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The Schools Alive! Initiative

Third Open Space Meeting

High Delmas, 29 January 2005

In an effort to serve as catalyst for the improvement of the quality of education in Haiti, the Limyè Lavi Foundation, together with GALO (Action Group for Peace and Autonomy) has created the Schools Alive! Initiative. Its third meeting using the Open Space method was held on Saturday, 29 January 2005 at the Printing Shop on the Methodist Campus in Jacquet Toto. Several schools from the high-Delmas community (a total of 49 participants) were represented at the meeting, including: Complexe Educative, Ecole Fraternité, Ecole Emmanuel Cion, etc... In addition, several participants traveled long distances to attend this meeting, including teachers from the Lagonav AJPDG network and the Anacaona High School in Leoganne. A total of 29 different schools and organizations were represented.

Coleen Hedglin opened the meeting in a large circle at 10:00 a.m. and introduced the theme, “How can we achieve a type of teaching in the classroom which will produce non-violent, self-driven, and eager learners?” The meeting ended in a second large circle at 2:15 p.m. Two break-out sessions were held, one in the morning, and another after lunch. Six subjects were proposed by participants and discussed in break-out sessions:

At the closing circle, each participant was given a chance to share. Many positive thoughts were shared. An example: “We really should do this often - come together and share our experiences as educators. This day has been very rich for me.” And, “I don't have the words to express how happy I am to have participated in an exchange like this one. This has really enriched my life as an educator.” Participants were offered a copy of the report from the second Schools Alive! Open Space gathering which was held in November, and were promised to receive the report from this meeting within two weeks. Interested participants were invited to join the Schools Alive! team in planning and holding the next meeting.

A few translated quotations from participants during break-out sessions:

“A teacher needs to exemplary behavior in the classroom, encouraging tolerance among the students. He should teach them to love, share, dialogue, and to respect each other's opinions, even when they don't agree. He should be a role model in action and in words.” - Alfred Emile

“Education should be concretely linked to the country's reality.”

“A teacher should help to raise students' awareness, teaching them that in order to play an important role in society, they must learn well at school. In order for a student to learn well, there needs to be coordination between teacher, parents and student.”

Scheduled Schools Alive! Initiative Meetings and their locations:

19 February 2005 Carrefour

9 April 2005 Low Delmas

? May 2005 La Plaine


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