Buchach Association of Teachers
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008 (First Posting Date)
About the Taras Shepelavy` Association
In 2004, Buchach teachers of English began to collaborate with English language educators from other oblasts (states) of Ukraine and the United States. In July 2005, the first international teachers’ workshop was held at St. Josaphat Collegium in Buchach. The workshop, which focused on new language teaching methodologies, was attended by English teachers from Buchach as well as guest teachers from other oblasts of Ukraine. The participants were trained by U.S. methodology specialists who taught in a program sponsored by The Modern Languages Department at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. The workshop was financed by Americans for Democracy in Ukraine, Inc., an Albany, New York civic organization. After the completion of the workshop, the trained Buchach teachers instructed other teachers in the area and organized themselves into a professional teachers’ association. At that point, ADU funded the establishment of an association teachers’ resource center, which began operating in March 2006.
RESOURCE CENTER
The Buchach Teachers’ Resource Center is open to all teachers who are members of the Association. The center offers teachers a wide variety of materials: English-language books, newspapers, audiotapes, DVDs and videotapes. These materials are available for checkout or photocopying.
Text Collection. There is a great number of books on almost every topic: literature, history, geography, science, social sciences, country studies, to name a few. Genres include: non-fiction young adult fiction, adventure stories, romance, children stories, and many others. Of special interest to teachers are encyclopedias and books on language methodology. In addition, there are collections of numerous practical lesson ideas and ready-to-use activities for the classroom.
ACTIVITIES
The members of the Association meet once a month in a supportive professional environment. At these meetings, members eagerly share with each other their newest classroom materials and innovative methodology they use in their classroom teaching. Whenever possible, the Association members collaborate with local Peace Corps volunteers. Members of the Association also sponsor student activities such as video club for pupils, and phonetic training with children. Association teachers also assists their pupils in publishing an English language newspaper.
Contact: halyna_s@ukr.net
English Teacher Training Program in Ukraine
