Professional Development

Ocean Academy Staff 2009-2010

Volunteer instructor, Ashley Williamson, Attended a 2-day workshop for Adult Literacy Facilitators (March 22-23). The training session was held in Belize City and participants received a certificate to recognize their training in effective teaching skills and strategies for adult learners. Ashley will instruct English-as-a-second-language and computer night classes for adults at Ocean Academy.

Principal Heidi Curry Guest-Speaker at Poverty and Education Conference: Baylor University and St. Paul's Episcopal Church sponosored Heidi to travel to Waco, Texas and lead two sessions at Baylor University's Poverty Conference. Students and Faculty from across the USA attended.
Volunteer Teacher Jackie Attended CXC English Workshops: Held in Belize City over four days, the CXC English Workshops help teachers prepare Form IV students for their final exams.

Joni spent a week at the University of Vermont meeting with professors, administrators and students in the Community and Economic Development department. The purpose of the trip was to study and develop service-learning projects and curriculum to be delivered at Belize's Galen University in 2010. A volunteer project on Caye Caulker is also planned.
Moon Handbooks Belize 2009 Features Ocean Academy: Turn to page 89 of the popular Moon Handbooks guidebook, and you can read about how to give back to Caye Caulker - specifically about Ocean Academy and the Community Library. Ocean Academy co-founder Joni Miller edited the sections on Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Belize City. You can read more about the researchers on the blog "The Tranquilo Traveler" or read preview sections of the guidebook.
Sarah attended a two-day training session with the "Mercy Secondary Education Association" in Belize City. Guest speaker Louis Mangioni led sessions about kinesthetic learning and assessment, information gap, and engaging the imagination.

Andy and Marilyn attended a two-day "Teaching Strategies" workshop.
Sarah attended "Food and Nutrition CXC".
Heidi attended workshops for Principals and Managers.
Andy co-planned Math lessons with a master-teacher from Canada.
Joni met with Rotary Club 5370 Literacy Belize instructors, and was a guest at a Belize Rotary Club meeting.
Antonio Cediel, Principal and educational consultant to the University of Chicago, visited our campus to lead a staff inservice on differentiated learning and lesson planning.
Alberta Rotary 5370: We were honored to welcome our rotarian friends and partners from Alberta and the NWT, to Caye Caulker. More than 25 Canadian instructors participated in the Belize Literacy Project professional development workshops around the country, and then came to visit Ocean Academy for their debriefing sessions. Thank you to Ms. Joan Coy for one-on-one professional development sessions with our Math teacher Mr. Andy.
New staff member: Welcome Mr. Higinio Tzul, Ocean Academy's new Vice Principal, Dean of Discipline Committee, teacher of business, accounting and Spanish. Mr. Tzul brings 18 years of teaching experience from various regions in Belize, has an MBA from Universidad Santo Domingo, and is an experienced CXC exam writer and marker.

Teachers' Day in Belize: Ocean Academy staff joined 4000 Belizean teachers at an event in Belmopan to recognize Teachers' Day. Prime Minister Barrow and Minister of Education Faber made speeches; booths promoted educational services in Belize; teachers networked.