Pre-Dep. Prep.
It is not my intention to bore anyone with details about my preparations that I have been making for my imminent move to Nicaragua. The last week or so has ranged in tasks from such importance as being vaccinated against H1N1 and saying goodbye to close friends and family to picking out spices to take with from the grocery store, filming it, and then blogging about it (I am now rereading the sentence from the blog on the film that I made about the spices from the store, and blogging about that!!). I’ve also been trying to tie of some loose financial ends, complete a few projects around the house, and continue research the place and task that will soon comprise an integral part of my identity.
Recently, I picked up a copy of “Teach Like a Champion” by Doug Lemov from a local bookstore. Some of you may remember the book and its author from a NYTimes magazine feature from a little while back (this one) that discussed how teachers are trained in the United States with a critical eye towards practical skills training and in-class experience-building. Having sat through (and on one occasion lead) innumerable hours worth of theoretical and abstract training in preparation for my participation in American University’s DC Reads tutoring program only to find that I didn’t have any idea of what to do with my kid/class on our first day of tutoring, the book’s emphasis on what the author terms ‘concrete, actionable, techniques’ caught my eye.
Of course, I don’t mean to speak ill of the DC Reads program, which I generally hold in high esteem. Rather, my intention is to emphasize the importance of translating pedagogical theory into practice, into techniques (the more concrete and action involved, the better). So far, the first two chapters of the book have not let me down and have taught me such techniques as No Opt Out—a technique meant to convey high expectations to one’s students by not allowing for “I don’t know” to suffice as an answer to a question asked in class—and the 4Ms (Manageable, Measurable, Most Important, and something else)—guidelines designed to ensure that any given day’s lesson plans are as conducive to learning as possible.
In that same vein, earlier today I visited with Professor Kimberly Schrader, Assistant Director of the English Language Institute at the University of Hartford to bone up on my TESL (teaching English as a Second Language) ability. Despite the differences in context between where Professor Schrader teaches and where I will be (ranging from class size to age of students to cultural/linguistic context in which teaching takes place), Professor Schrader was able to provide me with a number of helpful pieces of advice: 1) Have students work in groups 2) Cater to different styles of learning 3) make class and homework as fun as interesting. Also of interest was Professor Schrader’s tale from her days in Amigos de las Americas in Nicaragua involving engorged toads and early morning showers.
One other thing that I’ve been working on is trying to get a final packing list down and its contents assembled. One resource that I’ve been using to help me in doing so has been the Peace Corps Wiki Packing List for Nicaragua. One of the best parts about this list is the specificity and detail that it goes into, and I quote: “One or two swimsuits (regular bikinis are acceptable but thong bikinis are not).” Still, where it claims that a garlic press, measuring cups, or a pressure cooker are necessary kitchen utensils to take with me, I tend to differ. Therefore, another reliable source has been a discussion group for packing list suggestions that a number of other soon-to-be Nicaragua Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) have strung together on Facebook. Some blogs written by current PCVs have also been helpful in clarifying what is and is not a necessity and which Peace Corps codes of conduct are to be strictly abided by and which are not (see La Locura).
Ultimately, however, I am hopeful that I’ll be able to find most of what is needed to live in Nicaragua, in Nicaragua. Mostly for that reason, my packing remains at an abysmally underdeveloped stage (see video). Chief among things I hope to pick up upon arrival are a durable pair of leather sandals, a cheap guitar, and a book of Rubén Darío poems.
GO MARTY!