Ok I know that I've posted plenty of stuff on beaches and fun times, but I wanted to get the idea out that the 'beach corps' isn't our usual thing. Things are starting to pick up....lots of meetings and little stuff to do. ^_^
Yesterday I went to the Spring Village Primary School, were I did a bit of teacher/classroom shadowning, and talked to the principal and teachers about starting a tutoring program after school. I got over a page of names...a few of them represented almost an entire grade level! All of them needed assistance with literacy, numeracy, or both. The tenative plans will be to run tutoring times Monday and Wednesday 4-5 and 5-6 for the primary kids and Tuesday and Thurdsay 5-6 and 6-7 for the secondary school kids. I have to be very careful with this, because the students really need the extra time and help. However--my major assignment here is not to be a tutor, but to help organizations develop and assist in skills training for all age groups. I will be quickly tying down most of my evenings--which are needed to attend organization meetings and hold workshops. I'll be able to do a limited number of those during the day--but many adults work then.
After talking with the teachers, I went to a nearby town of Chateau--where I helped another volunteer assmble some audio equipment for the primary school there and fixed the principals computer (bad RAM). More computer work came, when I walked to the next village and helped yet another principal's computer because it was running super slow. Hey--what do you expect when you're trying to run bulky WinXP with a host of programs on a 733MHz with 128RAM? That took me all the way till 4pm--grabbed a quick bite at home and came down to the Sping Village Community Center (my main worksite). At 4:30, I sat in on the intro session for an activity sponsored by the National Adult Education Unit (the do skills training around the island). This time around, they were getting ready to start a cake bakig and decorating course--morning and evening classes, 3 days a week for 6 weeks in the community center kitchen. Later on, I worked with the finance sub-committee for the Cumberland Valley Tourism and Environment Group (CVTEG for short. wow, that's a mouthful! Spring Village is in the middle of the Cumberland Valley). We did all sorts of pre-planning and financial guesses for the upcoming tourism renovations for our local beach during the upcoming year. We were there till after 9-930...made long day.
Today, I've been cleaning out a room in the community center that will be for the CBOs and workshops. Scrubbing and mopping away--actually I'm writing this now as I wait for the floors to dry. ^_^ Afterwards, I'll be moving things around in there and trying to make it presentable. It was a dirty storage area beforehand. There isn't any electricity service in that area of the building, although it is already fulled wired with lights and outlets. So I have to meet with the community center committee on Monday at 7pm to discuss getting service in there and maintaining general supplies for the building. I had to pay my own small amount of $ to get wasp spray (EC$7) because of the nests all over the place in the various parts of the center and use my own bleach from home to wash the floors. Mur. >.< Tonight, I'll be tore between my host orgnanization--SUDO--meeting tonight (7?)at the center which will be discussing the upcoming Christmas festivities and the 6:30 meeting at the center with the research and documentation sub-committee for CVTEG.
The fun keeps on coming! I haven't even started any of my own projects yet. ^_^
Need to stay flexible....that's my new mantra.
If anyone wants to suggest good software to create and manage events in a calendar format, let me know. I know that you can do it with MS Outlook--but I dont' like how it looks in the monthly format. We need to create a community calendar and the idea is to be able to print them out and post. We might just end up using the electronic version to track and manage activities and make the posted one by hand.
Floors should be dry now.
Stay safe and well,
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn
2 comments:
Wow. I think its so great that you're working this close with the school. I think if this tutoring thing gets on its feet and stays strong, it can make a big impact on these kids lives.
I'm very proud of you! ^_^
But it does sound like you've dipped your feet into several projects already. You sound very busy.. I hope you don't go into overload. *umm.. sounds familiar.. I swear you said this to me back in August ^^;;*
Keep up the good work <3
Hey man, I'm not sure if you'll remember me or not... It's been a LOOOONG time since we've talked! lol I think it's great what you're doing man, and that new look over what you had when you were younger - looking good man!! I have several ways of getting in touch with me if you want - one of the best is MySpace, which is: myspace.com/wickid_d
Catch ya later man!! As Amy said, keep up the good work!! :D
~Damien~
Post a Comment