Top 5 Lessons I Learned on My LRTT Fellowship
LRTT Uganda 2016 Fellow Molly Jacobvitz on what she gained from the experience
1. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Teamwork played a defining role in my experience with LRTT! When I first arrived in Uganda it was clear that families, neighbors and other community members came together to support the diverse needs of all children. There was strong sense of unity and “common purpose.” Teachers also worked together to share everything from chalk to lesson plans and served as a strong support system for one another. I was inspired by this tremendous amount of teamwork. This year I joined the Parent Engagement Team at my school to help all teachers build connections with parents, families and our community. I am also mindful to make an effort to reach out to all grade level teams and specialists to share and collaborate.
2. Believe
Every child needs a champion, or a person to believe in his or her potential. Parents, teachers, siblings and friends all acted as “champions” for each other. These strong relationships played a crucial role in building the character and beliefs of each learner. Students were extremely proud and resilient. I work hard to be a “champion” for each of my students in Boston.
3. Sing, Dance, Move and Shake!
Singing and dancing brought excitement and energy into the classrooms. I was able to share some breathing exercises and yoga poses with students and teachers as well as learn many new songs. Songs are an incredible tool to practice and learn new vocabulary.
4. Laugh
Laughter is a universal language! My partner, Christina and I had so much fun teaching, sharing, learning and laughing with our teachers on conference days. These moments and positive spirit transferred into the classroom and were reflected in the lessons we observed during the week!
5. Share
I am still in contact with several of the teachers that I mentored. We share lesson plans and activity ideas. I also share lesson plans and stories with several fellows from across the United States and United Kingdom. I have seen some great lessons on Oil Spills and Word Dissection!
I’m counting down the days to working with LRTT in India this July.
Molly Jacobvitz is a Pre-K — 5 English as a Second Language teacher from Boston Public Schools, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She was an LRTT Uganda 2016 Fellow and LRTT India 2017 Team Leader.
