Gleeful Teaching

I am up to my eyes in last-minute thesis work, and do not feel like being Serious about Education Issues.

So on an unserious subject, I was amused by Gwyneth Paltrow's guest appearance on the television show Glee, as a substitute teacher who goes to great lengths to make subjects 'relevant' and engaging for her students, seen above teaching history as Mary Todd Lincoln, urging students to 'Practise your own bi-polar rant! See, history is fun!'

After Haiti

It was an intense experience. As far as my research went, it didn't go according to plan- the hurricane and the cholera outbreak, meant that I did not get to do as many interviews as I had hoped. But I had a very positive response from so many people from the education cluster in Haiti, who were very generous with their time and ideas, and some of whom I managed to interview from back in Ireland.
But I was busy. I made some visits as a representative of the Andrew Grene Foundation, and saw a potential site for a school. And I got to visit a number of schools, and talk to some education professionals there.

I found volunteering with EDV to be an amazingly positive experience. I thought their projects were thoughtful, community-based and sustainable- I have rarely been so impressed by a volunteer organisation, which can tend towards good intentions that are badly informed. I got to teach a little bit, and to write up a bit of a guide which volunteers can use in future for tips on teaching. I had the privilege of working with some really amazing people.
I had many of my assumptions turned on their heads- as assumptions should be. I wish very much that I could have stayed longer, but I am very certain that I will be back at some point. The graciousness, generosity, courage and strength of Haitian people that I encountered was phenomenal. It was so much beyond what I expected to find, and I was so humbled by it.

In Haiti

The last week has been intense. Community health training on cholera prevention, visiting an orphanage, schools, teaching, evacuating for the hurricane, and unevacuating again. These beautiful children were at a small orphanage which the NGO here works with.

I'm very glad I came here. So far I have achieved very little of what I came here to do, but I still feel it was important to have come.