Back at UCCC

Today I began teaching again at UCCC in the central plateau of Haiti.  I am teaching general ecology, and biodiversity which is an advanced ecology class.  Since students didn't know I had arrived and only three showed up for the advanced class, we just spent some time getting to know each other, and finding out which students have to walk up to 2 hours each day to class.  Tomorrow starts the real classes.  I will teach both classes on Wednesdays, then the general eco class on Thursday, and the advanced class on Friday until we are caught up from me missing the first two weeks of the semester.  It is good to be back and easy to get back into the swing of things!

The translator and a student.

First week at UCCC

I have completed my first week of teaching ecology at Université Chrétienne de la Communauté de Caïman (UCCC). I teach 3 classes a week to the same class of first year agronomy students so that we can get in an entire 3 credit course in the 6 weeks that I am here.  Already the students have asked me if bats come from old mice, and the topic of zombies came up.  I lecture in English with my friend Diranot translating into Creole (though maybe the students want French?).  Handouts and tests are in French thanks to a French graduate student at the Univ. of Kansas and google translate.  There’s no power at the university so I hold up my computer so the class can see pictures – can’t teach about biomes without showing what a tundra or taiga looks like!  Next week is their first quiz, and an outdoor lab to learn forestry measurements.  

Teaching at a new Haitian university - UCCC

In May I returned to the Central Plateau of Haiti for a week to guest lecture at a relatively new university, UNIVERSITÉ DE LA COMMUNAUTÉ CHRÉTIENNE DE CAÏMAN (UCCC) which is about 8 miles from Pignon.  UCCC is run by United Christians International which my friends JeanJean and Kristie run.  My first 5 years of going to Haiti were to teach ecology in the community around UCI.  Now they have a university!  Students major in agronomy, education, or theology.  

In addition to discussing with the university students about how ecology is important to these fields of study, I also taught in the UCI primary school and surrounding schools.  My bird guide Louiders joined me and took over teaching the primary school classes (see this post for his ecotours).  Kristen, Nate, and Kendon from my church joined me to teach first aid and Bible studies.

This fall I will return to UCCC to teach ecology.  I will be raising support through Global Scholars.  Stay tuned for a post about this academic organization that helps professors go overseas to teach.