February 15, 2011

Vermont to Tanzania!

February 1st -5 overnight in Vermont +95 in Dar es Salaam! 

We caught the last plane from JFK before it closed due to an impending storm and arrived in Dar a long 30 hours later to a wonderful welcome by Susan our host, a chance to rest and relax in her lovely home and a whole day off before beginning work.

Susan arranged a driver and a chance to see the markets, sights and sounds of the city. We also had the chance to meet up with fellow Peachamite Dave and his wife Annie who is currently in Dar and share a beer by the ocean.


So rested and relaxed I arrived at the  International School of Tanganyika to work with a group of 28 teachers. Plus Rose the principal of  Savannah Plains School who had flown in to join us. The days flew by as we worked hard but also had fun even on Sunday!


By the end we all felt we had accomplished a lot of learning and had new practical ideas to try. It was hard but energizing work and the group was a pleasure to work with.


Half of the group are now taking a 3 credit "Implementation and Reflection" course with me online via Wiggio a great tool introduced to me by Mikey the IST  tech coordinator. It is good to be able to have a glimpse of the work they are putting into action even tho I am now home and half the world away.

A short trip to Zanzibar to relax and enjoy the amazing Stone Town and wonderful beaches capped off our trip.


A meeting with Susan Peacock the IST Elementary School Principal and a teacher Sally Lang at  the AISA conference in October made this trip possible.I feel so fortunate to have met them both and to have been able to travel to their school and share what I have learned developing professional learning communities.