March 6, 2003: Headlines: COS - Moldova: TEFL: Education: Zwire: Moldova RPCV Michelle Haberer taught schoolchildren to speak English

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Moldova: Peace Corps Moldova : The Peace Corps in Moldova: March 6, 2003: Headlines: COS - Moldova: TEFL: Education: Zwire: Moldova RPCV Michelle Haberer taught schoolchildren to speak English

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-13-244.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.13.244) on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 2:49 pm: Edit Post

Moldova RPCV Michelle Haberer taught schoolchildren to speak English



Moldova RPCV Michelle Haberer taught schoolchildren to speak English

Haberer brings Moldovan experience home
By:C.T. Kruckeberg March 06, 2003
How many Washington area residents do you meet who have spent three years living and working in Europe's Eastern Bloc?

Meet Michelle Haberer, an Olds native and WACO school district graduate, who in November returned from Moldova, a small republic formerly associated with the Soviet Union that sits between Romania and Ukraine.

Before joining The Journal news team in late February as lifestyles editor, Haberer was a member of the Peace Corps.

"It was something I always wanted to do," said Haberer. "I saw the ads on TV when I was little: 'The toughest job you'll ever love.' It sounded cool."

Haberer spent three and a half years in Moldova, teaching schoolchildren to speak English. Being part of a system that gives children an education, Haberer was helping in what way she could to better Moldovan lives.

"In order to understand people and to help people you have to have a time commitment," she said. "You have to live in their country."

While a psychology student at the University of Iowa, Haberer visited with a Peace Corps recruiter. She found she needed teaching experience to be approved as a teacher by the Corps, so she spent a year with the Washington school district, helping out in classrooms. The teaching experience was valuable, but it is amazing, Haberer said, how much Moldovan schools and American schools differ.

"It's often easier for people without a teaching certificate to teach abroad," she said, "because you don't have the same expectations."

In Moldova, schools don't run on an American-style system. Haberer taught grades 1 through 12, on a more university-style schedule, she said. Students don't come to class every day as they do here.

And while she taught Moldovan youngsters to read and speak English, Haberer fine-tuned her Romanian, which she now speaks fluently.

Some changes in lifestyle weren't as drastic as others for Haberer.

"In a lot of ways, Moldova is a lot like Iowa," she said. "It's very rural and the weather is similar."

But in many ways, the differences were striking.

©Washington Evening Journal 2003





When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Our debt to Bill Moyers Our debt to Bill Moyers
Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories
Dodd says Rumsfeld's answer was unacceptable 9 Dec
RPCV Blake Willeford runs classic movie theatre 9 Dec
RPCV says education is key to curbing AIDS 9 Dec
RPCV Dannielle Tegeder opens exhibition 9 Dec
Shalala 1st Woman In Touchdown Club 9 Dec
"Today we have a new country" says Toledo 9 Dec
DDN wins Investigative Reporting Award 8 Dec
Celeste on Panel to study Colorado finances 8 Dec
RPCV leads Rotary Club medical team to Togo 6 Dec
Vasquez to speak at Hawaii, Wisconsin commencements 6 Dec
Tom Murphy warns Pittsburgh on budget abyss 2 Dec
Venezuela RPCV Martha Egan runs Pachamama imports 30 Nov
more top stories...

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack
RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.
Is Gaddi Leaving? Is Gaddi Leaving?
Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.
The Birth of the Peace Corps The Birth of the Peace Corps
UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.
Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes
Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.
Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying
Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.
Your vote makes a difference Your vote makes a difference
Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Zwire

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Moldova; TEFL; Education

PCOL13391
70

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: