The Dominica Association of Teachers in collaboration with the Canadian Teachers Federation and the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development launched this year’s Summer Workshop with a grand opening Ceremony at the Convent High School on Wednesday, July 10, 2013.
The ceremony heard addresses from Minister for Education – Hon Petter Saint Jean who called on teachers to take the workshop seriously. He told the teachers that Dominica needs them and the students and youth of Dominica need them. He commended the teachers for their hard work through out the year. He sited the results of various local and external exams as proof that the teachers are really working hard. Hon. Saint Jean also commended the DAT for continuing to function not merely a bargaining agent but also as a professional organization whose aim is to enhance the professional development of all teachers.
Also addressing the function was Canadian Team Leader Olive Creary-Satchell, who expressed pleasure to be in Dominica and to be part of the workshop. She introduced her Team of Canadian Facilitators and went on to warn teachers that the team expects to learn from them as much as they will learn from the team. 
President of the DAT – Mrs. Celia Nicholas, in her address underscored the rationale for the courses offered this year. She explained that DAT introduced Food and Nutrition as one of its courses because the Union recently adopted “Eating Right” as a Platform. This she said is due to the prevalence of Chronic Non –Communicable Diseases in the society. She said it is imperative that teachers learn to take care of themselves in order that they can take care of their students. The other courses offered are Literacy, Numeracy and Special Education.
The workshop which was formerly called the OCOD Summer Workshops, is now referred to as Project Overseas and soon will be called the Summer Institute is now in its 30th year in Dominica. A name, what’s in a name? Well no matter the name, one thing is for certain, these workshops have been of tremendous benefit to thousands of Dominican teachers over the years. Year after year, teachers continue to flock to the Convent High School to hone their skills, to improve their craft, to master their art – the Art of Teaching.
The workshop will continue until July 25when the curtains will come down with a closing ceremony at the Convent High School Auditorium.