Monday and Tuesday
January 11 and 12
We have spent these two days working with the teachers in the Pre-School program at Notre Dame school in Kigali, a pre-school through middle school led by the Benebikira Cngregation. This is the school that Sister Juvenal and Sister Laetitia wanted us to see and bring the spirit of learning through play to the three Nursery Classrooms.
There are three levels of Pre-school classes in most Rwandan primary schools: Nursery 1 is for three year olds; Nursery 2 is for four year olds; Nursery 5 is for the five year olds who will make their transition to Primary 1 the following year. The preschool children go home at 1:00 each day. The teachers often stay and arrange their classrooms for the next day, as well as talk with one another. It was a delight to take part in the lively pace of the pre-school scene!
The first step in any thoughtful professional development with teachers should always be some classroom observations. What are the teachers and students currently doing? What do the teachers value? What are the children interested in learning? Observing pre-school classrooms always gives an observer so much information. Each class Joni and I observed had at least 30 students. Two teachers were typically with the students. The scope and sequence of the curriculum themes for the year were displayed in each classroom on poster sized illustrations. They were learning about their Home, School, Classroom, Community Helpers, Colors, Fruits, the Body…
Joni and I modeled reading a story with the children, developing questions from the story. We chose Brown Bear, Brown Bear …we also modeled using songs and word games like Open Shut Them and Itsy Bitsy Spider. It was so much fun to be invited to participate in the preschool learning.
In the afternoon, Robert Sande joined us which was great. Robert served as a Kinyarwanda voice and an experienced pre-school administrator. In fact, he often mentions to me that he often thinks of his observations at Eliot Pearson Children’s School when he visited Tufts in 2011. Joni and I had set up “stations” based on several of the themes the teachers were required to teach. They had a chance to play with materials that demonstrated pre-literacy skills, numeracy skills, making books and making games together.
After playing with the materials Joni provided, we talked with them about the methodologies behind the centers we had set up. With Roberts translating, we had a thoughtful and productive conversation about using small groups, choice, play as central to lesson planning. The teachers appreciated the opportunity to work together. Joni left the materials with the teachers, as well as some books with which the could begin regular story time and build their library offerings for the young children in the school.
It is clear that Sister Laetitia and Sister Juvenal are passionate about the fact that the earliest school experiences a child has are often the most important. Joni and I stressed that with the teachers and let them know that their daily interaction with their students was building a strong sense of school and learning as a special, enjoyable time. The REB and Ministry of Education are also stressing the critical importance of the pre-school years and are developing supports and professional development for these critical educators.
Joni and I gave a report on our PD work with the teachers with Sister Laetitia and Sister Juvenal. We also made several recommendations. Presently, Nursery teachers do not need a degree or formal training. REB should move to create those programs. The English proficiency of the Nursery teachers varies. Some instruction is in French, although some students may be hearing English and Kinyawanda at home. Much instruction is in a large group context with minimum use of play and manipulatives as programs like PEBL stress. Joni and I found a number of organizations like UNICEF and Rwanda Early Childhood groups that have developed impressive programs for supporting play based, curriculum and training. We hope that the PD we were able to provide sparks on-going conversations and trying to play based materials for learning. Robert promised the teachers he would come by to talk with them about their results often.
As this remarkable nation continues to believe that education is essential for building a strong and peaceful future, the education of the youngest citizens is the foundation of that promise.
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