Yesterday was our first day teaching at EPD, also known as Desarmes Professional School. Between the two of us we worked with beginner and intermediate English proficiency students.
EPD (pronounced AY-PAY-DAY) provides students from Desarmes and the surrounding area the opportunity to learn a trade in order to be more competitive in the job market in Haiti and beyond. Their students study plumbing, environmental management, agronomy, mechanics, masonry, and engineering.
The team was split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced instructors. Here is the breakdown...
Beginner - Aiyana, Lezah, Sabrina, and Valerie
Intermediate - Courtney, Maryam, and Brent
Advanced - Helen and Mathavi
Throughout our time in Haiti, we have been thinking about the best ways to instruct our students and provide them with English that would be useful in their daily lives and future careers. After talking with MCC community partners, Haitian college students, and even an English teacher we began this process determined to force our students to speak and interact in English as opposed to simply memorizing and writing the words down. This was much easier said than done.
If any of you have taken a foreign language class you know how hard it is to get a group of young people to get outside of their comfort zones and maybe sound a little silly. Needless to say, the Haitian students have been a pleasure to work with. Once we were able to laugh with them and get them into some of our games they have been very receptive and fun.
All in all, our first day was a learning experience and we take that to mean it was a success even though it did not help that the night before we could here a loud party from all the surrounding churches. ;)
Ovwa,
Maryam and Aiyana
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