Marondera, Zimbabwe

Art infused lessons

Lendy Park, a school in Marondera, Zimbabwe nestled in the msasa woodlands focused on painting, drama, music and storytelling. The teachers were looking for an extension of this natural creative ability. I introduced tableaus (living pictures), drama, and art-infused lessons to enhance reading comprehension, history and science. Poetry guided lessons in collaboration, critical reading, and appreciation of free verse and rhyming poems. Grade five entertained the school with their poetry study. Each group chose a poem. They used drama, music, and visualization to present their final creative project to the entire school.
The school made sure that I experienced life beyond the classroom. They organized safaris where I viewed elephants, lions and buffaloes while roaming the grasslands in a safari jeep. A trip to Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall, was another highlight of my travels. The natives call this massive natural wonder: “The Smoke That Thunders”

Varanasi, India

Differentiated instruction

This holy city on the Ganges is one of the most spiritual and oldest inhabited cities in the world. I trained teachers at Nirman, a non-profit NGO that focuses on the arts and education. I divided my training between the city school and country school. Wow, what a contrast! Teachers were young and needed guidance in classroom management and differentiated instruction. Multiple grades were in one classroom. I introduced centers where students rotated from teacher instruction to independent work. Fifth graders might be working on fractions while the fourth graders were learning long division. I designed novel studies to support the literature lessons and guided teachers in skill instruction and independent reading and writing. Strategies were introduced to teach grammar, mechanics, spelling, and vocabulary in context rather than isolation.
At night I wandered down to the ghats or banks of the Ganges to watch the aartis or religious rituals that honored the Hindu gods and goddesses. Cremation ceremonies were also performed at night. Bodies were placed on wood burning pyres and openly cremated; this ceremony for the dead ended with the blessed ashes tossed into the Ganges River. Lights, music, fire, and singing, surrounded the banks of the river rather for life or death it was always a dynamic event that was unforgettable.

Kathmandu, Nepal

From lecture to student engagement

This village school close to Mt. Everest provided an education for children who walked up to two hours one way to obtain an education. They saw the benefit in attending an English median school where opportunities would lead to a new life. Initially, teachers were hesitant to invite me into their classrooms; after all I was the foreigner who did not understand their challenges. The wall was torn down when one young teacher dared me to teach a geography lesson (little did he know this was my specialty) on North America. I took the challenge. He handed me his book and that night I planned a lesson that would engage and motivate the students. The next day, slowly but surely, heads began peeking into the window of my geography class. I invited the teachers inside the room. Luckily, students were actively learning: they were collaborating, debating, asking questions…The next day another teacher asked me to work with his students, and before I knew it, I was in and out of classrooms the rest of my stay. I left knowing that teachers understood active engagement and hopefully continue our morning yoga sessions.
The school arranged for a plane ride on Buddha airlines to view the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest! In turn we moved to the cock pit to view the mountain in the front cabin—I was awe struck by the majestic beauty of this mountain of all mountains. I am still amazed that humans have actually summited the top. Trekking is what Nepal is known for; my daughter and I were set on experiencing what the Nepalese call a trek not a hike. I now know the difference after climbing the rich terraced fields passing farmers still turning the land with hoe and oxen.

Delhi, India

Engaged and rigorous classrooms

Training teachers at Bluebells International School during the summers of 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023, included external training, university training, training at a public school and workshops for the teachers of Bluebells. Lessons were customized to enhance and enrich this strong curriculum and faculty. Skills and strategies were introduced to challenge 21st-century learners. Workshop sessions were organized around subject and class (grade). Primary teachers focused on reader’s and writer’s workshop. Mini-lessons, application of skills, conferences and whole class shares are all part of an effective workshop which encourages authentic reading and writing. Middle school teachers explored six-traits of writing for higher quality essays and creative writing assignments. Science teachers experimented with problem based learning and pre primary teachers created word walls and designed lessons to enrich vocabulary development. I introduced Socratic seminars, debating and flipped classrooms to Senior teachers.
My education was also stimulated with trips to Agra to view the famous Taj Mahal; Rishikesh with a room on the Ganges; and Amritsar and its beautiful Sikh Golden Temple. Not to forget: colorful, lively, chaotic, historical, and artistic Delhi which is filled with weekend adventures.