school in Oakville. She is an amazing leader and teacher. As I have watched her interact with her students, I have been reminded that the basis of good teaching is relationships. In this picture, Josee (far left), Karen, and I are purchasing tin art that we had commissioned from Jean Emile Francois, an artist extraordinaire. There is a Haitian expression: Bonjou se paspo ou (Hello is your passport). Relationships begin with "hello" and we need to remember that everyone deserves the courtesy of a friendly "hello". You never know where that greeting will take you!

Another person I met with a "hello" was Samson. Samson was a teaching assistant for an ESL program we did at a university in Cap-Haitien five years ago. We have remained friends since. He is now a founding partner in a tourist company. His company arranged for a day trip for our Canadian group that took us to Amiga Island. It was a day to celebrate and relax. The work for the week is done ... but we look forward to continued engagement with our Haitian partners as our relationships are solidified and as new relationships form.

It's not a sunset picture but it's an appropriate way to wrap up the blog for the week with lots of imagery for the imagination!

Sustainability, Reciprocity, and Partnership: Three Big Ideas for the Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute

Today was the final day for the 2018 Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute. It was an amazing day. We saw 530 teachers and principals complete their week of professional learning, 230 children finish the STEAM camp, and 50 university students receive certificates for completing a conversational English program. Much more could be said about each but I want to focus on three key words that describe the ELI.

Sustainability

One of our Haitian instructional leaders providing a workshop

We have designed ELI so that it might have all the ingredients to be successful after the Canadian teams have returned to Canada. The key way we do this is by purposefully identifying and training a core group of Haitian instructional leaders. This group of about 30 people has been identified and multiple workshops have already taken place to start them thinking about next year's ELI. They are connected through a social media platform that will allow facilitation of planning. They are excited about the opportunity!

Reciprocity

We believe that ELI must provide an opportunity for both Canadian and Haitian educators to engage in professional and intercultural learning. This happens through the teaching and learning that occurs every day. For example, our Canadian science lead instructor - Francis Cronier-Thériault - participated in a botany nature walk in which he and his class learned about the plants that are on the hill behind the school.

We also engage in learning after the day is done! We have evening debrief sessions where we discuss what we have experienced that day. Tonight we invited the director and his family of a Haitian NGO that supports women and children to come and talk with us about the kinds of things they do. This helps us have a more holistic perspective about life in Haiti.

Partnership

The success of ELI is grounded firmly in the partnerships we have in Haiti. The entire conceptual framework for the model was developed through multiple face-to-face meetings. These meetings have continued over the five years since we first started developing the vision for ELI. In the picture to the right, Bruce Alexander (far left), Jhonel Morvan (far right), and I are recognizing the hard work and partnership of Sr. Vierginat. She has been a foundational partner in ELI. As I said in my comments, she is one of the most inspirational leaders I have met anywhere in the world.

What has been the result of a sustainable, reciprocal partnerships? Today, we celebrated the graduation of 530 students, 130 of whom have attended for three years and who have developed specialized knowledge and skills in one of the six subject areas we focus on. It was an awesome experience!

Graduates of the critical literacy course

 

530 Haitian participants and 25 Canadian instructors in the auditorium

Chickens, Chargers, Coffee, and Children: Just Another Day in the Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute

We have heard some great examples of how teachers are transforming their teaching practices as a result of the Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute. These stories serve as artifacts or evidence of the significance of this week of professional learning in the lives of Haitian and Canadian teachers. But...

CHILDREN: ... the real outcome we want to see is that the learning outcomes of students are changed for the better as a result of teachers' participation in ELI. This data will take years to collect but we have good reason to believe that 1,000s of children in Haiti will experience deeper and more significant learning as a result of the professional learning their teachers have experienced in ELI. Children are at the heart of what we do.

CHARGERS: People in Haiti value electricity. It is not consistently available nor is it cheap. So whenever there is opportunity to plug in one's cell phone to a charger, you take it. The picture to the right is a picture I took in one of today's Math classes. But this picture doesn't tell the whole story. What one observes when people are plugging cell phones into these chargers is that it is a very cooperative experience. No one pulls out other peoples' phones. No one yells at others for leaving their phone plugged in too long. Instead, people quietly figure out a process that allows everyone a chance to charge up. This  reminds me of the way that communities should work!

CHICKENS: Life would not be complete in Haiti without chickens and roosters! We eat them for meals (sorry to all my vegetarian friends). They help us know what time of day it is (no rooster should be allowed to wake people up at 4 am). We also find them in our work spaces at ELI. I would guess that most Haitians don't even notice when chickens are scurrying around. But they play a valuable part in Haitian society. They sustain families and provide a living for many. 

I love the setting in which we find ourselves this week. College Notre Dame is on a hill overlooking the port of Cap-Haitien. 

But the real beauty of this community is in the people.

COFFEE: In this picture you will see Danielo, a 16 year old who I first met four years ago in one of the poor communities of the city. Danielo has some physical challenges but he is a bright young man. He comes from a poor family but he has the potential for a bright future. What we are doing in ELI is providing support for teachers so that they may help the Danielo's of Haiti with the tools to succeed. I doubt that my explanation of the concept of Tim Horton's will dramatically transform Danielo's life ... however, the ability to consider where coffee comes from, who profits from it, what sustains the industry, and how he might be a critical citizen of Haiti and a world which values such things will certainly make a difference. To this end we work.

What is the relationship of love and money? Insights from Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute

Our university English as a Second Language (ESL) program in Cap-Haitien, Haiti has been a great experience. There are more than 50 Haitian students in the program. Cap-Haitien is one of the primary tourism areas of Haiti, being proximate to the Citadelle and Labadie Beach, and English is a privileged language for the emerging tourist market.

The Laurier and Haitian university students  who are participating in the ESL program are engaging in authentic conversations. The discussions are based on questions and answers that the students have for each other. The participants come together each day with no agenda except to have two hours of conversational language practice. The dialogue has been incredibly deep and rich.

An example of such a dialogue was one on the relationship of love and money. A male student asked the question and everyone jumped into the discussion. A female student immediately took the position that you cannot have love without money. This was counter-argued by a male student who said, of course you could have love without money, after all that is the environment in which we are born.

And so the debate continued until the young woman turned to me and said, "So what do you think Dr. Steve?"

I thought to myself, This could be tricky.

So I proceeded to do what every good teacher does when confronted with a tough question: I paused, looked puzzled, and said, "Tell me more about why you think you are right."

They all had a good laugh and moved on to the next topic.

This particular conversation made me realize that the conversational English class is not so much about learning English but learning about each other. That is far more valuable than learning a language.

Some pictures from today:

Our Canadian ELI participants

Rob McBride, from Apple, has been a long-term supporter of ELI

Jonathon, one of our Canadian science instructors

Parachute games at the camp with the school in the background

Cassie, one of our camp leaders, with one of our participants

Learning about oxygen in our STEAM camp

 

Vanessa and Tanis leading our English language block

What a bus taught me about intercultural learning: Haiti and Educator Leadership Institute Update

The second day of teacher professional development and STEAM camp in Cap-Haitien, Haiti built on the strong successes of yesterday.

The day started with an assembly for all the teachers ... 500+ people engaging with a beautiful song in which the participants identified that individually and corporately they are key to the future of education in Haiti. Then the day began for teachers as they engaged in active and problem-based learning in one of six subject areas:

Technology session with our partner Desire2Learn 

• mathematics
• science
• special education
• critical literacy
• early learning
• leadership

There are 18 classes that are running concurrently which makes for a significant amount of logistical oversight. Jhonel Morvan, our ELI co-lead, does an amazing job in keeping everything on track.

Meanwhile, our Laurier and Haitian university and high school students were welcoming 200+ kids back to camp. There were a lot of cooperative games, math activities, a science focus on the human body, and even some creative movement in our arts section. Andrew Braid, our camp coordinator and recent graduate of Laurier's Bachelor of Education, is an awesome facilitator!

After a lunch of chicken and rice, the Laurier students traveled down the road for the university ESL program while the Haitian teachers welcomed the camp children into their classes for teaching practice.

One of the many inter-cultural learning experiences that happened today involved the bus that was taking the Laurier students down to the ESL program. The bus tried to turn a corner but encountered a parked car. Now, in Canada, this would be no big deal since the streets are wide. But in Cap-Haitien, most of the streets are only 3-4 metres (9-12 feet) wide. The bus could not make the corner with the parked car in the way. So, what did the bus driver do? For perhaps 10 minutes he honked the horn. He wouldn't let others pass so they started honking. But no on came to move the car. 

Students in the ESL program

Finally, the bus driver turned the opposite direction and proceeded to do a three-point turn at the next corner. Remember, that the streets are narrow. But he made it, even as he was driving with a manual transmission and on a hill! He returned down the street on which the car was parked and navigated to the school. It was an amazing act of driving. 

As Canadians, we can look at that experience as a problem: Why would someone park their car in a narrow street? Why would the bus driver just keep honking instead of trying to get out and find the car owner? Why would the dozens of people who passed not offer to locate the driver of the car? Why would the policeman who observed the entire situation not spring into action? Why would a bus driver attempt a three-point turn in a busy city intersection?

Or, we can look at the situation (and the solution) as an act of innovation: When there is one road-block, we just look for another way around. 

It's a great lesson for all of us to learn: When life presents challenges and obstacles, it might be OK to lay on the horn ... or we might try and resolve the immediate problem ... or we might just need to look for a different path.

Just another day of experiencing Haiti.

Singing (in the midst of chaos): Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute Day 3 Update

Today was the start of the 3rd annual Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute.

And what a day it was!

We have a record number of participants, including more than 500 teachers and principals, as well as 230 children. Wow.

Teachers lining up for registration

There were some registration glitches but we were able to start our opening assembly around 9:30 with yours truly as the opening speaker including my favourite Haitian proverb:

Piti piti (little by little)

Ti pay pay (straw by straw)

Zwazo fe niche (the bird builds its nest)

The expression captures the essence of why we - Haitian and Canadian educators - do what we do: Whether in Canada or in Haiti, we want to build the foundation of our countries through the opportunities available through education.

Our Laurier and Haitian university students, with support from some high school students, got our Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM)  camp up and running. Leaders quickly re-arranged activities to accommodate the extra 100 students (no problem, we're teachers, we've got this!).


The Canadian instructors in the Educator and Leadership Institute developed new strategies and shifted timetables to accommodate the changing class sizes and dynamics. Haitian teachers were given many, many opportunities to learn about experiential learning, group work, and participatory classrooms. It was a beautiful thing to watch!

By early afternoon, when we stopped for lunch, both the camp and professional learning program had been a significant success. Haitian participants were already asking instructors if they were planning on returning the following year :)

How do you feed 550 people?

It was at lunch that I observed a special moment. Our host, Sr. Vierginat, had been running around all morning helping with registration, making announcements, coordinating activities, arranging busses, and being the "go-to" person for everything ... it was chaotic. But then she called a group of 30 kindergarten girls to the front and gave them each a microphone so they could practice their singing skills. In the midst of a chaotic scence, Sr. Vierginat modeled the kind of leader that I wish to aspire to: Even in the midst of challenging circumstances, she invested in the children and made them feel special. She took time to be with them.

The Laurier students shifted to an afternoon ESL program and the ELI instructors supported the Haitian participants as they implemented the things they had learned in the morning with the children now in their classrooms. At 4:30, with the work of the day completed, both groups returned to our hotel to debrief, relax, eat, and re-charge.

Rob McBride, a long-term leader of our work in Haiti, led our evening debrief. He asked specific Canadian participants to share key moments of the day and it is already clear that this inter-cultural experience is having a massive impact on both Haitians AND Canadians.

Now I just need to learn how to sing (in the midst of chaos).

What makes you proud? Haiti ELI Day 2

Today was a day of hiking and planning for the Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute.

Most of our group traveled an hour to Milot, Haiti where the famous Citadelle stands. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of Haiti's independence. It is a site of immense pride for Haitians. The Citadelle was built about 200 years ago as Haiti gained independence from France. To read more, check out this information (click here).

Associated with it is the amazing Sans Souci Palace. Based on the palace at Versailles, it is an incredible structure that - in its glory - must have been like nothing else in the western hemisphere.

After returning to our hotel, some of us went to the local market. Karen and I had a chance to talk with a local artisan who makes tin art. As he showed us his tools and patterns, we were struck by the beauty of his work. I am proud to say that some of his tin art will grace our house next week :)

We then spent a number of hours in meetings and preparation for the start of the Educator and Leadership Institute tomorrow. As I watched different groups work through the lessons and activities that they are preparing, I was filled with awe at the talent amongst the educators who are with us. I was struck by the Haitian and Canadian instructors meeting together, cohesive in their commitment to support the professional learning journey of others with whom we will meet tomorrow.

I am proud of the work that we are doing in Haiti. I am also proud of the educators - Haitian and Canadian - who are committed to supporting this work in Haiti. Finally, I am proud to be able to show to my Canadian colleagues a country of immense beauty, culture, and history.

What is one word to describe your day?

What would be one word to describe your day?

Tonight, 10 hours after arriving in Haiti, we were asked to think of one word that reflected the day we had experienced. For most, our day started around 2 am as we traveled to airports in Montreal, Toronto, and Dallas and onward to Miami and then Cap-Haitien. Generally, things went really smoothly and we arrived in Cap-Haitien by early afternoon.

Our group participants offered some diverse words such as: excited, exhausted, anticipation, joy, and even, hamburger! My word was solidarity (Creole: solidarite).

Solidarity is a word that means more than empathy or togetherness. It also has a connotation of action. Our work in Haiti is not just one of words and shared sentiment. We are committed to improving the teaching abilities of educators across the country. We are also in agreement that we ourselves (as Canadian educators) do not have everything figured out and that we can also learn from our Haitian colleagues. This is a great opportunity for inter-cultural learning. We are solidified in this commitment AND we are acting on this commitment.

It is a privilege to be in solidarity with Canadian and Haitian educators who want to be exemplary teachers.

Some pictures from our day:

Some of our team on the Cap-Haitien airport runway

Wondering what it looks like to have 40 Canadian educators in a small airport lobby waiting for the customs officials? Look no further.

Cap-Haitien has some very novel businesses and micro-enterprises like this one committed to women entrepreneurship.