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9392: A Haitian educator is gone (fwd)
From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>
A HAIITAN EDUCATOR IS GONE
Tony JEAN-JACQUES (1960-2001)
[As a child, Mr. Jean-Jacques attended Juvenat College of the Sacred Heart,
a Catholic school for boy. He was fortunate to have a father who held a high
position in society. Always a good student, Jean-Jacques attended a
pretigious boarding school, where he lived with brothers of the Sacred
Heart. In that school, he lived a highly structured and followed a strict
schedule.
The boarding school lifestyle forced him to mature. After that it was off to
Notre Dame College Preparatory School. There he learned values ideas of
respect that directed his life. ?Good education is the key of life?, says
Mr. Jean-Jacques.
Around 1980, Jean-Jacques arrived in the United States. After abandoning
thoughts of becoming a physician. There he carried three majors: philosophy,
French, and Spanish. While there, he was also taught to approach education
with Philosophy, that is, to positively reinforce teaching with mutual
respect and promotion of self-discipline. He chose to go to the University
of Massachusetts because he did not know other schools in the United States,
so he decided to try out. ?Everyone can be educated, no matter what level
they are on?, he says. ?A good educator really has to create dialogue?
respect to make the whole process enjoyable?. He believes in reinforcing,
teaching, and conveying discipline, and engagement.
Having received a Masters degree in Education, Jean-Jacuqes knows five
languages: Spanish, English, French, Haitian Creole and German. In Haiti, he
taught for two years and he also taught at a variety of places in the United
states including the Boston Public Schools and a center for Haitians, ?The
Haitian Multi-service Center?, in Dorchester. There he bridged the gap in
culture and education for Haitians new to this country. Believing in the
benefit of extra-curricular activities, he wants to ?implement a curriculum
where all schools, private and public, have the same curriculum.?.
Jean-Jacques says that experience at this school has been challenging and
enjoyable so far. ?I came to this school because I was raised in a Catholic
environment?, he said. He likes the discipline and respect displayed here,
as well as students? willingness to learn.
Sophmore Chris Carnes commented about Mr. Jean-Jacques: ?Even though I don?t
have him in classs, I go to his study hall because he is an extremely
interesting guy.? Aside from education, Jean-Jacques has some interesting
hobbies, including judo. Jean-jacques said that it helps with
self-discipline, self-esteem, and self-knowledge. Also, he enjoys to travel
and has been to Portugal, Czechoslovakia, Mexico, Germany, Spain, France,
and Canada. He has observed the learning environments and levels in each
country?Through his travels he experienced all kinds of culture. Also, his
interests include basketball and watching football. Skilled at using
Macintosh computers, he is involved in developing books for bilingual
students in public schools.
Jean-Jacques also writes poetry. He feels poetry is expression of
everything: yourself, emotions, life, existence. ?Your own existence is poem
by itself?, he said. He has writen Haitian fairy tales as well? His
influence include Maya Angelou whose poetry he describes as ?touching,
revealing?. Lamartine was a French classic poet who influenced him, and the
Haitian writers influenced Jean-Jacques were Ethzer Vilaire and Oswald
Durant. ?the use of everyday language is a beautiful poem?, he explained.
According to Jean-Jacques, getting the message across is the most important
part of poetry. He likes to be open, clear, and simple. One of his book,
*Moi, le juif errant* (Me, the wandering Jew), is a testimony of culture.
This book is about who he is. It is stated that even Socrates said it is
good to know oneself - it makes you ready to teach others? Being the only
black teacher in the school does not bother Jean-Jacques. He explained,
?It?s challenging to be unique in any place?. He said it does not bother him
to be unique?? (The Crystal 99, Wed., Dec. 15, 1993 - Malden Catholic High
School newspaper).]
[Tony JEAN-JACQUES. Est né en 1960 à P-au-P, Haïti. A fait ses études
primaires et sécondaires chez les frères du Juvenat, Collège du Sacré-C?ur,
Carrefour, Haïti. Detenteur d?un baccalauréat en philosophie, en français et
espagnol à l?Université de Massachusetts-Boston (U.S.A) en 1990. A fait
aussi des études universitaires de langues vivantes (français et espagnol) à
l?Université Laval (Québec) et au «Collgio De España» (Salamanca, Espagne).
Detenteur d?une maîtrise en Éducation à l?Université de Massachusetts à
Boston (1992), Jean-Jacques a voyagé à travers l?Europe et l?Amérique où il
a fait de lourdes experiences qui se trouvent dans son langage. Auteur de
Pour mieux t?aimeur: Pou m ka pi renmen ou (poèmes en français et haïtien,
1992), Moi le juif errant (poèmes et essais, 1993). Éducateur, essayiste,
judoka et poète, il a publié de nombreux articles dans la revue PRISMA de
l?Université de Massachusetts à Boston.]
Courtesy of ?E. W. Vedrine Creole Project Archives"
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