September 30, 2010 – Construction Update

Alongside the pedagogic preparations, the construction of the school is continuing in full speed in order to prepare everything for the school year. Recent developments include painting the school and putting wall murals, building a roof on all the buildings, accessibility ramps in the entrance to the school and to the accessible toilets and getting the construction stuff out of the area in which the kids should be. We still have a lot of work to get it all done, but the school is looking better and better each day.

Construction working around the clock

Starting the wall murals



Almost Ready!

September 20-24, 2010 – Teacher Training

Our teachers just finished a full week of preparations for the school year. The training included reviewing the government curriculum and working with it as well as teaching methodologies. The training was held by the ministry of education.

September 17, 2010 – Last day of Registration

Today was the last day of registration for the school. We enrolled quite a few students especially to the 5^th grade and performed exams for the kids that missed the previous dates.

September 14-16, 2010 – Teacher Training

Today we held our first session of teacher training. All the school teachers, kindergarten teachers and aids participated in the “Communicating with Students” session. We were happy to see interest in expanding horizons and had a lively discussion on the various methods of communication and raised important issues concerning Haitian education.

The second session of the day was dedicated to kindergarten teaching methods. We discussed the importance of giving kids a solid education from an early age providing them with the tools to succeed in life. The session ended with examples of lessons appropriate for an early age such as colors, vegetables and days of the week.

We will have additional sessions tomorrow and the day after about teaching methodologies, using art as a teaching methodology with some practical exercises

Teachers training



September 8-9, 2010 – Student Exams



School exams

  Many of the children attending our school are missing records and diplomas of previous studies. Some diplomas were lost in the Jan 12 earthquake and others never existed or disappeared. All kids attending 2nd grade and up were required to take a short exam to ensure placement in the correct class. The exams were supervised by the future school staff and now the Prodev pedagogic team is working hard on grading the exams.

September 6, 2010 – Cleaning Together

At 7 AM residents aging 5 to 70 were ready to start the work. Joined by the full office staff of Prodev, some wheelbarrows and machetes the combined team set out to work. The purpose was to clean up the entire area surrounding the school, making sure it’s clear of garbage and weeds.

Enthusiastic children having fun and working together

After a few hours of hard work the result was astonishing and the school yard is now ready for the school year.

Joint effort for the school

Members of the community



The school ground is now clean and ready for the school year



September 1, 2010 – Progressing Nicely

The school is finally starting to emerge in the village landscape. With foundations and walls already built construction progressing with vigor.

School under construction

On the pedagogic aspect, registration is going into the second week with a lot of enthusiasm from parents and kids from the area.

Registration is for kids ages 3 and up and we are happy to see families registering several kids to different classes.

Registration day

Introduction

Prodev believes that investment in education in Haiti is the key and best method to achieve long lasting progress. Good education opens doors for a better life and a better society and is a mandatory step to achieve the changes Haiti so desperately needs.

Prodev is building a model school in a village community that focuses on encouraging kids to independence and motivation. The school combines the mandatory curriculum of the Haitian government adding to it art, sports, science and music.

This blog tells the story of Ecoule Nouvelle Zoranje in Village La Renaissance

The children of Zoranje