Montessori Training 2013

Enriching the learning/teaching methods from the earliest years motivated this year's ongoing Montessori Training lead by Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, CSJ, Principal, Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center and Jeanne Henry, Teacher, Holy Family Catholic Academy. Carol Fendt forwarded this eyewitness update:  when the electricity was turned on, Bee Jay showed pictures of the Montessori shelves in the Chicago schools where classrooms have so many materials to use for instruction. This training session included the preparing of the instructional materials, as well as practice using them effectively.  The training team learned the names of the fruit and vegetables that are here and tools for farming. Farm and domestic animals as well so that we can begin to make a content for teachers to teach (language cards/words). The participants also worked on geography and language materials.The trainers learned as much as the trainees.

Leadership Conference Successful

It was August 2006 when the commitments were made between the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria partnered with the Archdiocese of Chicago to establish a 21st Century Schools System under the auspices of the Diocese. Over 150 educators participated in this 2013 Leadership Conference. They heard the reports of the work done by the fall delegation to Chicago. Retelling the story of the partnership helped the participants in this new larger conference experience their own place in the dream.  On the final day the work was done in deanery groups. As the deaneries shared goals for the next 5 months of school, they included planting trees on school sites that lack shade and beauty during the upcoming  rainy season. They also will work to form education committees at the deanery level with representatives on the diocesan education committee in order to help train more teachers into the diocesan goals, vision, mission, motto statements.

Workshop Starts Monday

Esther S. Hicks, OCS Director of Catholic Identity and Mission and USA Project Coordinator, Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, CSJ, Principal, Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center, Carol R. Fendt, PhD, Co-Director, PRAIRIE Group, University of Illinois at Chicago, Jeanne Henry, Teacher, Holy Family Catholic Academy have all reached Nsukka in time to finalize plans for the institute they are directing this week for 150 members of the Diocesan School System. Their visits to schools in various deaneries revealed the progress made since last summer's work. Today they noted that they have photos of the stakes that outline the first building in the Model School. Watch to see them posted soon.  Keep an eye out for updates while the Chicago delegation is in Nsukka, pray for the success of their interactions, and donate to the 2013 Dollars for Dreams Campaign to get this model school built!

Dollars for Dreams

During Lent each spring,
Students, Teachers, Schools
Participate in the annual
Dollars for Dreams Campaign
Find out more about this project here.
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