Putting Your Vacation Time to Good Use

By Martha Beach

Imagine you are standing in the hot sun on an exotic holiday wearing shorts and sandals. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and you’re looking forward to an evening bike ride. Now imagine you feel absolutely energized as you push a wheelbarrow filled with bricks across a dirt yard to help finish the wall of a house. For some vacationers, the first part sounds like the perfect holiday. For others, it’s the second half of that image that is an ideal way to spend their free time.

Volunteer travelling—dubbed voluntourism—has become very popular in the last 25 years. Voluntourists range in age from teens to 70s and their personal reasons for participation vary widely. They want to travel, learn, and experience community in a way that typical on-and-off-the-bus tourists would not. Through fundraising or out-of-pocket payment, voluntourists spend their vacation time visiting developing countries to help teach orphans, build houses, or take blood pressure.

No matter the task, voluntourists break from routine, see the world, and learn about themselves and their community. Sean and Gwen Pennylegion took a month out of their yearly three-month cycling vacation last winter to volunteer at an English school in Siem Reap, Cambodia. They’re no strangers to volunteering at home in Haliburton, Ontario, and they knew they wanted to try it abroad. “The first time we rode out there just to have a look at the orphanage, I went through those little concrete pillar gates and I knew as soon as I saw the looks on theses kids’ faces that I was supposed to be there,” says Sean Pennylegion.

Finding that sense of purpose starts with research, and talking to people is a great way to get started. “We all have so many contacts that we develop through our lives,” says Anne Lindsay, a Toronto-based violinist and music teacher who volunteered at Majengo orphanage in Tanzania this past winter. Lindsay had the perfect contact (her neighbour and the orphanage’s founder, Lynn Connell) who could help her get started so she chose to travel alone. “It’s just wonderful to have that personal foot-in-the door introduction. But if you can’t think of anybody there are other groups you can go to.”

Volunteering with a well-researched group is one way to ensure your money and time are going to something in which you believe. Organizations like Free the Children and Habitat for Humanity are known for reputable, volunteer work worldwide. But newer organizations choose small ways to make a big difference. Laurie Myles is one of three co-founders of Give Get Go, which focuses on building. “It’s something that is sustainable. You build something and it’s there for tens of dozens of years,” says Myles. They conduct the build in a way that fits the community. “It doesn’t take over the jobs. Often, it’s a boost to the build to move it along,” Myles says. Give Get Go volunteers will do whatever the local skilled labour can’t do, like hauling dirt, hammering nails, making lunch, or carrying water. In most cases, everybody works at their own level. “We had a 73-year-old lady on our last trip. She did what she could do. She would help prepare lunch and carry water,” says Myles.

In 2009, Hillary Brown travelled with her parents and local church group (with adults of various ages) to Uganda to build a school’s extension. Her father Tom, a cardiovascular nurse near London, Ontario, prefers travelling with an organized group and has since been on two other trips to Haiti as part of a medical team. “You don’t have to think about it. Accommodations and travel are planned. It’s just so easy,” he says. Hillary also felt at ease on her 2009 trip. “It was exceptionally well-organized. The house had a wall surrounding the property, as well as an armed guard on duty,” she says. “Except for the occasional loss of hot water, we felt quite at home. The only downside was the rooster that insisted on waking up the whole house at four in the morning.”

Some organizations provide more rest than others. Give Get Go offers a recreation period at the end of the build. “It’s actually the motivation to get more people to go if they know there’s something great to do afterwards as a reward,” says Myles. “If you’re in Africa there’s no way you don’t want to go see the big five animals.” Throughout the build there are also cultural activities, like visits to an orphanage or organized bike rides.

Lindsay’s goal was to really be involved in the culture and to experience the real community. “I did not just be a voyeur looking in,” she says. “Every day I was talking with local people, whether they were teachers at the school or the nurse coming in. In fact, the nurse invited me to her retirement ceremony. It was a big social event in the village. I was able to see how they celebrate a notable person in the community.”

The work, the accomplishment, and the community experience are top notch. Accommodations, on the other hand, are not always spectacular, especially for the lone traveller paying their own expenses. Lindsay’s hotel was the most rustic part of her trip in Tanzania. The power went out quite often and with it went the running water. “Most of the toilets were squat toilets. They’re pretty stinky,” Lindsay says. But she adapted. “You just learn to hold your breath.”

Often, human comforts are not the only worry. Depending on the destination, illness and safety are the greatest concerns. Pennylegion’s greatest worry was about safety—not his own, but the safety of the children. “There was no police check and we were never expected to demonstrate our English proficiency,” says Pennylegion. “The kids are just so sweet and so innocent and so keen and so giving. They deserve to have volunteers who have the same kind of approach.” Pennylegion did his own research to find the school.

Research is extremely important. Call organizations and look up testimonials to find out all you can about what exactly you will be doing, where you’ll be staying, and (when travelling with a group) if you agree with the organization’s methods and ideologies. Voluntourism is not the best option for everyone, and some people disagree with this method of outreach. Do your research to avoid any upsets.

Daniel Claret did not do as much research as he should have. The Toronto-based chef wanted to make a real impact as part of a medical team touring Africa. “In the beginning it sounded so good and interesting, but now I look back and I don’t think I made an impact,” he says. The organization he travelled with spent a lot of energy on short-term solutions and medication. “The problems don’t need medication, they need prevention.” Claret did not find out this was the case until it was too late. “I spent a lot of money and I spent all of my time working—sometimes six thirty in the morning until 10 or 11 at night. We were there two months and we made no difference,” he says. “I was expecting more of a passing on of knowledge,” but those expectations were not met.

The Pennylegions expected to be teachers’ helpers, but this wasn’t the case. “When we arrived we were essentially handed these classrooms with big smiles. The teachers became students immediately,” says Pennylegion. “They were just like sponges. There was no screwing around. Had I asked everybody to stand on their head they would have done it.”

Despite this surprising amount of responsibility, the Pennylegions loved every moment. “We had a wonderful time. It was exhausting,” he says. “It exceeded any expectations that I had.” They are already planning on returning next winter.

Whether you return from voluntouring with a horror story or tales of wonder, you will most certainly bring home a different outlook on life. “We were warned that we could have a bit of depression or guilt when we got home,” says Tom Brown. That warning came before his first trip with Hillary to Uganda. “We are very blessed and we take it for granted a lot of the time. It grounds you and it makes you rearrange your priorities.”

Lindsay also felt things shift. “I really had this incredible awakening of social consciousness, of wanting to be active not just in international communities but even more active in my community,” she says. “I’d gone all the way across the world to engage in and contribute to this community there. But then I came back here and was walking up the street and I thought ‘Wow, there are a lot of ways here I can be involved.’”

“They will find their own strengths, their own ways in which they would like to contribute,” says Myles. “Often you have to sit with the experience for a while. It gets you so deeply you need to let it sit with yourself and figure out how you want to contribute in the future.”

You don’t need to travel half way around the world to make a difference. There are voluntourism options in Canada and there are numerous ways to make a difference in your community. Do a bit of research. Talk to your neighbours. You may not need to travel farther than a few kilometers to explore a community, learn something new, and make a difference.

Organizations that can help you voluntour locally and abroad

Give Get Go (Toronto-based)

Habitat for Humanity (Local and worldwide)

Projects Abroad

Me to We (Youth-oriented, local and worldwide opportunities)

Uniterra

Cadip

Mission to Haiti Canada (Religious affiliations)

Free the Children (This has family-volunteer options)

Connect 2013—Canada’s Learning and Technology Conference—was held last month in Niagara Falls. As a media sponsor, TEACH Magazine showcased their digital resources, The Shadowed Road and The Ruptured Sky. As well, we met enthusiastic educators who attended the conference and trade show. Some were keen on the latest innovations in educational technology while others were learning about them for the first time. We want to thank everyone who stopped by our booth and took the time to inquire about resources.

For those who couldn’t attend, please check out The Shadowed Road (www.theshadowedroad.com) and The Ruptured Sky (www.therupturedsky.com). Below is also a list of the other exhibitors:

Crescerance 
Crescerance can create a custom mobile app that allows your school to connect with students and parents.

Cube for Teachers
This is an interactive database created exclusively for the Canadian K-12 educator. Cube for Teachers allows teachers to draw from specific curriculum resources, as well as share, form communities, collaborate, and discuss.

DreamBox Learning
DreamBox Learning is math software that can adapt a user’s level of difficulty, scaffolding, sequencing, and the number of hints, the pacing—all in real-time—allowing students of all levels to progress at a pace that suits them.

Homework Help 
The site focuses on math help for Ontario students in Grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. Students have access to both guided and independent learning in a unique environment that combines technology and personal interaction.

iWord Q
iWordQ US is a reading and writing app that assists struggling writers and readers. In writing mode, iWord Q assists in word prediction and speech feedback. In reading mode, text is displayed more visually to improve readability.

PenPal News
PenPal News connects students from around the world to write about current events while being connected to the curriculum.

Picaboo Books
Picaboo is a platform where you can create custom yearbooks. Digital versions are also provided for free and can include an array of multimedia such as videos.

TakingITGlobal
TakingITGlobal for Educators (TIGed) empowers classrooms to understand and act collaboratively on the world’s greatest challenges. TIGed encourages educators to utilize technology to create transformative learning experiences for their students. They offer resources, programs, virtual learning platforms, professional development, and an online community.

Turning Technologies 
Turning Technologies offers handheld student response that provides real-time formative and summative assessment.

Jasper’s Story: Saving Moon Bears

Authors: Jill Robinson and Marc Bekoff
Illustrator: Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Jasper’s Story: Saving the Moon Bears is a beautifully illustrated children’s book based on the true story of an Asian black bear (also called a moon bear) named Jasper. Moon bears are so called for the pale yellow crescent moons that appear on their chests, an “echo” of the moon’s light. Jasper was rescued from cruelty at the hands of “bear farmers” who kept him in a small cage for 15 years while they harvested his bile for Chinese herbal medicine. This book serves as a source of general information on the plight of bears in East Asia, an issue that students may not be aware of in North America.

Authors Jill Robinson and Marc Brekoff run the Moon Bear Rescue Centre, and Jasper’s story is a first-hand account of helping Jasper recover and become happy and healthy again. The story is heartfelt and written with honesty and frankness with regards to the conditions found in most bear farms in China. Illustrator Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen also spent time at the Moon Bear Rescue Centre and fills the book with stunning canvas paintings, especially of the bears themselves.

This picture book is a good supplement for early social studies classes, and does an excellent job of bringing to light social and animal rights issues outside of one’s local environment, encouraging interest and involvement in global issues and initiatives.

Dragon Box 2 (also known as DragonBox Algebra 12+) is a new phone app game that teaches algebra to students in grade 7 and above. It utilizes symbols and icons to teach students how to isolate variables and thus solve algebraic equations. The goal of DragonBox is to raise individual dragons from egg to adulthood by completing each level.

This game takes an interesting approach to teaching math by teaching a concept (isolating variables) before introducing numerical values and symbols. Before students isolate for x, they begin by isolating their dragon (hidden in a box, waiting to feed on the values that remain after the equation is solved) by rearranging various animal symbols. The math skills are taught in an enjoyable and fun manner and the learning cues are so subtle that students may not even realize they are learning math. Their attention will be captured and held for a longer period of time than worksheets or in the classroom.

This game is fun, clever and helps students grasp algebra all the more easily. Tutorials are relatively straightforward, demonstrating new skills and rules as the player progresses through the levels. The graphics and overall design aesthetic are of a very high caliber with bright, fun colours, and unusual design concepts for the dragons. The app also comes with practice tasks, a teacher manual, and a skillset that covers the multiple aspects of algebraic equations (adding, subtracting, division, parentheses, signs, fractions, and factorizations, among others). DragonBox 2 is available in 15 different languages and has over 350 playable levels for students to learn and sharpen their math skills. This is a great tool to supplement and aid in teaching algebra. It is also available as a simpler version for younger children (5 years or older).

For more information, check out dragonboxapp.com.

A new U.S. study of how parents perceive mobile learning and devices in and out of the class finds that more than 50 percent of parents believe that schools should make more use of mobile devices in education and 32 percent agree that schools should require them in the classroom. The Living and Learning with Mobile Devices Study was conducted by Grunwald Associates and the Learning First Alliance and underwritten by AT&T.

The study found:

• Parents recognize the benefits. Seventy-one percent of parents say mobile devices open up learning opportunities while, 62 percent say the devices benefit students’ learning and 59 percent say the devices engage students in the classroom.

• Parents are ready for change. Forty-five percent of parents say they plan to buy, or have already bought, a mobile device to support their child’s learning.

• Parents want to collaborate with educators. Forty-three percent of parents say they need help finding good educational apps for their children.

“Mobile learning is approaching a tipping point as parents and educators recognize the potential of mobile technology in the classroom,” said Cheryl Scott Williams, Learning First Alliance Executive Director. “Now is the time for parents and teachers to join forces to shape what mobile learning will look like in and outside of the classroom.”

With students already carrying their own devices to school, widespread mobile learning could be on the horizon. The study found that one quarter of all K-12 students bring a smartphone to school every day—and by high school, more than half of all high-school students carry a smartphone on a daily basis. About one in six parents say that children are permitted to use their own mobile devices in the classroom—commonly known as a “bring your own device” policy.

“The opportunity is ripe for mobile learning as students are now surrounded with technology, but the study does suggest there is an unmet desire for more learning and educational value from mobile devices, both at home and in school,” said Peter Grunwald, president of Grunwald Associates LLC.

The Living and Learning with Mobile Devices Study recommends that educators share information and advice with parents about how to make better use of mobile devices and apps for learning. Similarly, the study suggests industry and mobile learning advocates should work with parents and educators to identify educational apps and content.

The full public report is available free at www.grunwald.com/reports

By Christie Belfiore

Daegu, South Korea. Source: http://visitdaegu2011.blogspot.ca/2011/06/hands-on-experience-tour-in-daegu.html

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be residing and teaching in a small residential town in South Korea, I would have told them they were mistaken. Having previously worked at an educational magazine, I’ve read about many international teaching experiences, but they mainly focussed on teaching and classroom topics, not the day-to-day details of living and working abroad. Now having completed one month of teaching at a private English-immersion “Hogwon” (Korean for a private for-profit academy), I’d like to share practical, real-world, words of wisdom that I wish were given to me when I decided to uproot my life and deposit it in South Korea for a year.

First thing’s first, where to teach?

You have the entire world to from which to choose and you may second-guess yourself, but once you do pick a country, go with it. Everybody will offer you an opinion, but you must decide what’s right for you. You don’t want to try to replicate someone else’s experience. For myself, much of my initial interest in moving to Asia was rooted in the stories I had heard from friends who taught there. Once I narrowed down my choices to Japan and South Korea, I began applying.

So why South Korea?

Aside from the fact that most English-immersion schools in South Korea pay for your flights and accommodations, it also pays its English teachers one of the highest salaries in the world (on average, approximately 2.1 million won/month or $1881.00 CAD). I also took into account that a lot of my earnings would be saved because Korea’s cost of living is very low. Comparatively, Japan pays its English teachers the same, but their cost of living is much higher and would’ve impeded my ability to travel throughout the rest of Asia.

The next question is, big city or small town? Before taking the plunge into teaching on a completely different continent, ensure that you have carefully researched different geographic areas and school districts. Your location within the country should be based on the type of experience you want to have. I chose a small residential area outside of Daegu (the fourth largest city in South Korea) because I wanted a truly authentic cultural experience, free of western amenities and “big city” conveniences.

Applying

You will more often than not be recruited by an agency rather than directly from a school. If a company is interested in you they will e-mail you directly and set up a series of over-the-phone or online (probably Skype) interviews. Once you’ve been accepted for a position, the visa process could take up to three months, so make sure you get the proper documentation down to your local consulate as soon as possible. The start dates vary among the schools. I started in February for example, so be sure to apply up to 6 months prior.

Proper paperwork may include:

• Updated resume and cover letter;
• Notarized criminal record check;
• Notarized copy of your university degree;
• 2-3 sealed transcripts;
• 4 passport photos;
• Copy of passport;
• 2-3 photographs of yourself (smiling); and
• TESOL/TEFL Certification (pending on the school).

Vaccinations

Another thing to consider are vaccinations. Go to a local travel clinic and inquire about any vaccines or pills you may need. The medication will vary depending on your location, as well as where you may travel to while abroad. Take the necessary precautions, it’s worth it.

Now pack!

One thing I did incorrectly was over-packing. Whatever it is you think you need, cut that in half. Many of your clothes will remain unworn and half of your products will add weight to your luggage, but everything is available in South Korea, everything. From hair products to cleaning products, clothing to reading material, and even electronics, South Korea has it. I would recommend bringing deodorant or antiperspirant, they can be hard to find (and when found, at a much higher price). Keep it simple.

Go time!

The waiting process can be agonizing, but once you receive your visa, your recruiting contact will e-mail you an e-ticket for your flight. You may not receive this ticket until a couple weeks before your departure, but have no fear, you’re still well on your way.

As long as you go with an open mind and an open heart, you can make this one of the most incredible experiences of your life. As Buddha put it, “The trouble is, you think you have time.” Do it now—you may never get this type of life-changing opportunity again.

By Elaine Arsenault and Renné Benoit
Published by Sleeping Bear Press

Part of a series of Canadian themed alphabet picture books, F is for French contains rhyming verses for each letter of the alphabet and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations and informational sidebars, both written in French and English.

Young readers can pick up interesting facts about poutine, the French language, hockey, the first road built in Canada, Wilfred Laurier, and many more facets of the province.

This is a great book for teachers to read aloud to elementary school students, with great connections to social science studies, and introductory Canadian geography studies. F is for French is also a great tool for teaching French and encouraging bilingualism in the classroom.

F is for French is a fun, colourful, and insightful teaching aid for the classroom.

Have you ever wondered where some English words originated? The English language has a large vocabulary that is cobbled together from many words borrowed from other countries. Approximately 29% of foreign words come from French (ambulance, parachute, and sauce for example), another 29% have Latin origins (like agenda, circus, and data) and another 26% of the English language has Germanic origins (dollar, muffin, and Kindergarten). The Greek language makes up roughly 6% of our vocabulary, and we are continually adding to it from languages worldwide.

Learning certain spellings can be much easier and more interesting for students when it is combined with learning word origins. For example, words like opossum and skunk are in fact Cree in origin and ebony, ivory, and paper are derived from the Egyptian language. Students can engage in researching word origins through creating songs, chants, and games. For example, students can present the words they’ve researched in a song:

“Words from other countries
can be difficult to spell.
Italian gave us macaroni
and broccoli, as well.”

Fun songs like this one help make learning word origins and spelling fun and memorable.

Other word origins

Cree: opossum, skunk
Czech: polka, robot
Egyptian: ebony, ivory, paper
Hindi: jungle
Hungarian: coach, goulash, paprika, sabre
Inuit: husky, igloo, kayak
Italian: opera, umbrella, alarm, broccoli, macaroni
Japanese: judo, karate, tycoon

The preceding was adapted from When Spelling Matters by Doreen Scott-Dunne, published by Pembroke Publishers.

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Le chemin et ses ombres

« Le chemin et ses ombres » raconte l’histoire de Selome Fekadu, une jeune fille de 14 ans qui vit dans un village du nord de l’Éthiopie. Elle rêve de devenir enseignante, mais elle est forcée de quitter l’école pour devenir la femme obéissante d’un vacher de la région. Déterminée à faire valoir son droit d’être instruite, Selome s’enfuit de son village en pleine nuit. Qu’adviendra-t-il d’elle? Son père, homme sévère, réussira-t-il à la rattraper? Son aventure le long du chemin ombragé l’épuisera-t-elle? Pourra-t-elle réaliser son rêve? Joignez-vous à Selome pour cette longue aventure dans la campagne éthiopienne au rythme de ses rencontres fortuites, des dangers qui la guettent et des leçons qu’elle en tirera.

Prix en ligne : 18,99 $

Offerte chez les détaillants suivants :

By W.L. Liberman

TEACH Books | January 2013 | eBook | Youth Non-Fiction

The Ruptured Sky is a graphic novel that explores the War of 1812 from First Nations perspectives. Without their help, the British would have lost the war to the Americans and Canada would have become a very different place. The Ruptured Sky explores the significant people, places and events that occurred long ago but still has repercussions today. For more information, please visit www.therupturedsky.com.

Online price $15.99

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