A Closer Connection Through Storytelling

The Bobole Bats project has been running for many years, but in the last 4 years it took on an additional and far more authentic direction, and that was to connect with the community through storytelling. Each time the AISM students went to the community of Bobole they would spend the night and a member of the community would tell their story around the campfire. Not only did this give more context to our students, but it made the experience more authentic, in that when students went out the next day to work in the community, there would be a little more understanding of the way people have lived and continue to live in rural, Mozambique. While working with the community during the day, more stories started through incidental conversation, such as one of our students asking an older woman in the community “Have you ever been in love?” The passionate and heartfelt response sparked off an exploration of gathering stories that range from experiences of war, that is so far removed from our students, to every-day occurrences and emotions that we can all relate to.

The stories have become the central part of the Bobole Bats project. Why do we collect stories? So that we can find common ground of living in Mozambique, recognizing the value of different ways of knowing. This validates all voices. By doing this, we can collaborate more effectively on projects.Molly is a grade 12 student who collated some of your stories for her CAS project and created a beautiful calendar. That honors the voices of the Sibakusi community in Bobole. Enjoy reading their stories.


Download and print the calendar here!

Dr. Colleen Fletcher, Director of Community Partnerships

Teachers Serve Up Tasty Teaching Treats at AISM's TNT Cafe

Collaboration is "da bomb" at AISM's TNT Cafe.  Launched last year by mathematics coach and teacher Francois McCurdy, the goal of the effort is for teachers to help each other in ways both big and small.  If you haven't guessed by now, TNT stands for teachers nurturing teachers.  

Francois wanted to foster a positive, collaborative environment among the professional teachers at AISM. The idea was start slow.  Begin with a group of teachers as a demonstration group and let it grow from there.  He wanted it to be engaging and organic.  This isn't mandated professional development.  Instead it is acknowledging good teaching when it is seen, either when directly observing a teacher in action or indirectly when someone happens upon something particularly interesting.  The ultimate would be to have a teacher's lesson videotaped and critiqued by fellow teachers.  There were many possible ways teachers could help each other, literally a menu of options.

Francois consulted with the communications office and brainstormed ideas.  And it was in the brainstorming of possible ways to frame the idea, that the idea of the TNT Cafe was born.  Graphics came next.  From there, the idea of the menu and the naming of items gave way to even more creative ideas.  

This year, teachers have already given each other a "Pat on the Slack" for wonderful creativity in the design of a lesson.  Sweet Tweets have gone out for an intriguing math prompt (teacher talk for the part of a lesson that helps students in an interesting way).  Even teachers who have creating an interesting virtual classroom have received special recognition from their colleagues.  At a time when teachers do not see one another directly, this is an effective method of simple, cost-effective professional development. 

The TNT Cafe is still new, but based on the early reviews, it is clear that it sates the appetites of all who have visited.