The third year of our Vietnam Summer Training Program kicked off today with a splash — both literally and figuratively. The highlights….
There was no better start to the day than by greeting the Vietnamese participants to the program bright and early this morning. I enjoyed welcoming the familiar faces and friends that comprise the Level 3 Teacher Training contingent – they have been with us since 2010 — while also meeting the new group that make up our Level 1 Audiology program.
Things got started with our pre-workshop test — the Global Foundation administers pre and post tests at each training event to help us assess our program and the participants’ progress over time. During the opening ceremony that followed, our team was warmly welcomed with a standing ovation…and we went down the line to introduce ourselves.
Level 3 split up into Early Intervention and Classroom/Therapy in the new early intervention building. The bright, cheery venue is a beautiful addition to the Thuan An Center campus. We all look forward to spending time in there but I think our team is most excited about the fact it has air conditioning. No more lecturing in rooms without AC in the heat of summer in Vietnam!
Kim Hamren, Kathryn Wilson, Becky Clem, Ann Baumann, Pam Yoshihara, and Hillary Ganek spent the day with the Level 3 teachers, setting the stage for the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Martha Harney, Nadine Palmeteer, and Christi Sperry covered audiology fundamentals with the Level 1 Audiology group. Later in the day, the audiology team lectured to the teachers in the Level 3 program to provide them with insight on educational audiology and to discuss collaboration across teachers, audiologists, families, and other members of the child’s network of support.
Then the rain fell…..and….really fell….check out the video:
But the wet weather didn’t deter the enthusiasm of everyone involved. We wrapped up the day of with the first lecture in a series for parents, discussing with them strategies they can use in everyday life to help their children with hearing loss develop their listening and spoken language abilities.
A 12 hour day…and a terrific one at that. The team did a wonderful job setting the tone for the days ahead. We’re looking forward to the experiences to come!