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SuperKids Volunteer Preplist - Jamaican American … Volunteer Preplist.pdf · SuperKids Volunteer...

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SuperKids Volunteer Preparation 1 1. WHO DO WE SERVE? We partner with 45 rural schools to enhance programs in Language Arts/Reading, Computer Skills, Art, Music and Sports. We also provide Book in a Bag programs and provide school uniforms for students in need. SuperKids donates 1000’s of books, school supplies & computers (installed) to all schools as well as many schools that are not in the SuperKids Literacy program. We also provide books and art supplies to some area preschools. All schools are located in the Negril area of Hanover and Westmoreland Parishes. One of the schools has some support from the Sandals Foundation 2. WHAT ARE THE JAMAICAN SCHOOLS LIKE? Schools vary in population and some schools have multiple classes per grade. The average class size is about 35 to 40 students. Principals & Philosophies vary in personality at each school just as they do in the U.S. Teachers receive 2 years training in college. Teachers struggle with new & different methods of teaching. Principals have requested help and guidance for these teachers. Children are “word readers” with very little comprehension. Rote learning is traditional. Comprehension techniques are clearly needed. The literacy rate is about 3050% among children and 20% among adults. Parents or caretakers do not/cannot buy books and some cannot read to their children. Playground discipline seldom exists. Teachers are not outside with the children during recess or lunch. Children sometimes argue and fight and can be very physical with each other. Corporal punishment was banned around 2007 but the ban is not necessarily enforced in some schools. The Ministry of Education is actively trying to educate and train teachers in positive rewards and other methods of discipline. Classroom discipline also varies. We work to demonstrate positive discipline models for the teachers that still use physical means of punishment . We encourage all volunteers to work with teachers on “behavior modification” techniques (encouraging positive reinforcement, re training to speak softly, rewards for good behavior, etc.)
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Page 1: SuperKids Volunteer Preplist - Jamaican American … Volunteer Preplist.pdf · SuperKids Volunteer Preparation !! 1!!! 1.#WHO#DO#WE#SERVE?## ... Teachers!receive!2!years!training!in!college.!Teachers!struggle!with!new&different!methods!of!

SuperKids Volunteer Preparation  

 

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1.  WHO  DO  WE  SERVE?    

We  partner  with  4-­‐5  rural  schools  to  enhance  programs  in  Language  Arts/Reading,  Computer  Skills,  Art,  Music  and  Sports.  We  also  provide  Book  in  a  Bag  programs  and  provide  school  uniforms  for  students  in  need.      SuperKids  donates  1000’s  of  books,  school  supplies  &  computers  (installed)  to  all  schools  as  well  as  many  schools  that  are  not  in  the  SuperKids  Literacy  program.  We  also  provide  books  and  art  supplies  to  some  area  pre-­‐schools.      All  schools  are  located  in  the  Negril  area  of  Hanover  and  Westmoreland  Parishes.    One  of  the  schools  has  some  support  from  the  Sandals  Foundation    2.  WHAT  ARE  THE  JAMAICAN  SCHOOLS  LIKE?    

Schools  vary  in  population  and  some  schools  have  multiple  classes  per  grade.    The  average  class  size  is  about  35  to  40  students.      Principals  &  Philosophies  vary  in  personality  at  each  school  just  as  they  do  in  the  U.S.    Teachers  receive  2  years  training  in  college.  Teachers  struggle  with  new  &  different  methods  of  teaching.  Principals  have  requested  help  and  guidance  for  these  teachers.      Children  are  “word  readers”  with  very  little  comprehension.  Rote  learning  is  traditional.  Comprehension  techniques  are  clearly  needed.  The  literacy  rate  is  about  30-­‐50%  among  children  and  20%  among  adults.  Parents  or  caretakers  do  not/cannot  buy  books  and  some  cannot  read  to  their  children.      Playground  discipline  seldom  exists.  Teachers  are  not  outside  with  the  children  during  recess  or  lunch.  Children  sometimes  argue  and  fight  and  can  be  very  physical  with  each  other.  Corporal  punishment  was  banned  around  2007  but  the  ban  is  not  necessarily  enforced  in  some  schools.  The  Ministry  of  Education  is  actively  trying  to  educate  and  train  teachers  in  positive  rewards  and  other  methods  of  discipline.      Classroom  discipline  also  varies.  We  work  to  demonstrate  positive  discipline  models  for  the  teachers  that  still  use  physical  means  of  punishment  .  We  encourage  all  volunteers  to  work  with  teachers  on  “behavior  modification”  techniques  (encouraging  positive  reinforcement,  re-­‐training  to  speak  softly,  rewards  for  good  behavior,  etc.)    

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 All  schools  vary  in  size.  Classroom  can  be  a  large  room  with  portable  chalkboards  to  divide  classes  into  individual  classrooms.  Roofs  are  often  tin.  Walls  are  often  concrete.  The  noise  levels  can  be  deafening;  teachers  shout,  children  make  noise.  Rain  is  unbelievable.  So...  be  ready  for  anything!      There  is  very  little  environmental  awareness  in  most  schools.  Our  Green  Team  works  with  each  school  coordinating  activities.  You  can  obtain  trash  containers,  educate  students  and  teachers  to  use  them  and  reward  the  team  with  incentives  you  brought  with  you  (stickers,  pencils,  etc.)  Please  work  with  the  principals  and  teachers  on  activities.    Remember  to  always  check  in  with  the  Principal  and  Green  Team  coordinator  about  ideas  you  have.    3.  WORKING  IN  THE  SCHOOLS    

The  Principal  of  each  school  determines  the  grade  levels  that  will  receive  teaching  team  services.  Principals  usually  prefer  the  Language  Art  Teams  to  work  with  Grade  3  &  4.  In  grade  4  students  take  a  Literacy  test  at  the  end  of  the  year.  It  is  a  SuperKids  goal  to  share  some  techniques  with  host  teachers  to  help  students  study  to  do  their  best  on  the  Literacy  test.    Principals  at  most  schools  request  the  Computer  Teams  work  with  Grades  4,  5  &  6  .    Book  in  a  Bag  is  basically  a  library  type  concept.  The  schools  or  parents  agree  to  provide  bags  for  all  the  children  in  the  classroom  (usually  Grade  3  or  4).  Each  Friday  the  children  take  home  three  books  for  the  week  and  return  them  the  following  Friday  to  exchange  for  3  more.  Schools  agree  to  organize  reading  comprehension  competitions  with  prizes  (usually  school  supplies).  SuperKids  Book  in  a  Bag  team  deliver  the  books  to  the  schools.  The  Book  in  a  Bag  team  meets  with  the  teacher/librarian  to  organize  and  explain  the  concept.  You  will  enjoy  helping  facilitate  this  program  in  your  school.      Art  or  Music  Teams  are  assigned  to  schools  at  the  Principal’s  request  providing  the  school  has  space  for  art  and  music  instruction.      Sports  Teams  are  sent  to  the  schools  that  have  the  best  athletic  fields/courts  with  the  physical  space  to  provide  physical  education.                

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     In  Jamaica  a  child  is  not  allowed  to  attend  school  without  a  uniform.  Uniforms  cost  about  $15  per  student.  Great  Shape!  Inc.  asks  for  donations  from  all  volunteers  on  all  projects  to  sponsor  uniforms.  We  hope  to  provide  at  least  300  children  with  uniforms  with  donations  made  in  2014.  We  also  provide  500  children  with  shoes  donated  from  Soles4Souls  non  profit.    You  may  have  indicated  an  area  of  interest  on  your  application.  Directors  try  their  best  to  assign  volunteers  according  to  the  first  choice  (i.e.,  teachers  and  volunteers  with  language  arts/reading  experience  are  assigned  to  Language  Art  Teams).  Volunteers  with  experience  in  a  certain  area  will  generally  be  assigned  to  that  team.  SuperKids  Co-­‐Directors  make  school  &  team  assignments  after  applications  are  all  in  to  design  the  best  teams.  Often  volunteers  are  re-­‐assigned  to  teams  in  Jamaica  to  create  an  even  better  fit.      4.  CURRICULUM    Teams  from  previous  years  helped  develop  instructional  enrichment  guidelines  that  support  the  Jamaican  Curriculum.  These  guidelines  will  give  you  an  idea  of  what  instructional  goals  you  might  address  so  you  can  better  determine  what  materials  to  bring  with  you.  We’ll  soon  provide  you  with  these  guidelines.      5.  WHAT  WILL  MY  DAY  LOOK  LIKE?    We  have  a  daily  breakfast  meeting  at  7:00am.  You  will  be  on  your  bus  to  travel  to  school  by  8:15am.  Schools  are  less  than  an  hour  away.  You  will  be  bused  back  to  Sandals/Beaches  by  4/4:30,  have  a  debrief  meeting  with  your  team  (after  school,on  the  bus  or  at  resort),  then  hit  the  beach,  happy  hour,  nap,  whatever  you  need  to  rejuvenate  and  have  fun!  We  have  a  welcome  party  every  Saturday  evening,  Farewell  party  on  Friday  evenings,  and  Orientation  on  Sunday  mornings  (all  meetings  are  mandatory,  even  for  2  week  volunteers).      6.  OTHER  ITEMS  TO  BRING    Aside  from  the  “Required  Supplies  list”.  Helpful  suggestions  below  from  past  volunteers:    

• Personal  supply  kit:  whiteboards,  stapler,  rubber  bands,  paper  clips,  post  its,  basic  office  supplies,  thumb  tacks  or  push  pins,  masking  tape,  index  cards  (to  make  name  tags  for  kids  and  teachers),  yarn  to  hang  name  tags  around  their  neck,  paper  punch,  pencil  sharpeners  (non-­‐electric,  no  batteries  will  be  available  unless  you  bring  them),  battery  clock,  cork  board  to  display  work.    

 

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• Teams  may  wish  to  bring  “handouts”.  Especially  helpful  for  reading  and  computer  teams.  NO  COPY  FACILITIES  AVAILABLE  IN  JAMAICA.  Bring  copies  with  you.    

•  Large  sheets  of  LAMINATED  lined  paper.  LESSONS  can  be  written  with  erasable  markers  and  used  many  times.  Roll  up  and  carry  in  luggage.  Chalkboards  are  used  by  host  teachers  to  write  daily  lessons  for  students  

• Small  “composition”  books  are  another  suggestion:  also  flashcards,  (ABC’s,  sight  words,  phonics,  rhyming  words  etc.)    

• Learning  software.  Inexpensive  or  free  software  is  just  fine.    • Black  plastic  bags  and  gloves  if  you  want  to  push  the  “environmental”  pick  up.    

All  items  on  the  “required  list  of  supplies”  are  shared.  All  supplies  are  organized  in  a  supply  room  where  you  can  pick  them  up  when  you  need  and  want  them.  If  you  wish  to  have  your  own  personal  supplies  please  bring  with  you  and  KEEP  IN  YOUR  ROOM  for  personal  distribution.      We  have  a  Supply  Room  (the  “Free  Store”).  Books  &  school  supplies  can  be  obtained  at  this  room:  scheduled  times  w/Supply  Room  staff  will  be  announced.  If  you  bring  books  to  give  away  as  rewards,  please  keep  them  in  your  room  for  distribution.      Always  try  to  get  DONATIONS/SPONSORS  from  friends  and  relatives.  Volunteers  seek  sponsorships  from  their  friends,  organizations,  churches,  schools  etc.  Use  the  forms  provided  by  Great  Shape!  Inc.  SuperKids  logistics:  [email protected]      

7.  LAST  BUT  NOT  LEAST…    

-­‐For  school  questions  please  email  Gretchen:  [email protected],  541-­‐535-­‐9861    -­‐For  questions  regarding  computers  or  sports  email  Brad:  [email protected],  509-­‐325-­‐3623    -­‐For  general  questions,  registration,  and  logistics  email  Georgene:  [email protected]        541-­‐821-­‐6182    HAVE  FUN!  You  are  now  part  of  an  amazing  team  of  humanitarian  SuperKids  heroes!  We  are  excited  to  take  such  a  great  team  of  SuperKids  volunteers  to  Jamaica!    One  Love!      


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