|
|
South Branch
|
AzETA South Branch is an organization of English teachers in the southern regions of Azerbaijan.
The Lankaran region, far south in Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea, is a rural area that has had little access to continuing education courses for English teachers. Also, Lankaran is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan and a regional hub in the South. The principle goal of an AzETA branch is to provide support for English teachers with more frequent professional development training, as well as by providing teaching method materials to use. It was also an educational imperative to create an AzETA South branch and join the other AzETA branches in Baku, Ganja, Khachmaz, Mingechevir, and Sheki.
Until November 2007, Lankaran had only 3 AzETA members. Thanks to Kathy Taylor, an English Language Fellow who has been assigned to teach English as a Second Language at Lankaran State University, there are more men and women taking an active role in AzETA. She recruited 8 people to attend the 4th AzETA International ELT Conference held in Baku on 10-11 November 2007. She also helped facilitate a series of workshops held under the Outreach Teacher Training Project in 2007-2008 funded by the Open Society Institute - Assistance Foundation. One of her main goals while in the Lankaran region is to increase membership in AzETA. Thanks to her efforts membership is growing. There are now more than 30 AzETA members, with anticipation of many more joining as the Branch grows and gets famous.
Members are employed in primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities and also work as private tutors. They gather at the AzETA office located in Lankaran City School #4 every Sunday at 11 a.m. General meetings are held every two weeks and members conduct official branch business, practice English and learn new teaching activities and strategies. Alternate Sundays are reserved for Movie Days, Conversation Clubs and Book Clubs.
AzETA signed a contract with the Humanitarian School-Lyceum # 4 after V. Aliyev on 12 June 2008. Pursuant to the contract the latter gave a room to AzETA South Branch in its premises.
Below are the members of the 2008-2009 Executive Board:
Lala Aliyeva - Branch Manager
Narmin Mammadova - Vice Branch Manager
Khalisa Alaskerova - Secretary
Gulnar Bayramova - Treasurer
Alim Aliyev - Interregional Manager
Aygun Dadashova - Editor-In-Chief
Aysel Aliyeva - Public Relations Officer
Qabil Ashurov - Librarian
Left to Right: Rafael, Aygun, Aysel, Lala, Asuda, Khalisa, and Alim
Lenkaran is also one of AzETA's EAMP (English Access Microscholarship Programme) regions. The Programme was launched in October 2006 will continue until August 2009.
AzETA included Lenkaran in its other project titled Establishing Enjoy English Clubs in 5 regions of Azerbaijan. The Project was launched in December 2007 and continued until September 2008.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On Saturday, April 18, 2009, AzETA South Branch held an Open House commemorating its First Year Anniversary at the AzETA Office in Lankaran School #4. There were 21 members of AzETA South Branch in attendance, along with several AzETA members from the Baku Executive Board, as well as Mingechevir, Sheki, and Ismayilli. Special guests included Ragsana Mammadova, Executive Director of AzETA–Baku, Nuraddin Zulfugarli from the local department of Education, Akif Khaligov, Director of Haftoni District, and Yegana Askerova, Director of School #4. Other local guests were invited, with the number of guests and members totaling 52.
The following presenters provided information regarding our event:
• Introduction by Kathy Taylor, AzETA South Branch Advisor
• Lala Aliyeva, Branch Manager–overview of AzETA/ introduction of branch officers
• History Video of South Branch–Alim Aliyev and Sevda Salayeva
• Use of an agenda at the Branch business meetings-Aygun Dadashova
• Testimonies-Narmin Mammadova, Nurana Radjabova
• Description of Special Events– Aysel Aliyeva and Khalisa Alaskarova
• Resource Center- Qabil Ashirov
• Membership-Gulnar Bayramova
After the presentations by the members, Lala Aliyeva and Kathy Taylor presented Yegana Askerova, the Director of the school and Nuraddin Zulfugrali, South Branch contact person at the Lenkaran Education Department, with certificates of appreciation.
The open house gave the Branch members an opportunity to learn how to organize this event. Many of the members had never been on a committee before. This was a great opportunity for them to have this interaction and work together with their fellow members.
All in all, one more success story was written to the history of AzETA thanks to its dedicated members and invaluable friends.
Please read more on the South Branch activities at:
http://azeta-south.web.officelive.com/newsarchive.aspx |
|
 |
|
|
