Greetings from the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados!

Yesterday, our flight took us from Montserrat to Antigua and then from Antigua to Barbados. We had to opportunity to extend our stay in the Caribbean by doing some personal travel. I was lucky to be able to spend the last day and a half touring Bridgetown and the beautiful island of Barbados. Amazing scenaries and truly wonderful people.

As I sit here reflecting on this journey that started all the way back in January, I am so grateful for the people that I have met and the learning that occurred along the way. My Canadian colleagues are some of the finest people with whom I have worked. To François, Lana and Nicole, thank you for your professionalism, your collaboration and most importantly your friendship. For those of you who may not know, provincial unions select the successful candidates for project overseas and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) creates the teams and determines the assignments. My team dealt with many challenges throughout the winter as we were initially assigned to Haiti, a French speaking country, until we were told our team may be broken up as Haiti was no longer safe. After many conversations with CTF, they kept us as a team and assigned us to Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory that was a completely new partner for CTF. While all of us are billingual, French is the first language for three of the four Canadian members so it was definitely a challenge. I believe that we all stepped up to the plate and overcame all of these challenges. Led by our team leader, Nicole, we developed a strong bond from our very first online meeting in January. We met regularly and already felt like a team when we met in Ottawa on July 5th. While I have only spent 3 weeks with these teachers, today I left them feeling like we had met years ago. I will forever treasure our friendship. Merci François, Lana and Nicole. Vous allez me manquer.

To the Montserrat Union of Teachers, I am so grateful for the trust that you gave us from the moment we arrived. The Canadian teachers leave Montserrat knowing that you will continue building on all of the learning that has occurred over the last three weeks. Thank you for making this a journey that we will never forget. To CTF and the ATA, thank you for making this possible for me. These opportunities are life changing for teachers. While this is volunteer work and teachers are not paid while on these assignments, I always say that the Canadian teachers always learn as much from the host country and its teachers as they do from us. To the team at CTF who flawlessly send about 60 teachers a year to 10+ different countries, kudos to you! Thank you for being so passionate in your fight to improve public education.

I sit here at the airport with so much happiness in my heart and some sadness to be leaving my Montserratian family. I am proud of the work of my team but also of the 50 some participants that attended the workshops. Is there another profession in the world where an optional unpaid 2 week training would get so many participants? 50 teachers in Montserrat represents about half of its teacher force. Teachers deserve all the credit in the world. If you have children, take the time to thank your child’s teacher next time you see them. They most likely were just thinking of kids just like your own and thinking what they can do to engage, motivate and instruct such child… even in the summer months.

As I felt when I left Kenya four years ago, Uganda two years ago and now Montserrat, I leave the country of assignment feeling reinvigorated and more committed than ever to the global fight of fighting for quality PUBLIC education for all kids. In these politically divisive times, we should all stand up for public education.

Thank you for following along. I appreciate your thoughtful emails and comments.

Merci,

Shawn

Our final day of in-service. What a day it was. While the Canadian team feels a sense of relief that everything has gone well, there are also all the mix feelings that come with knowing that a really great life-changing experience is coming to an end.

The view from the second floor of Look-Out Primary School:

In session, participants learned about:
-literacy games incorporating physical activity
-tools to support English Language Learners and reading/ writing assistive technologies
-creation of math centres
-tasks and feedback correlation

An incredible group of teachers taking two weeks out of their summer holidays to learn and share! What an amazing group of professionals!

After our sessions wrapped up for the day, the final and culminating event was held: the closing ceremony. It was a truly remarkable afternoon. Participants shared memorable moments of the in-service and it was an opportunity to celebrate all the learning that has taken place over the last two weeks. Nicole, our team leader, delivered a message on behalf of our Canadian team that included the following:
-Lana appreciated your openness and honesty in the sessions. You made her feel comfortable and welcomed in your community, and for that she can not say thank you enough.
-Those in the assessment and evaluation workshop have heard François consistently say that it is all about the learning. He would like to thank you for helping him learn about your culture and the amazing people of this island paradise.
-Shawn would like to say thank you for making him feel at home. From the minute those airport doors opened, he felt that warm Caribbean hospitality. Thank you for making this a special place in his heart and he will always fondly remember all of your beautiful smiles. 
-As for myself (Nicole), I would like to say Merci to everyone who smiled at me. You brightened  up my day everyday. You are my Montserrat sun which warms up my heart and gives me energy.

Upon the end of the remarks from the participants, it was time to hand participants their certificates for the completion of the in-service.

We also had the opportunity to present certificates to our Montserratian co-tutors who helped us deliver the sessions. The Canadian team is extremely grateful for all of the support.

The end of the day signifies the end of the in-service but certainly not the end between the Canadian Teachers’ Federation and the Montserrat Union of Teachers. The effects of this in-service will be felt for years to come. Long lasting friendships have been created all because of two nations coming together to better public education.

To our Montserratian friends: “We did not need to drink from the Runaway Ghaut to have the desire to come back here. Because of you, teachers of Montserrat, your smiles and your generosity enchanted us right from our arrival.”

In the evening, the Canadian team invited all participants as well as all the members of the planning team to our home. We had a great evening and it was a great opportunity to say “see you later” once more. We will miss our Montserratian family! The planning team meets one more time tomorrow as a group to complete an evaluation and make recommendations for future projects.

Some final thoughts in the next few days. Thank you for following me on this journey.

Aurevoir!

Today, there was a sense that the end of the project is nearing. There was much anticipation over the upcoming cultural exchange in the afternoon. In the room this morning, the energy was quite different. Montserratians were eager to share their culture with their Canadian counterparts. In the morning, we reviewed the daily agenda and did an icebreaker with our participants. I led the icebreaker and we did a game called “Fun and Funny Questions” which led to lots of great conversations. It serves as a great activity for participants to get to know each other in a different manner.

After our icebreaker, participants headed to their sessions for the remainder of the morning. In the Instructional Technology session, participants were introduced to several productivity applications, the utilization of technology to enhance numeracy skills and online tools for student assessment.

In the afternoon, four Montserratian participant groups presented a variety of songs, poems and dances. The Canadian team had prepared a trivia games as well as other cultural games. The Canadian team also sang a trilingual version of O Canada to our participants (Inuktitut, French and English). We ate good food, shared many laughs and got to connect with all the participants and their culture. In the link below, you will get a glimpse of the Montserratian presentations:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CN8WUrW_6f3qykAYoa7rjZ0HoN1149Bg

One group with representatives from four different Canadian provinces and one British Overseas Territory coming together. I feel so fortunate.

Tomorrow, the journey with our participants ends. I look forward to sharing our last day with all you.

Merci!

Today marked the first day of our final week in Montserrat. Tomorrow and Wednesday are the final days of programming while Thursday is an evaluation day for the planning team. We leave Montserrat on Friday morning.

After a fantastic celebratory weekend as a part of the Calabash festival, we were ready to begin our in-service early this morning. We began with a team icebreaker to get everyone moving prior to our sessions.

Our participants continued their sessions throughout the morning learning a variety of teaching strategies in literacy, numeracy, assessment and instructional technology. In my session, we focussed on blogging as a communication tool and a student creation portal as well as Smart tools on the SmartBoard and Smart Notebook.

In the afternoon, participants attended a Gender Sensitization by Dr. Burns. Dr. Burns was a doctoral student at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Participants discussed ways of supporting boys and girls in breaking gender stereotypes.

After the evaluation by participants, the planning team met to debrief and plan for the next day. A lot of great conversations on how our sessions went and how we are moving forward in the final two days of in-service.

Back at home, the Canadian team is preparing for its cultural exchange tomorrow. Cookies in the shape of the maple leaf were baked and will be shared tomorrow. Great teamwork!

It’s shaping up to be a great day. Bonne soirée!

Today, our driver, Audris and Hyacinth brought us to visit another part of the island. On our way to Montserrat’s capital, we stopped at Runaway Ghaut. The legend says that people that drink the water will one day return to Montserrat… Needless to say, we all jumped in!

After this stop, we headed to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory where we had a view of the Soufrière Hills volcano. Low cloud coverage did hinder our view. Inside the observatory, we watched a short 20 minute film with pictures of the eruptions and the devastation left behind.

Shortly after leaving the observatory, we quickly began to see how much damage this volcanic activity caused. We began seeing houses, churches and schools covered in volcanic debris. Much of the area that we visited is under lock and key. The program directors with whom we are working obtained special permission to allow us to visit the area.

We made our way to Montserrat’s capital city which is a part of the zone that is restricted. Entering Plymouth was very sombre. Building can be seen all around us but they are covered in volcanic debris. The town is filled with large boulder that were propelled by the volcanic activity. The Soufrière Hills volcano is different in the sense that it emitted pyroclastic flows. Many of the building in Plymouth are still standing but are simply covered in debris that was caused by the heat and the pyroclastic flows unlike lava which would burn down everything in its path.

Entering Plymouth, we also went to the pier that was once an important part of the island’s economy. The picture of the town from the pier demonstrates homes and buildings that are in this exclusion zone. Plymouth has been abandonned completely since 1997.

The large rock behind us is one that was left there by the pyroclastic flows.

More of the wreckage…

Lastly, we visited the Montserrat Springs Hotel ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3xk36yFO6s&t=5s). The Montserrat Springs Hotel was once described as one of the island’s finest. Today, we got to enter the building and view the remains. The video above walks you through the building and shows pictures of what it looked like prior to 1997. We also got to visit one of the bedrooms.

A very humbling day. I am grateful for all that I have.

À demain!

It felt like Day 1. New participants, new session. The Canadian team shared on their way to the school that we were all a little nervous. Yet, we were all excited to begin working with our second group. Friday also marked an important day for Montserratians as their culture was being celebrated as a part of the Calabash festival.

Our day began with our regular plenary session. Participants then headed to their new sessions and got to learn more about their session leaders as well as what they will be learning over the next four days of in-service. Once more, participants chose one of the following topics: assessment, literacy, numeracy and instructional technology. This is the last week’s numeracy group (more group pictures to come next week):

After the morning sessions, the participants attended a session on Unionism where representatives gave them information on the role of union members.

After our work day, the Canadian team along with several other members of the planning team and participants headed to the Calabash festival to celebrate Montserrat’s Afro-Caribbean heritage. We had an opportunity to hear local music, eat local food and meet incredible people! Among the events was also a mango eating contest! We ate goat water, potato pudding, green banana, sweet potato, salt fish fritters, corn, coconut and fried dumplings as well as chicken cooked on charcoal. Not to mention the coconut water! It was all delicious! We returned to the apartment with our bellies and hearts full by having spent an amazing day with our Montserratian family!

Have a great weekend!

Hello, bonjour!

This morning, we began our final day with our first group of participants. We began with our morning plenary session and with another icebreaker. Then, participants headed to their individual sessions for the remainder of the morning.

All participants completed an evaluation where they are committing to utilizing one of the new strategies that they have learned. They also provided feedback to the facilitators as this information will be used to make improvements to our individual sessions. Tomorrow morning, participants will begin their first of four days in their final session.

In the afternoon, participants attended a session given by the Bank of Montserrat.

Following this session, the Canadian team and Montserratians began preparing their cultural exchange which will happen on Tuesday of next week. The Canadian team is preparing traditional Canadian games and visuals to showcase our great country to our Montserratian colleagues. They are preparing the same for us.

This weekend, it will be a special one in Montserrat. It’s the Calabash festival which celebrates Montserrat’s Afro-Carribean heritage. Tomorrow is the grand food fair. Local merchants will be present with a variety of arts and crafts. On our way home today, we stopped at the local library where several crafts were on display.

Back at home after another fantastic day with our Montserratian friends.

Not a bad view… Bonne soirée!

Bonjour!

Last night, our team once again headed to the local radio station. We discussed our project as well as safety tips for children during the summer vacation. Another great opportunity to get to know more about Montserrat and its people.

This morning, we woke up to a wonderful treat where we are staying. Bananas were delivered to our apartment by the owner. Yum! Another great example of the Montserratian hospitality!

Today, we began our morning with an icebreaker and some general comments for the day. We have been teaching our participants a variety of icebreakers and fun activities that they can use in their classrooms. This morning, we did a game that we learned from The Right to Play organization at our orientation in Ottawa called “Dragon Tag”.

Our participants continued their learning in their individual sessions throughout the morning. Thursday will mark the final day for participants in their first topic. On Friday, participants will move to a different session with different facilitators.

Finally, in the afternoon our participants attended a Health and Wellness session that was facilitated by a local nutritionist and nurse. This session generated many important conversations on self-care, a work-life balance, healthy eating and physical activity.

After a fruitful and eventful day, we had a few visitors…

À demain!

Hello!

Another great day with our Montserratian counterparts! Today, we began our day in the auditorium to make announcements and ensure that participants have all the necessary information. In an effort to warm up our participants early this morning, we all sung Ging Gang Goolie which is a traditional song in Boy Scouts internationally. It was a great way to begin our morning!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJ6LEwwOOERxvuYKsQwGGfI1vSLBIXNz/view?usp=sharing

Upon completion of the plenary session, we once again headed off to our individual classrooms. An almost two hour power outage forced me to improvise a little as technology is not easy to integrate when teaching without power! 🙂 We had a great discussion on blogging as a communication tool and strategies to utilize blogging in the classroom (as a portfolio, writing tool, math journal…).

After power returned, my co-tutor and I led a session on the utilization of the SmartBoard. We worked our way through Smart Notebook and reviewed many of the available functions on the board. Needless to say, it was a great collaborative morning with many important conversations on the integration of technology throughout all subjects.

After lunch, all participants were divided into 4 groups and attended classroom management sessions in the form of a carousel. The sessions focused on building positive relationships, building classroom communities with parents and students as well as the PAT program (Preferred Activity Time). The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw) by Rita Pierson entitled “Every Kid Needs a Champion” was shown in my session and generated great conversations on the importance on building relationships with our students.

Finally, we finished our day with an evaluation. Teachers sat around and shared with other participants what they learned during today’s sessions. As they were not necessarily a part of the same sessions, it provided an opportunity for other participants to hear about the content that is being taught elsewhere.

The planning team at the end of the day:

After a great day with our participants, the Canadian team is planning for tomorrow and preparing another visit to the local radio station tonight.

Bonne soirée!

Shawn

Hello from sunny Montserrat!

Today, we finally got to meet the local teachers that are going to be participating in the two week in-service provided by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) and the Montserrat Union of Teachers (MUT).

There was much excitement and anticipation this morning. While we were waiting for our driver, it felt a little bit like the first day of school in September.

After setting up, it was time for the opening ceremony. Several distinguished guests attended and the Premier of Montserrat gave remarks outlining the long standing relationship between Canada and Montserrat. There was once a school in the southern region of the island called “Maple Leaf School” which was built as a result of many contributions by Canadians. Below is a picture of the Canadian teachers with the Premier of Montserrat (back right) as well as two other government officials.

Following the opening ceremony and introductions, participants headed to their sessions. In my session, we discussed technology related challenges in their context, active/ passive use of technology, trends as well as the beginning of an introduction to blogging in the classroom. We discussed the benefits of blogging as a communication tool and as a writing journal for students. On top of blogging, we will review SmartBoard tools, integration of technology in numeracy and literacy as well the use of technology for assessment.

It was a great first day of in-service and I look forward to working with this talented group of educators until Thursday afternoon. On Friday, participants will move to another topic.

At the end of the day, all participants from all sessions returned and they completed an evaluation of the first day. An opportunity for them to give the planning team feedback on the first day of in-service.

A great first day with our Montserratians counterparts. I am looking forward to day 2.

À demain!