What would bring four teachers from different parts of the United States - the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the deep south of Louisiana, and the Pacific Coast of California - to the islands of Malta and Gozo?
The answer lies in the strong desire of teachers in the Malta Writing Programme to collaborate with their colleagues from the National Writing Project in the United States, where teacher staff development is based on the premise that teachers are the best instructors of other teachers.
The Foundation for Educational Services (FES) in collaboration with the Department of Curriculum Management of the Education Division recently organised invitational and advanced writing workshops for 35 teachers from local schools, both primary and secondary. Both workshops were coordinated by Sandro Spiteri, senior executive and head of Malta Writing Programme of the FES.
The participants worked with the American teachers to examine research and develop strategies for making presentations on best practices for teaching writing. For many teachers in Maltese schools, it was the first time in their career that they had been invited to present what they know about the subject.
The Maltese teachers worked with their American counterparts not as students but as colleagues. They were affirmed as authorities in classroom practice who bring their unique source of knowledge to the teaching of writing.
In the words of Mr Spiteri: "Locally, the top down tradition of past university/school programmes is no longer useful as a staff development model. New collegial and non-hierarchical relationships among professors, teachers, parents, pupils are essential...The teachers are themselves learners..."
Participation does not stop with the course. It continues with professional development opportunities held throughout the school year and conducted by teachers who have participated in the Malta Writing Programme. It is in these workshops and in a variety of courses and conventions organised by the FES that the programme will influence teachers of writing in every school in Malta. Teacher commitment, enthusiasm and desire to share are at the heart of the programme.
Ms Montebello is a teacher participant in the MaltaWriting Programme.