thebahamasweekly.com - Sharing Culture in the Classroom

Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM

Sharing Culture in the Classroom - New York meets Grand Bahama
By The Bahamas Weekly News Team
Jan 15, 2010 - 11:33:37 AM

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BMES grade 3 class gathers in their IT Classroom led by their teacher, Ms. Bachus and Dr. Todd Palmer of St. Bonaventure University. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

Freeport, Bahamas - The St. Bonaventure University students are back in Grand Bahama as part of their annual service visit. This is the 6th year that the students from New York fund their own way here to engage in approximately ten days of community service. In the past they participated in much hurricane relief, helping the YMCA, running after school programmes at various schools, and assisting Rotary with some of their service projects. This trip some of them also spent two days fringing Junkanoo costumes, and are pleased to be able to see some of their work in this Friday's Junior Junkanoo.

Their mission is to make an impact in the community each day that they are here. Every evening they gather for "Reflection" whereupon they review their accomplishments and then set their objectives for the next day. The overall objective with each returning trip to Grand Bahama, is to bring long term impact to the community and create longstanding relationships. The Bahamas was chosen for their service trips due to its affordability, ease of accessibility, and the climate.

The group is led by St. Bonaventure associate professor Dr. Todd Palmer and this time he has approximately 60 students with him. St. Bonaventure and over this past week they have been assisting in eight schools, St. Vincent de Paul, Freeport Primary, Mary Star of the Sea, BMES, Holmes Rock, Martin Town, Bartlett Hill and the Beacon School.

The 3rd grade class of Allegany New York ready to ask questions to students in Grand Bahama. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

The St. Bonaventure University is one of 800 college/university campuses across the United States which participates in a global program called "Students in Free Enterprise " a non-profit global organization active in more than 40 countries. Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. These teams are led by faculty advisers, of which Dr. Palmer is one, and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects. Each campus competes at a national level within their country to determine which team was most successful at creating economic opportunity for others.

Palmer said his students learn leadership, teamwork, conflict resolution, work ethics, entrepreneurship, while gaining a global perspective by giving back to community. This year the group is sure to document their trip again with digital cameras, but new this year, are FLIP video recorders.

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Some of the volunteer students from St. Bonaventure University stand with Ms. Bachus, IT teacher at Bishop Michael Eldon School, and Dr. Todd Palmer, associate professor at the university. Left to right: Amanda Kotz, Ms. Bachus, Dr. Todd Palmer, Kelly Cobb, Ashley Kotz, and Mary Cole. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

A highlight of this year's 'educational service' was the Distance Learning classroom sharing which took place throughout the week at the Bishop Michael Eldon School (BMES), where classrooms were given the opportunity to interact via the Internet with polycom video-conferencing device with classes of the same grade in Allegany, New York. This program will continue over the next 7 weeks after their team leaves as part of their ongoing distance learning program.

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The 3rd grade class from Allegany, NY are seen on the wall in a Grand Bahama classroom at BMES. The BMES class can see how they look in the bottom right corner. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

With the distance learning experience the children see each others class on a screen at the front of the class, and they ask and answer each other questions about their culture. Students in Grand Bahama showed the New York students what a conch looked like, and talked about the many types of fish they have in The Bahamas, along with the things they like to do for leisure; while the New York students showed the Bahamian students a hand full of snow.

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Grand Bahama Children at BMES grade 3 gather to talk to a New York grade 3 class. Their voices are picked up in the device on the table. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

Another major event undertaken by the St. Bonaventure students involved the Beacon School. This trip is also about putting the students out of their comfort zone, and encouraging interaction with special needs children. They have started a Special Olympics program that they intend to continue each year they come, as St. Bonaventure has Special Education professors and programs . They've been running workshops after school Monday to Wednesday at the Beacon School and on Thursday they got to put their education into action with a Special Olympics Day.

Kelly Cobb, who is a senior student at St. Bonaventure studying marketing and accounting, and who plans to graduate with her masters in Business Administration, has been traveling to Grand Bahama since her freshman year, and this, her third trip she chose to take on the logistics of the entire trip handling accommodations, daily schedules for service activities, transportation and more.

When asked why she chose to participate in this program, Cobb said, " I am involved with SIFE because through it we can empower and inspire people, which in turn can change their lives for the better. We can go into a school, and even if we only help or affect one child, we have been successful. We offer hope."

She continues, "At the end of four years of University we may all end up with the same degree, those that have taken the same classes with me; but I know that in job interviews I will have the edge from working on these trips to The Bahamas and by going outside of my comfort zone. I can say that I led a group of 60 people to a foreign country and we did service work the entire time. I know that that looks better for me, and the bonus is that it makes me feel good doing it."

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Ms. Bachus of BMES holds up a conch to the New York children who all retorted with a loud "ewwwwwwww" and giggles from the Bahamian children. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

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A child in New York holds up a handful of snow to show the Bahamian children. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly

Dr. Palmer also met with the Grand Bahama Port Authority this trip, and he is hoping they can team up on future projects.

It is Palmer's belief that the more distance learning that takes place between countries, and the more student teachers that come to The Bahamas for experience, the more it will enhance The Bahamas tourism. He feels it can work the other way too, and Palmer has organized teachers from The Bahamas to visit New York to put on workshops on Junkanoo costume making, and other classes related to The Bahamas.

The big goal is to bring 200 - 300 student teachers to The Bahamas by using The Bahamas 'appeal'. If this occurs, The Bahamas will be well on its way to becoming the Mecca for international student teachers, bringing educational tourism into the forefront as a viable tourism commodity.

Special Olympics training at the Beacon School. The students assisted the school with training each day culminating in a Special Olympics Day on January 14th. Photo: St. Bonaventure University (Patty)

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St. Bonaventure University Student Teachers to assist in local schools and the YMCA for 7 Weeks

Could The Bahamas become a Mecca for International Student Teachers?