BECA Summer Institute 2009
For the second year in a row, BECA conducted a 5-week intensive teacher training program for its new volunteer teachers in Honduras. The 2009 Summer Institute would not have been possible without the professional support of the Alison Bixby Stone School (ABSS) and the financial support of Off the Beaten Path (OBP), a leader in distinctive travel experiences.
BECA's 2009-2010 Administrator, Mike Buttram, came to the organization after working several years for Off the Beaten Path as Program Manager for their National Geographic tours in the Grand Canyon. Upon hearing that Mike was leaving his post, Mike's boss, OBP co-founder Cory Lawrence looked for ways he could support Mike's future endeavors. Upon examining the BECA model, Cory was impressed with what he saw so he and Mike agreed to find an area where OBP could make a big impact. They settled on the Summer Institute, which they viewed as an essential step forward in BECA's strategic growth and increased professionalism.
ABSS teacher Julie Schillreff returned to Cofradia this July to facilitate the Summer Institute along with Sarah Amman, a Kindergarten teacher at ABSS. Together, they provided workshops and guided training for our new teachers. The Summer Institute ended with the newly-designed "Ambassador's Academy," in which all teachers had to develop lesson plans and teach SJBS students in a simulated classroom environment. BECA Board Members Anna Hickman and Jasmine Roberts flew to Cofradia in late July to lend their teaching advice and expertise.
BECA began its Summer Institute in 2008 to provide our new teachers with a framework for approaching their bilingual classroom. BECA hired two Alison Bixby Stone teachers, Julie Schillreff and Naomi Carman, to design and deliver trainings that would prepare our teachers for the duties and challenges they would face once the school year started. The resulting 5-week intensive program included trainings on different methods of language acquisition, classroom management, curriculum mapping/planning, and cultural sensitivities. Beyond their daily classes, our teachers were afforded the opportunity to live in homestays and become acclimated to life in Cofradia. BECA also took the lead on arranging complimentary Spanish classes for teachers who wanted to improve their conversational abilities. Survey responses from the Summer Institute proved resoundingly positive, and BECA Board Member Jasmine Roberts helped refine the program for Summer 2009.
Both ABSS and OBP look to stay involved with BECA and San Jeronimo Bilingual School. Every Fall, ABSS hosts BECA's teachers at its campus in Zamorano where BECA teachers conduct classroom observations and use ABSS teachers as informational resources. ABSS is also assisting BECA with the implementation of a student testing program in order that BECA can better measure its teachers' performance and provide constructive feedback. For his part, OBP co-founder Cory Lawrence says that he looks forward to developing a long-lasting relationship with BECA. OBP is currently developing its own social tourism trip program ("This Hand Can"), which will incorporate sustainable tourism trips to developing communities like Cofradia.
BECA thanks Cory Lawrence, Barbara Torrey, Julie Schillreff, Sarah Amman, Mike Buttram, and all others who made the 2009 Summer Institute an all-around success. Please click here to view photos from the 2009 Summer Institute! If you are interested in supporting our work, please visit our Classroom Sponsors 2009 campaign to learn more and donate.
