September 2022 Newsletter
In this issue of the CONAPAC newsletter we cover the following topics:
A recap of our August Teacher Workshop focused on Environmental Education
2023 Teacher Workshop Schedule
A note from our Executive Director, Megan, regarding WhatsApp
With images from the field!
Call for Volunteers for 2023 Adopt-A-School Program Visits
August Teacher Workshop Focused on Environmental Education
Participants of the teacher workshop held on August 14th-26th, 2022.
On the days of August 24, 25, and 26, we hosted a teacher workshop in Iquitos entitled “Estrategias para fortalecer el liderazgo en educación ambiental” or “Strategies to Strengthen Leadership in Environmental Education.” This was our first opportunity to gather in this way since our 2019 workshop. All school principals and teachers new to CONAPAC communities, about 150 people in total, were invited to attend.
Days 1 & 2
For the first two days, we focused on capacity-strengthening sessions on a variety of topics, all applied to environmental education. Some of the topics included:
• Birds of the Amazon and binoculars
• Clean water
• Children’s Forests
• Use of tablets in the classroom
Sessions were led by our agronomist, Pedro Paucarcaja, several specialists from the regional Department of Education, Explorama guides Percy Reyna and Cesar Sevillano, and water experts from the regional sanitation department.
We included a variety of topics and environmental education applications that teachers could immediately implement upon returning to their classrooms.
Day 3
The third day was a celebration; all CONAPAC partner community teachers were invited to attend and participate in volleyball, soccer, and camaraderie!
Professor Oscar arranged for commemorative t-shirts that teachers could order, and we all wore them on the last day. What fun!
2023 Teacher Workshops
We are happy to finally reinstate our teacher workshops and look forward to our next one, tentatively scheduled for April 2023. This work could not be accomplished without the great support we have received from organizations and individuals, especially from JBQ Charitable Foundation, which has sponsored the teacher workshops in recent years.
A Note From Our Executive Director
Megan McDaniel
Did you know we have a WhatsApp* group chat with our teachers?
This group chat allows teachers to share best practices and activities they implement in their communities and schools. It also allows regional education specialists from the Board of Education to share notices of workshops or policies, and for the CONAPAC team to send announcements. Particular stakeholders are also invited to the chat and can share their own messages of support.
Since our teacher workshop, teachers have been posting pictures and videos of how they motivated their students in new ways. See the slideshow below.
*WhatsApp is an international messaging app that sends messages using cellular data or wifi.
Something I especially love about the photos shared in the chat is that they often include parents who have joined in on the activities with their students. Working with the teachers in our partner communities is a joy and an honor!
Adopt-A-School 2023 Travel Schedule
Week 1 Dates: March 18th - 26th, 2023
Week 2 Dates: March 25th - April 2nd, 2023
We still need a few more volunteers for week #2. Interested in volunteering? Please email Claire Lannoye-Hall, AAS Amazon Rainforest Expedition program coordinator, at the Detroit Zoo.
Learn more about our Adopt-A-School program here.
