P4T Teachers Training Program... What a wonderful experience!

P4T2008 Teachers Training Program.
What a wonderful experience!
By: Hicham Sadiki
Email: sadhicham@yahoo.com
Blog: sadhicham.blogspot.com

The Partnership for Teaching (P4T) program is a teachers training program which was incepted in 2004 at the University of Delaware, funded by the US Department of State – Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs, and administered by the University of Delaware – English Language Institute (ELI). The aim of this program is to support the efforts of the ministries of Education in Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Jordan to enhance and strengthen the English Language capacity in these countries and to support the development and implementation of an English as a Foreign Language curriculum that emphasizes new teaching methods and delivery mechanism at the Junior High School level. Since 2004, The Moroccan Ministry of National Education announces every year the selection for P4T program. In 2008, nearly all Moroccan teachers of EFL (about 2000 teachers) sent their applications. A pre-selection was launched and twenty six (26) teachers were called for an interview on April 23 in Rabat. The final selection was made by a jury which consisted of Mr. Dawoud Casewit (MACECE Executive Secretary), Mr. Mohamed Chrayah (MACECE Deputy Executive Secretary), Mr. Mitchell Cohn (Cultural affairs officer, the American Embassy) and Mr. Ali Slitine Alaoui (Training Projects Supervisor, Ministry of National Education). Finally, only eight teachers were retained to participate in the pre-departure orientation session. This session took place at MACECE and was animated by three teachers who took part in P4T2007. During this meeting, we discussed the program’s overall objectives in detail, we shared many ideas about the training program and we were given some useful tips and information which helped us prepare for our trip and during our stay in America.

On the academic level, we were exposed to the latest innovations concerning methodologies of teaching EFL. Adept teachers introduced us to interesting teaching techniques which we can use in our classrooms to develop our students’ communicative competence and which are especially useful in improving their four skills. To my mind, all the workshops I attended were interesting, but the workshop conducted by Dr. Scott Stevens and in which he introduced the use of PUPPETS to teach English as a Second / Foreign Language was the most benevolent and beneficial. I always have students who are afraid to speak or act in front of the class, but thanks to this technique they will enthusiastically emote in the characters of the puppets and will certainly forget to be self conscious. I am impatiently waiting to meet my students and use this technique with them. They will definitely enjoy using the puppets with their classmates.

The class observations and the two days we spent in Dover with a number of American teachers of English as a Second Language allowed me to liken teaching in America to teaching in Morocco. All Moroccan teachers would agree with me when I say that the methodologies and approaches our American colleagues adopt in their classrooms are the same as those practiced by most Moroccan teachers. This is not an overstatement, believe me.

The program also allowed me to learn how to overcome fear of Public Speaking. All the story telling and the warm-ups we practiced were a great opportunity to acquire how to get my attention off myself, how to build self-confidence and how to train myself before facing an audience.

Designing and conducting a workshop is another worthful thing that I learned. It’s true that I conducted many workshops before, but the program was an opportunity to find out about the four phases of the process of designing and conducting an effective and successful workshop: planning, preparation, implementation and follow up.

On the cultural side, this training program enabled me to attain a better understanding of the American Culture. It gave me the chance to get involved in many activities and be exposed to different events and people over the six weeks which has really led to an increase in my knowledge and skill.

Living with a host family in America for two weeks truly authenticated my experience. I, like all the other participants, was received warmly by my host family. Through this homestay, I was given the opportunity to know more about the American way of life. I was able to realize what living in America might be like. The experience has really destroyed all the stereotypes about the American daily life that I previously held. In addition, it gave me the opportunity to experience first-hand the real similarities and differences between American and Moroccan lifestyles. Moreover, the homestay helped me to improve my English and to learn the American accent.

The trips to Philadelphia, New York, Washington and Rehoboth Beach were very pleasant and enjoyable. They were tremendous opportunities for fun and discovery. Our visits to these cities gave us a better understanding of the people living there. We discovered the similarities they have with us as well as their differences from us. The journeys explained to me why America is referred to as a “pot of stew”.

The excursion to the Amish community allowed me to know about some Americans who are different from most Americans. The Amish or the “Plain People” have long preferred crafting and farming as a way of life. They feel their life style and their families can best be maintained in a rural environment. In the most developed country in terms of technology, the Amish do permit the use of tractors in their fields. Instead, they still use horses and mules. It’s really implausible.

The People to People dinner was very exciting. The Moroccan and Jordanian teachers had the pleasure to have dinner with members of PTPDE. Some Koreans also were there. It was a very enriching meeting as it gave me the chance to know, chat and exchange ideas and experiences directly with people from different countries and diverse cultures. In addition, we were given valuable books that can enhance our students’ learning and improve their English.

Going to the Church with my host family was another extraordinarily good experience. I never imagined myself in the building where Christians gather for religious purposes. It allowed me to know how they worship. I was amazingly surprised when I found a group of musicians playing music and singing. In fact, I had a particular image of what a church is, but it turned out that it is not what I imagined. People there are very nice. They welcomed us warmly and delightfully. It was another event which proved to me that the Americans are very courteous and gracious.

On the human level, it’s no wonder that the P4T Teachers Training Program was beneficial. It was an opportunity to break out of my shell, to discover a lot about myself and to enjoy life like never before. In addition, it allowed me to make new friends from different parts of the globe, from Jordan, Egypt, America, Haiti, Mexico, etc… and also from my country, Morocco. Moreover, it helped me recharge my batteries and enabled me to handle better the stress I experienced at work. After these six weeks in America, I really feel energized and vigorously active.

The P4T Teachers Training Program is not over. It’s true we have left the University of Delaware and we are now in our countries, but we should always remember that there is something called P4T yahoo group which we have to manipulate and exploit to the greatest possible extent. It will undoubtedly help us to exchange our ideas, deepen our knowledge and consequently better our classroom performances. Furthermore, we all know that the main focus of the P4T Teachers Training Program is on its multiplier effect. Therefore, we are considered pioneers and we are expected to transfer our knowledge, our experiences and all what we have learned to our colleagues in Morocco, Jordan and Egypt.

In the end, I would like to thank all my dear colleagues from Morocco, Jordan and Egypt for the love, kindness and charity they showed to each other. My heartfelt thanks to the teachers and the program coordinators who treated us with consideration and respect, provided us with all types of help and support and answered all our questions. I also want to give my sincerest thanks to the program manager Ms. BAERBEL SCHUMACHER for her loyalty and all the time and energy she devoted to this program to make it a success.
I am very grateful to all of you for the wonderful time you gave to me.