Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Teacher workshops and half an orange

Deb Gallagher (ONU professor of Education on far left) and Ken Reid (ONU professor of Engineering with the microphone) leading a teaching workshop for 70+ teachers in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, with several ONU students.

Today our students split into two groups.  Half went to a barrio to do clinics, and half went to do a teacher workshop focused on active learning techniques.  There were 74 teachers from 3 private schools that Solid Rock International runs.  These teachers were from all subjects and all grades.  We had 11students from a variety of disciplines (but mostly engineering) working with these Dominican teachers providing some lessons that incorporate active learning and activities to get students interested in math and science subjects.  The two activities we did today focused on creating an assembly line and related concepts and on creating a robotic arm.  The assembly line shows that working as a team is more efficient than working individually and focuses on quality control while emphasizing speed of productivity.  Students also have to measure and place colors and shapes in appropriate places on the "Colored Brick" that they manufacture from paper bags.  The robotic arms were created out of cardboard, binder clips, pencils, rubber bands, paperclips, string, and masking tape.  The arm had to extend 18" and be able to pick up a full 20 oz. bottle of water and move it about 10 inches. The activities focus on team work, creative problem solving, critical thinking skills, basic math skills, basic measuring skills, etc. 

Teachers demonstrating the "Colored Brick" that they made in the Assembly Line activity

The teachers were genuinely appreciative of the workshop and truly enjoyed themselves in the process, which made it fun for all of us, too! 

When we returned, I had the opportunity to walk through a local barrio with one of my students and one of the locals who is friends with the missionaries who run the guest house.  He was explaining his life in the community and answering questions for my student.  He was also asking us questions and asked me if I had any children.  I explained that I was single and did not have any children.  His response:  Que pena ---- Como media naranja.   You may wonder how that translates.  The literal translation is "how sad--like half an orange."  The saying here in the Dominican Republic for people who are single is that they are like half an orange--the implication being that one is not whole without the other half.  To be middle aged with no significant other is a cultural oddity here, and clearly I am an anomaly to them.  So I learned a new saying and that I am like half an orange.  My linguistic lesson for the day.

Tomorrow we will hold a health fair in a community called El Cercado up in the mountains.  Check in for the update on the events of the day when I post tomorrow night!

Teachers and students after the workshop at the Celia Rupp School in San Juan de la Maguana