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.
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