Pictures For Perspective

"Main activities"

Hello all.

Katie P. just had us (Mike & myself) come up with descriptions of your main activities for the "QPID Volunteer Contract." It occurs to me these might be helpful for you to see here, to think about, ask about... Might serve to push us forward, see what you think. Perhaps the first one is the most important for us to be thinking about right now; the rest will flow from it:

1. Cooperants will begin by developing their own learning/working processes, using observations of local life, personal and group reflection on these observations, selection of facilitative methods and finally, by creating the daily program structure.

2. Cooperants will create the program structure, which includes but may not be limited to designing curriculum; gathering and making learning aids and materials; developing schedules and record-keeping tools.

3. Although marketing has already begun, cooperants will help to recruit participants via community-based social marketing.

4. Cooperants will facilitate two “summer” leadership programs offered mainly but not exclusively to village youth: a) an English & Media Literacy class aimed primarily at girls, and b) the participatory design and construction of a nursery school playground.

5. Cooperants will engage in a regular evaluation process, both of their own experiences and of the programs’ unfolding, culminating in a descriptive and analytic product that reflects upon and critiques the two projects and provides recommendations for their re-implementation as ongoing after-school programs.

Hello, Jenn! Your introduction,, that is under Kate's March posting, has some good ideas! What is the name of your text about women's empowerment?? It will be interesting to get your input on organizing an educational system that will be most beneficial for these people. Since we all have different strengths and abilities ourselves, we will naturally begin "dividing and conquering" (don't really like that word, conquering, but it's the expression) to reach and teach the various students. ............Enjoy the journey

I'm that guy

Hello all

sorry you haven't heard from me - been watching the posts and enjoying the chatter - my input has been finding its way into Alice's posts

So tech stuff - computers (anywhere from 6 to 9, some are running Windows XP, older working models are running 95 I think) The new computers are equipped with a whack of video, audio software and photo software (Picasa, photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, Sonic Foundry Collection, Vegas Audio, Premiere)

We have one digital camera that is getting used and plan to pick up a couple more, one digital video camera that hopefully just needs to dry out (I was in the Kanuku Mountains and the camera was stressed with humidity and drastic temperature changes) Probably getting one more of those ---

We have one digital projector which we've been using to watch movies (vhs and dvds) and other media from local events (people love seeing themselves on the big screen)...

There was a post about bringing your own equipment. Great but know that you set the rules of use and you are solely responsible for whatever personal equipment you bring. You'll be here in rainy season with humid weather.


HIV/Aids - Stats on the Rupununi are questionable. A number of groups have come through the village to discuss/test/distribute info. The common belief is that HIV isn't in the Rupununi but the number of people that get tested for it is L O W... People are typically "bareback" riders. There is a lot of migration (males, females, youth and adults) to and from Brazil for work and mining areas in Guyana. Stigma surrounding the virus is generally the same as elsewhere people are afraid to get tested and if they are positive what that means and what reactions being positive will illicit (you're probably familiar with that scenario). Girls seem to receive a lot of attention after the age of 12 and are "old" by 16. I get a lot of stories from the male perspective full of machismo (feels like a hockey change room) and whispers of the female perspective. Guys here that are my age (25) seem very quick to talk and joke about the "sweet" girls (young 13 - 18).

Hey Ladies,
I also like the idea of AIDS education, but also curious - is that a prevalent health issue? I am starting to accumulate a book list appropriate for grade 5/6 reading level that cover self-efficacy issues, as well as enhancing literacy. Any suggestions in titles or authors please send them my way. Also looking into DVD’s. Is anyone bringing a video recorder (digital?)? It would be helpful to know what technologies we have available. Also, does anyone have further insight into the entrance test/high school exit test?
Take care,
Kate

Hello,
I've just posted this comment elsewhere, but I think this location will be more accessible, so I'm sorry if this is the second anyone is reading this. Anyhow, I hope evryone is doing well and I'm sorry for not posting more frequently, life has been really busy with exams and applications etc.
I don't know who best to address this question to, but I was wondering what the current state of HIV/AIDS is in Guyana and whether or not people would be interested in addressing this issue within our lessons. If people are on board, I am very interested and I think that we can do a lot of good things. Let me know what you think!
Maia

Exam focus

Hi, Kate! You mentioned as a learning direction a high school exit test. Alice had mentioned a common entrance exam. The materials neccessary for these types of assessments would be good tools. I had thought about us helping the students who are more likely to go to the University of Guyana head in that direction. Good ideas. (: