November 22nd-November 26th 2010
Students returned to school on Monday, but it was not a typical school day. We gathered together for the morning assembly and briefly discussed the hurricane. We prayed like usual, but particularly focused on the hurricane victims. Students also commented on how thankful they were that more damage did not occur and that God protected them throughout this tragedy. Students were dismissed from the assembly and went back to their individual classrooms to debrief with their homeroom class.
In grade six, we started by having students share stories about their hurricane experience. It was very interesting to see how detailed their recollections were. One girl was somewhat broken up about the damage that was done to her house, but stated how quickly members of the community came to her family's aid. The roof on her house completely came off and several windows were broken. However, she still had a positive outlook on things and was thankful that her house is still standing. I thought it was very neat how many of these students were still able to see the light during such a devastating time.
The students watched a video about Hurricane Tomas that some of the teachers put together. Since most of the severe damage occurred in the Southern part of the island, students had not yet been completely exposed to it all. I thought the students were very receptive to the video, which helped to make our debriefing session even more beneficial. It was nice to see the students come together and console one another.
The remainder of the week was spent reviewing prior concepts that were taught before the hurricane. Principal Jean did not want the teachers to dive right into the curriculum again and introduce new topics. Teachers were asked to construct a plan for review so that they could determine where the students were at and what they remembered. The first term of the school year is usually the biggest teaching term. A lot of time was lost, however, it is important to make sure that the students did not forget what was already taught. New concepts will be introduced next week.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Week Five: Tutoring
November 15th-November 19th 2010
School has still not resumed yet. Troy Nestor and I coordinated tutoring sessions for grade six students to attend throughout this week. The lessons are not mandatory, but students are highly encouraged to attend them. As previously stated, students have lost a lot of learning time due to the hurricane. The Common Entrance Exam is quickly approaching and students need all the study time they can get.
Troy and I had difficulty finding other teachers who were willing and able to give tutoring lessons this week. Many have children of their own and could not make the appropriate arrangements for childcare. The Ministry of Education suggested that no tutoring takes place because of the lack of water. However, we were able to use a community center near the school, that has a water tank, to conduct lessons. Out of the 40 grade six students, we had a turn out of about 20. It was nice to see that some students were able to come and make use of the extra lessons. Hurricane damage did make is difficult for everyone to reach the school grounds. Some roads are still blocked and bus transportation is still not back to normal.
The students seemed very eager to come back to school. Many of them said that they were bored spending so much time at home. School is not only a learning institution for them, but also a place to grow and develop socially. They missed not only the academics, but also their peers and the staff. The same students attended the lessons throughout the whole week, however, we did have to back track at times to compensate for the new-comers who straggled in over the week.
The lessons were 4 hours long, focusing particularly on Math and English. This was because Troy and I were the only teachers who were available to tutor. He taught Math to the students and I taught English,but we both helped each other carry out the lessons. It was nice to have another person to continually make sure the students were on the right track. It was refreshing to come back and see the students so anxious to learn and participate.
After lessons on Friday (November 19th), we had an all staff meeting at Monchy to discuss how things would unfold when classes resumed on Monday (November 22nd). Principal Jean stressed the importance of taking a day to debrief about the hurricane with the students. Teachers were instructed to counsel the students and show how lessons can be learned from a tragedy. A counselor came in to talk with the staff and share appropriate ways to discuss the event with the students. Many of them were personally affected by the disaster and it is extremely important that the students know they have continual support from all members of the school.
We also learned that the CEE will be pushed back 2 weeks later than planned due to the loss of teaching time. Principal Jean also decided that formal examinations will be suspended until after Christmas break. The rest of the term will be spent reviewing and teaching new concepts.
School has still not resumed yet. Troy Nestor and I coordinated tutoring sessions for grade six students to attend throughout this week. The lessons are not mandatory, but students are highly encouraged to attend them. As previously stated, students have lost a lot of learning time due to the hurricane. The Common Entrance Exam is quickly approaching and students need all the study time they can get.
Troy and I had difficulty finding other teachers who were willing and able to give tutoring lessons this week. Many have children of their own and could not make the appropriate arrangements for childcare. The Ministry of Education suggested that no tutoring takes place because of the lack of water. However, we were able to use a community center near the school, that has a water tank, to conduct lessons. Out of the 40 grade six students, we had a turn out of about 20. It was nice to see that some students were able to come and make use of the extra lessons. Hurricane damage did make is difficult for everyone to reach the school grounds. Some roads are still blocked and bus transportation is still not back to normal.
The students seemed very eager to come back to school. Many of them said that they were bored spending so much time at home. School is not only a learning institution for them, but also a place to grow and develop socially. They missed not only the academics, but also their peers and the staff. The same students attended the lessons throughout the whole week, however, we did have to back track at times to compensate for the new-comers who straggled in over the week.
The lessons were 4 hours long, focusing particularly on Math and English. This was because Troy and I were the only teachers who were available to tutor. He taught Math to the students and I taught English,but we both helped each other carry out the lessons. It was nice to have another person to continually make sure the students were on the right track. It was refreshing to come back and see the students so anxious to learn and participate.
After lessons on Friday (November 19th), we had an all staff meeting at Monchy to discuss how things would unfold when classes resumed on Monday (November 22nd). Principal Jean stressed the importance of taking a day to debrief about the hurricane with the students. Teachers were instructed to counsel the students and show how lessons can be learned from a tragedy. A counselor came in to talk with the staff and share appropriate ways to discuss the event with the students. Many of them were personally affected by the disaster and it is extremely important that the students know they have continual support from all members of the school.
We also learned that the CEE will be pushed back 2 weeks later than planned due to the loss of teaching time. Principal Jean also decided that formal examinations will be suspended until after Christmas break. The rest of the term will be spent reviewing and teaching new concepts.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Week Four: Helping Hands
November 8th-November 12th 2010
Unfortunately, the damage from the hurricane has still left the island with a tremendous amount of damage and inconveniences. All the schools were still closed this past week due to the lack of water--teachers/principals were uncertain when that problem would be resolved. Children cannot attend school when there is no water and although the island was working hard to restore it, there was no guarantee when it would be back. Thankfully most of the areas on the island had the water restored by Sunday evening (Nov. 14th), although some areas have not yet been reached.
The Ministry of Education called a meeting with all the principals of the schools on the island to discuss when school would resume. The meeting took place on Friday, so water had not reached all areas yet. They decided that school would have to resume on Monday (Nov. 22nd) regardless because students were missing out on too much. However, a natural disaster is unpredictable and unavoidable so there is only so much someone can do in these circumstances.
I went to the local private hospital to help sort out clothes, shoes, toiletries, food, toys, etc. that were donated for the hurricane victims who lost everything. Myself and the other volunteers were extremely delighted with the wonderful turn out we had. The people of St. Lucia really came together and donated a great deal of supplies for those in need. We separated the items and delivered them to several different areas on the island that were affected. I could not believe some of the damage that still remained in the Southern part upon traveling there! I have been trying to stay active and help out as much as I can with this disaster.
This week Monday (Nov. 15th) I started tutoring many of the grade six students to help them prepare for the CEE and make-up for the lost learning time due to the hurricane. I will post more about this in detail on my next blog entry.
Unfortunately, the damage from the hurricane has still left the island with a tremendous amount of damage and inconveniences. All the schools were still closed this past week due to the lack of water--teachers/principals were uncertain when that problem would be resolved. Children cannot attend school when there is no water and although the island was working hard to restore it, there was no guarantee when it would be back. Thankfully most of the areas on the island had the water restored by Sunday evening (Nov. 14th), although some areas have not yet been reached.
The Ministry of Education called a meeting with all the principals of the schools on the island to discuss when school would resume. The meeting took place on Friday, so water had not reached all areas yet. They decided that school would have to resume on Monday (Nov. 22nd) regardless because students were missing out on too much. However, a natural disaster is unpredictable and unavoidable so there is only so much someone can do in these circumstances.
I went to the local private hospital to help sort out clothes, shoes, toiletries, food, toys, etc. that were donated for the hurricane victims who lost everything. Myself and the other volunteers were extremely delighted with the wonderful turn out we had. The people of St. Lucia really came together and donated a great deal of supplies for those in need. We separated the items and delivered them to several different areas on the island that were affected. I could not believe some of the damage that still remained in the Southern part upon traveling there! I have been trying to stay active and help out as much as I can with this disaster.
This week Monday (Nov. 15th) I started tutoring many of the grade six students to help them prepare for the CEE and make-up for the lost learning time due to the hurricane. I will post more about this in detail on my next blog entry.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Week Three: The Hurricane
November 1st-November 5th 2010
I woke up Saturday morning (October 30th) to high winds and rain. The power was out by mid-afternoon Saturaday and did not come back on for a couple days. The storm quickly turned into a hurricane, leaving no time for anyone to make the appropriate preparations. Everyone was advised to stay in their homes. All the businesses shut down so that the entire island could take shelter. I was a little frieghtened and nervous that I was experiencing my first hurricane, but everyone at the house helped to keep me calm.
I felt safe inside the house, but I could see that the hurricane was likely to do some damage on the island. The two skylights in our hallway at the house actually blew out, so it was pouring rain in the hallway all night. My host family and I put out towels, buckets, cushions, etc. to catch the water, but it still seemed to be seeping in everywhere. The doors to all three bedrooms as well as the bathroom do not close now because the water caused them to swell up. I tried to help with some of the cleaning once the hurricane passed, but it is hard to do it properly with no water.
Apparently the island has not had a hurricane since the 1980's! The hurricane that occurred nearly 30 years ago was considered between a category 4 and 5 because of the high winds of 150 mph. This hurricane was considered a category1 because the winds were between 50-75 mph. However, the slower the hurricane, the more damage and devastation that occurs. This hurricane actually cause a lot more damage on the island than the one that hit years ago. In fact, this is the worst disaster in the island's history! The most severe damage was done in the Southwestern part of the island (I am in the north), although all parts of the island were affected in some way. This hurricane also remained stationary over St. Lucia for a while which did not help.
Due to the mountainous terrain, there were also a ton of landslides. Bridges collapsed, houses were demolished, yachts/boats sank, roads were destroyed, and many people are dealing with a tremendous amount of mud and water damage. Many places, including the schools, are covered in goopy, thick mud. Some areas are not even reachable by road, so they are bringing help in by helicopter and boat. So far 14 people have been declared dead with a number still missing. Debris is everywhere, trees, cars, fences, leaves, garbage, roofs, and much more is strewn all over the place. I have seen large steel signs torn in half and houses with no roofs. It is hard to believe that so much damage can occur fomr one event. I know the men and women are working hard here to restore the island, but it will definitely take a lot of time and effort.
All the schools are closed due to the hurricane damage. Some schools are worse than others, but they all have been affected. I went to Monchy Primary School on Monday (Novemeber 1st) with some teachers to check out the damage. It did not appear to be too horrible, just a lot of broken trees, branches, and leaves everywhere. Many of the classrooms had mud and water in them , but the damage was not horrendous. Part of the roof started peeling up as well, but luckily it did not come off. It seemed to me that the damage could be taken care of before the week was over, but they cannot have school because many of the roads and bridges that lead to the school are down and therefore kids will be unable to get there. Also, the fact that there is no water plays a big factor.
I was also able to check out another local school to see what problems they were dealing with there. Although it is not a very prestigious school, it is newly built and has more protection than Monchy. However, they have piles beyond piles of that thick, wet mud everywhere. It was in the hallways, classrooms, offices, etc. and there was a LOT. I almost slipped a few times just trying to walk around in there. There was nothing any of the teachers could do yet besides start shoveling it up. However, they have no water to wash anything with and nowhere to take all this mud!
I have been helping to clean several different schools, but now most are at a stand-still due to the lack of water. I have been in continual contact with the teachers and have visited Monchy a few more times to make sure things are getting back in order. There will be a meeting this week to determine possible solutions to this problem. If school does not resume by Monday (November 15th), I will be able to help out and faciliate some tutoring sessions (especially important to Grade 6 who has the CEE in June).
I woke up Saturday morning (October 30th) to high winds and rain. The power was out by mid-afternoon Saturaday and did not come back on for a couple days. The storm quickly turned into a hurricane, leaving no time for anyone to make the appropriate preparations. Everyone was advised to stay in their homes. All the businesses shut down so that the entire island could take shelter. I was a little frieghtened and nervous that I was experiencing my first hurricane, but everyone at the house helped to keep me calm.
I felt safe inside the house, but I could see that the hurricane was likely to do some damage on the island. The two skylights in our hallway at the house actually blew out, so it was pouring rain in the hallway all night. My host family and I put out towels, buckets, cushions, etc. to catch the water, but it still seemed to be seeping in everywhere. The doors to all three bedrooms as well as the bathroom do not close now because the water caused them to swell up. I tried to help with some of the cleaning once the hurricane passed, but it is hard to do it properly with no water.
Apparently the island has not had a hurricane since the 1980's! The hurricane that occurred nearly 30 years ago was considered between a category 4 and 5 because of the high winds of 150 mph. This hurricane was considered a category1 because the winds were between 50-75 mph. However, the slower the hurricane, the more damage and devastation that occurs. This hurricane actually cause a lot more damage on the island than the one that hit years ago. In fact, this is the worst disaster in the island's history! The most severe damage was done in the Southwestern part of the island (I am in the north), although all parts of the island were affected in some way. This hurricane also remained stationary over St. Lucia for a while which did not help.
Due to the mountainous terrain, there were also a ton of landslides. Bridges collapsed, houses were demolished, yachts/boats sank, roads were destroyed, and many people are dealing with a tremendous amount of mud and water damage. Many places, including the schools, are covered in goopy, thick mud. Some areas are not even reachable by road, so they are bringing help in by helicopter and boat. So far 14 people have been declared dead with a number still missing. Debris is everywhere, trees, cars, fences, leaves, garbage, roofs, and much more is strewn all over the place. I have seen large steel signs torn in half and houses with no roofs. It is hard to believe that so much damage can occur fomr one event. I know the men and women are working hard here to restore the island, but it will definitely take a lot of time and effort.
All the schools are closed due to the hurricane damage. Some schools are worse than others, but they all have been affected. I went to Monchy Primary School on Monday (Novemeber 1st) with some teachers to check out the damage. It did not appear to be too horrible, just a lot of broken trees, branches, and leaves everywhere. Many of the classrooms had mud and water in them , but the damage was not horrendous. Part of the roof started peeling up as well, but luckily it did not come off. It seemed to me that the damage could be taken care of before the week was over, but they cannot have school because many of the roads and bridges that lead to the school are down and therefore kids will be unable to get there. Also, the fact that there is no water plays a big factor.
I was also able to check out another local school to see what problems they were dealing with there. Although it is not a very prestigious school, it is newly built and has more protection than Monchy. However, they have piles beyond piles of that thick, wet mud everywhere. It was in the hallways, classrooms, offices, etc. and there was a LOT. I almost slipped a few times just trying to walk around in there. There was nothing any of the teachers could do yet besides start shoveling it up. However, they have no water to wash anything with and nowhere to take all this mud!
I have been helping to clean several different schools, but now most are at a stand-still due to the lack of water. I have been in continual contact with the teachers and have visited Monchy a few more times to make sure things are getting back in order. There will be a meeting this week to determine possible solutions to this problem. If school does not resume by Monday (November 15th), I will be able to help out and faciliate some tutoring sessions (especially important to Grade 6 who has the CEE in June).
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