TEACHING EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM (TEA) SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

COLLABORATOR’S REPORT

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name: Brian Burback

Country: USA
Main applicant’s name: Guillermo Lopez Ossa
Main applicant’s country: Colombia
Title of project: Aquilino Bedoya School Community at a Bilingual 3 Days
Service Learning Workshop
Project dates: 10/26/2010-10/28/2010

Project Description:
Provide a summary that includes the following information:
A. Description of the context where the project was implemented.
• The workshop was implemented at the Language Center of
Risaralda in Pereira, Colombia.

B. Explanation of the need(s) addressed by your project.

• The primary need addressed by this project was that students are
struggling with their motivation and ability to learn English and
teachers are looking for strategies to help change this.
• Another need was that many of the students felt there were issues
in their schools and communities that need to be improved.

C. Objectives of your project

• To help teachers and students develop an awareness of leadership
skills and positive habits to be more productive and effective.
• Teachers will develop classroom strategies based on research and
best practices.
• Students will develop skills in taking responsibility, setting goals,
establishing priorities, and listening and communication.
• The teachers and students will have a positive impact on their
schools and communities.
• The students will become more motivated to learn English by
“doing while learning”

D. Description of the activities implemented in your project.

• Day one began with a Powerpoint presentation over the basics of
Service Learning and then the teachers worked in groups to discuss
how Service Learning could help them with EFL (English as a
Foreign Language). Then we used an article to discuss how
assessment should be more for learning than to punish or separate
students and the importance of setting up experiences where
students can build on successes. Next, teachers worked in small
groups on defining problems and creating solutions by looking at
some common fairy tales and evaluating the problems addressed
 by each. We closed Day one by discussing skills common among
strong leaders to prepare the teachers to go back and be leaders in
their schools and communities as they make the changes we are
helping them to make.
• Day two included the same teachers and each brought some
students from their schools. We began by discussing with the
students characteristics of strong students and characteristics of
struggling students. We then used small group activities with the
students to work on developing skills common with successful
students based on research. Next, students were introduced to the
concept of Service Learning and teachers from Day One led
students in the fairy tale activity to begin identifying problems and
coming up with solutions. We closed by having the students
brainstorm a list of problems in their schools or communities.
• For Day Three we shared resources with the teachers and helped
them use the list of student concerns to develop projects combining
what the students want to do with what the teachers have to teach.

E. Brief explanation of the impact and results of your project.

• The impact of our project is one that continues to develop. We
introduced teachers and students to the concepts of Service
Learning and created a network of teacher and student leaders to
implement programs to help their communities and schools.
• Immediate effects of our workshop were that teachers developed
Service Learning activities to address Drug Abuse, Littering, and to
increase awareness of issues facing communities while increasing
their involvement in those issues.
• Based on evaluations, teachers left feeling satisfied and happy
about their experience.

Results:
A. How did you contribute to the successful implementation of the
project?
• After consulting with Guillermo about what he wanted to do, I found
research and pedagogy that matched what he wanted to
accomplish. I also helped provide some of the general structure and
aligning the activities with the objectives. During the workshop I
helped the students and the teachers with their conversational
English and work on informal language that is hard to get from
textbooks.

B. How did your IEP/ILEP host contribute to the successful

implementation of the project?
• Guillermo made sure that the workshop organization met the needs
of what the teachers and students needed there. He also made all
arrangements for the facilities, selecting the participants,
publicizing the workshop, and getting the local support necessary to
make this happen. Guillermo was also instrumental in bridging the
gap between Spanish and English to make sure that participants
 were understanding all parts of the workshop. Guillermo has also
worked to create blogs and discussion groups to keep the
participants in contact and to help provide support as they carry out
current projects and help plan new ones.

C. Did you contribute to increase cultural understanding about the

U.S. during the implementation of the project? If so, how?
• Yes, I shared about my school and home, helping them learn about
a region of the country they may not have knew much about. I
answered questions openly about any topics and issues that people
wanted to know about. I think I helped to show that we have a wide
range of opinions and attitudes that may not necessarily have been
what they expected. Connections were also made that will
facilitate further interactions between teachers and students in
Colombia and the United States.

D. How many teachers/students/communities benefited from this

project? How did they benefit?
• 18 Teachers were directly involved in our workshop from 8 different
schools, indirectly affecting 80 students per teacher, for a total of
1400 students indirectly affected through their teachers
involvement. 21 students were also directly impacted through our
workshop by attending day 2. 8 communities were also indirectly
impacted for a total of 8,000. The teachers benefited directly by
receiving instruction in Service Learning and leadership skills. Their
students will benefit from the improved instruction by their
teachers as a result of our program. The students that attended the
workshop benefited by learning skills to become better students.
The community will benefit by the Service Learning projects
implemented by the teachers and students.

Impact:
A. How did this experience impact your professional life?
• It helped to reinforce my ideas about what is important in education
and develop my leadership skills.

B. How did this experience reinforced/changed or increase your

understanding of other cultures?
• My understanding of the culture of Colombia was greatly impacted
because all we hear about in the U.S. is drugs and violence, with
little attempt to go any deeper. In the short time that I was there, I
was exposed to the warmth of the people and the diversity that has
resulted from the interaction of many cultures there over time. I
have found that a limited amount of material possessions often
leads to an increased importance of personal relationships, family,
 and treating people in a friendly and welcoming way.

C. How did this experience affect your commitment to international

education?
• I already knew that I would benefit personally and professionally
through international education, but this experience opened my
eyes as to what I have to offer. I am able to take what I have
learned through my education and teaching and then present that
in an engaging way that has impact on those I am working with.
This experience has left me energized and eager to look for any
ways to continue my work with international education.

Other:
A. Include any personal and professional lessons learned from your
experience.
• Personally, I have learned the importance of taking time to enjoy
experiences and people’s company without always worrying about
the clock and to focus more on moments rather than minutes.
Another lesson that was reinforced was to not always rely upon
outside sources to know what a place is like, but to experience it
myself. I also deepened my understanding that people everywhere
want a good life and a good education. Professionally, I learned that
I have a lot to offer and share that can make an impact on other
people.

B. Include any additional information that you would like to share

about your experience as a collaborator on this project.
• I believe that this project will have a long lasting impact that will
continue to grow and develop over time. Guillermo and I often said
that we are merely planting the seeds that will continue to grow for
a long time rather than completing a finished product, and I think
that we did that. Collaborating on this project has shown me what
an agent of change I can be and that I have a responsibility to share
what I have learned with others. That being said, I still gain much
more than I give by being open and listening to others, wherever
they are from.