We strive to give our students access to a quality education that will help them obtain gainful employment and lift their families out of poverty. One way Engage Now Africa is helping to improve the quality of education in the rural schools of Ethiopia, is the implementation of Thinking Schools. We began collaborating with trainers from Thinking Schools Ethiopia (TSE) early this year and are excited about the progress our teachers and students are making!
We are transforming schools by improving the teaching and learning process that teachers use. The training of trainers “TOT” is a four day training. The trainers then provide a two day training for the teachers they supervise on how to use the Thinking School maps. The maps utilize all modalities of learning and teach children that there is more than one way to solve a problem. They help students develop independent thinking skills, problem solving skills, and develop a thinking process. Children also work in a group setting for the first time which allows them to develop the ability to problem solve as a team and openly share their ideas. So far 167 teachers have been trained on utilizing visual tools, using thinking maps and teaching in a way that sparks critical thinking and participation.
Children learn confidence, persistence, flexibility when teachers are taught to ask thought provoking questions. The training teaches the teachers that teaching is more than supervision. As a result, teachers are reporting that classroom activity, learning and involvement from the students is dramatically increasing!
We love the progress these students are making and the prospect of being able to provide a high quality education to all of our students as we expand our use of the program into all of our schools!]]>
Thinking Schools: Giving Children a Voice
