January Events--Abaco is Volunteer Heaven
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Posted by Sharon Kossack, Stateside Coordinator of Abaco's Every Child Counts Project on January 25, 2000 at 15:22:47:
Once again, I am overwhelmed by the unbelievable generosity of the residents of Abaco...and their concern for their children! Lyn Major, Laura Davies, Carla Portocarrera, and many, many others gathered people interested in helping children together for yet another awesome weekend of academic study and professional training. I really think this was one of the best. On Thursday, over twenty high school students seeking training as mentors to other students who presently might be struggling with their studies showed up to enthusiastically join the band of dedicated teachers from Abaco Central High to continue their exploration of Vocabulary strategies...this time context clues and ways of developing word knowlege through alternative paths to the brain (specifically bodily/kinesthetic and musical/rhythmic channels identified by Howard Gardner, of Harvard University). One of the students, Keora, has written the next article for the Abaconian based on her exploration of a note-taking/study technique I shared with the group in December. Watch for it! {This is not the first time students of Abaco have published. The students in Hopetown put together a tutoring manual for student peer tutors -- Text Smart Strategies -- that was published last year. Great job!} Friday, Lyn Major and Ellen and I hot footed it over to Green Turtle Cay to work with Anne Bootle's Three Musketeers at Amy Roberts Elementary. I had a ball! They let me mess with the children and I showed them ways to initiate writing through innovation on children's books...each of the classes ended up with a big book after I worked with them for an hour. I can't remember when I had so much fun! Two consultants, Drs. Sandra Woods and Judy Cohen, explored ideas surrounding Disciple with St. Francis and Hopetown School teachers in Marsh Harbour. Through a videotape, they were able to consider the classroom "hidden curriculum" through the eyes of the learning disabled child. It's an unexpected and shocking view that causes us to pause and consider. Friday evening, Dr. Woods returned to St. Francis at 7 p.m. to work with a monthly parent support group. She explored ways parents can develop their child's academic skills in ways unconnected with homework. Very practical! I tried to capture all the ideas I could for the Abaconian...so watch for it. Saturday, I continued work with those teachers, parents, and administrators who wish to become certified as Clinical Educators. We have had 35 people who have consistently come since August to take this training. This month, we had 10 more! We had visitors from Nassau and Eleuthra. They have missed a lot over the past four months, but hung in there as I review all that we had covered so far. Once these clinicians are certified, they will be able to do an in-depth reading and writing diagnosis and make targetted prescriptions for interventions that will set struggling students back on the path of learning. So much is happening! With so many concerned, dedicated, hard-working people interested in working for the youth of Abaco...just think of the possibilities! It is an honor to be able to walk this walk with them. I leave not needing transport home...I float! And other projects have begun. Jaime Leduc, art and home economics teacher at St. Francis, has begun creating a learning kit--complete with a bean-bag replica of an endangered animal (Queen conch and Abaco parrot), a tape of its sound in the wild (tell me...do YOU know the sound a Queen conch makes?), AND a book about the animal and how it came to be endangered. We will send a proposal to Nature Conservancy to see if they want to publish this as they do the red frog for South American rainforests and African Elephant...proceeds going to the project! A number of such projects are in the works by which students will work toward making their studies self-sufficient. If you can think of a product that students could make and market (learning all about business plans, marketing, book keeping, etc.)in the bargain, please let me know! My mind is certainly not bent that way and I would appreciate your creativity. My heart swells each time I come. The generosity of spirit I feel from the people with whom I have an opportunity to work with, the knowledge I gain by having the opportunity to explore with the teachers, parents, volunteers, and students of Abaco are awesome.
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