An Update on ACSI's Training Work in Haiti Is As Follows

October 5, 2011

An update on ACSI's training work in Haiti is as follows:

1. ACSIEC's work in Haiti since 2006 has been primarily the training of about 60 superintendents and 300+ school principals from 2007-2009. Each of these received 3 weeks of intensive educational leadership training under Dr. Steve Sider, whom you all know. Along with his courses Dr. Warwick Cooper did biblical foundations training which is very necessary since most pastors in the country have only topical training so that their congregations are equally poorly grounded. Markdid some philosophy of Christian education as well. This training has been received with much enthusiasm and gratitude.

2. ACSIEC has also been involvedin the support of the Master of Education pilot project out of Florida which has had huge impact on the worldview and educational expertise of Christian educational leaders in the country. It has run in tandem with the ACSI training weeks and Steve Sider is an adjunct professor in this program. It is now in its 3rd cohort and registrations for a 4th are coming in for January 2013.

3. After the earthquake, then the cholera, education training went on hold. Then in December 2010, the focusbecame catchup with the M.Ed. program and students because there was so much loss of documents, etc. This catchup continues so that the first 2 cohorts of M.Ed. students can graduate in May 2012. Mark hopes to be in attendance. ACSIEC is searching for a Haiti director and many of these students would be excellent candidates.

4. Although it has been delayed a year because of the crises in 2010, ACSIEC's desire to train teachers in Haiti will come to some fruition with a teacher conference Oct 17-21 for about 250 teachers who will be involved in an intensive week of training in Philosophy, Christian education practices, Mathematics, teacher upgrade, classroom management and supervision of curriculum.Professors will be Steve Sider, Joyce Baker, Joan Martineau (for the Haitian perspective) and two Haitian M.Ed. grads, Tony Jean and Solect Jean Baptiste. Mark will attend at the end of the week to conclude the conference. It is hoped that this conference will provide a model for future teacher conferences in Haiti under the direction of a Haitian associate director for ACSIEC.

A personal comment: although working in a country like Haiti is very difficult, it is impossible to convey how grateful these folks are for the support, expertise, training, supplies and gifts they receive. Many of them do not have formal educational training nor have even finished high school. BUT they are like sponges and the paradigm shifts we have witnessed have given us great encouragement. This is a worthy work. It needs to continue because it is bringing changes that even the most sceptical have affirmed and continues to remake education in Christian schools in Haiti.

Connie Mycroft