I just spoke with a gentleman from World Fund www.worldfund.org
They were inquiring about how we evaluate our teacher training. I humbly explained that this is a challenge but we discussed our mutual efforts. I’ve spoken with Sue Wortham to review their programs and touch in with them.
We submitted a letter of inquiry today to the Global Fund
http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/index.php/Who-we-are/Our-Model.html
Our request is for $6,000 to sponsor four more quarterly teacher training conferences in Burkina Faso for calendar year 2010. Incidentally, we discovered the GFC because they sponsored the girls in our House of Hope before us by funding a grant to Our Children, 501c3.
This article in Irin just came out highlighting how stubborn the issue of access for girls is in African schools. Unicef has focused for years on the problem of fewer girls in school than boys.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?Reportid=85255
There are a lot of complicated reasons why this phenomena is so difficult to address but we are working on it.
WCR has tried to be very sensitive in our training to stress the importance of equal access. In 2003-2005 we also wrote a large grant to Camfed ( www.camfed.org ) to support that goal.
The Markley family just a sent us a check. It is a spontaneous and generous gesture. These are difficult times and the whole WCR community is grateful for their consideration and support.
WCR’s Consultative Status with the United Nations is “Special”. I have included a description below.
This is the email I just received from the United Nations
“Dear Organization,
The profile for “ World Children’s Relief and Volunteer Organization, 501c3 ” has been accepted on the UN-DESA Civil Society System and UN-DESA Events Management System.
To manage your organizational profile, please go to http://esango.un.org/civilsociety and click on the “Login” link on the left menu. Once logged in, you can update your profile”
For information and registration to United Nations conferences and meetings related to economic and social development, please visit the UN-DESA Event Management System at: http://esango.un.org/event/ngo.html?page=calendar.”
Consultative Status has its foundation in Article 71 of Chapter 10 of the United Nations Charter:[1]
“The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned.”
In 1948, shortly after the founding of the United Nations, there were 45 NGOs in Consultative Status, mostly large international organizations. Currently there are 2719 NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and some 400 NGOs accredited to the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).[2]
Special
“23. Organisations that have a special competence in, and are concerned specifically with, only a few of the fields of activity covered by the Council and its subsidiary bodies, and that are known within the fields for which they have or seek consultative status shall be known as organizations in special consultative status.”
Here is the Caledar of Events
http://esango.un.org/event/ngo.html?page=calendar
I usually don’t cite political news and current events on this blog, but I think Obama’s trip is an exception. It’s an important gesture that he has clarified that Africa effects and is important in the world. His speech is peppered with a lot of references to self help which is at the core of our development approach. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8145762.stm
I am in the process of updating our ECOSOC file. Special status is an honor indeed, and I expect we will be much more active in future UN conferences.
Special
“23. Organisations that have a special competence in, and are concerned specifically with, only a few of the fields of activity covered by the Council and its subsidiary bodies, and that are known within the fields for which they have or seek consultative status shall be known as organizations in special consultative status.”
This is a perfect example of how we are using the blog as a record of internal memos and the evolution of operations. It is a focused statement of our goals, the principles and transition of the school network, and an improved definition of Country Representative responsibilities.
WORLD CHILDREN’S RELIEF 501C3 NONPROFIT
OPERATIONAL HANDBOOK
INTRODUCTION
When World Children’s Relief was organized in 2001, the initial approach was to adopt schools and add additional schools as circumstances permitted. A focus was to provide assistance to schools through teacher training and improvement of school facilities. As the work evolved over a period of years, teacher training became the primary and sustainable focus of the organization.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision of World Children’s Relief is to give all children and educators in developing countries the opportunity to reach their full potential through instilling in them self-respect, dignity, and the belief that hope is real.
MISSION STATEMENT
WCR intends to achieve our vision through providing teacher training in established and government recognized primary schools in poor, rural areas of developing countries. WCR implements educational programs in these schools that encourage quality education for the rural poor. These schools provide a solid foundation for children, thereby expanding their capacity for growth and their chances for success. This network of early childhood development and education in preschool and primary grades is a symbol of the possibilities for poor children and a mechanism that unlocks their incredible potential. We want to change education in order to change lives, and collaborating with WCR network schools takes us a few steps closer to that goal.
GOAL
To provide models of quality education in poor, rural areas of developing countries focused on academic excellence elevated self-esteem, and community involvement and empowerment.
Objectives;
PRINCIPLES OF THE WCR SCHOOLS NETWORK
Professional Development: The WCR School Network is committed to providing opportunities for teachers to further develop their skills and motivation to provide leadership in innovative training methods and techniques.
Academic Excellence: The WCR School Network is committed to providing a quality education, enabling students to achieve the highest academic potential.
Positive Environment: The WCR School Network is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and clean school environment for all students and teachers, emphasizing pride, dignity, and respect for self and others.
Creativity: The WCR School Network is committed to providing a creative atmosphere where all students and teachers are encouraged to explore ideas, thereby enriching their potential.
Self-Help: The WCR School Network is committed to facilitating individuals to become agents of change in their own communities.
THE TRANSITION TO A NETWORK OF SCHOOLS
In 2009, as WCR focuses on becoming a provider of services, the approach is to establish networks of schools rather than adopted schools. This approach is seen as the most productive and cost-effective method to expand teacher training. Schools within the district currently being served by WCR now have the opportunity to become a network school. There are 6 steps a school must accomplish to become a network school. All schools including current “adopted” schools must achieve the steps to become a network school.
TEACHER TRAINING
The Training Process
The ultimate goal of teacher training is to enable local educators to take over the training for their schools and other schools in the district. Initial teaching training is conducted for preschool and primary grade teachers. A basic training manual translated into Creole and French is used for all training sessions. The training is conducted for 4 or 5 days using a participant-centered approach. Application activities are integrated into the five training sessions. Attention is given to participant interactions and questions. Training session topics include: Principles of Child Development; Preschool Curriculum Framework; Child-Centered Curriculum; Classroom management; and Teaching Strategies and Assessment.
Training focuses on preschool classrooms; however, much of the content of the training is applicable to the primary grades. Participants receive a certificate of participation at the end of the training.
Teacher Evaluation Following the Training
At the end of the training participants are introduced to an Evaluation Form that includes all of the components of the training that can be implemented in individual classrooms. Plans are made for the country representative, school directors, and local officials to participate in evaluation of the teachers who have participated in the training. When evaluations are conducted, the persons conducting the evaluation are able to use the evaluation form to determine the participant’s progress and plans for future improvement.
An example of an evaluation model follows:
Evaluating Student Achievement
Teacher training includes strategies to implement assessment into periods of instruction. Information is provided on how to assess student learning in an ongoing process throughout the year. Some schools have reporting periods during the year when student progress can be monitored. At the end of each year, national exams are conducted with students. School directors, government officials, and country representatives review and report student achievement to WCR.
Quarterly student evaluations can be used to monitor the success of the teachers. The teacher’s performance can be compared with student performance to determine if student success is influenced by implementation of the WCR training.
Final student evaluation on national tests at the end of the year can be used to evaluate both teacher and school success. Schools within the district can be compared on overall student achievement. In addition, grade levels across the district can be compared. Again, teachers who have implemented WCR training can be compared with teachers who have not received the training.
THE TRANSITION OF COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE RESPONSIBILTIES
The country representative’s major responsibility is to plan, implement, and report on teacher training. In addition, meetings with school staffs, school committees to include village officials and parents, government officials, and other local agencies are held as they relate to the work of WCR and teacher training. In the first years of WCR work in Africa, much of the planning was conducted as a result of planning done in the United States. Teacher training and school development depended on training trips taken by workers from the United States. Country representatives looked to WCR staff to implement training work. As a result, country representative work tended to coincide with training trips.
Now, in 2009 the major responsibility for conducting WCR work rests with the country representatives. The country representatives must use their own initiative to conduct and communicate WCR work in their country. Monthly country representative pay will be in response to work done during the month. The planning process will include an annual plan, monthly plans and monthly, quarterly, and annual reports. All trips to schools and teacher training are contingent upon available funding and must be preapproved.
Teacher Training
There are specific tasks that must be completed before, during, and after teacher training. 1. Plan for conducting teacher training with school directors, local education officials, and other interested individuals or groups.
Annual Plan
The annual plan is developed prior to the beginning of the school year in conjunction with school directors, education officials, and school committees. The plan should include how many teacher training events will be conducted, and when and where they will be conducted. The annual plan will also include how often teachers will be evaluated during the year and how teacher observations will be scheduled.
Monthly Plan
Prior to the beginning of each month, the country representative will submit the working plan for that month. Included will be any meetings to be conducted, training events, teacher evaluations, and other activities related to WCR work. All activities for the month are listed with the dates, names of people involved, and purpose for the activity.
Activities should include the date and location of the activity. Anticipated costs are included in the plan.
Monthly Activity Report
All activities conducted as part of the monthly plan are included in the monthly report at the end of the month. Dates of activities are again included as well as the people involved. The results of the activities are communicated in the report.
Monthly Operations Budget Report
The monthly operations budget report will be submitted in the same format as before using EXCEL. Both monthly reports are submitted before the next month’s salary is remitted.
Quarterly Reports
The purpose of quarterly reports is to collect student assessment data and will be scheduled within the school calendar and reporting periods.
( More information will be added about quarterly reports later.)
Annual Reports
The annual report will include a summary of all of the accomplishments realized during the school year. It will include information on training, teacher evaluations, and student achievement as it relates to schools in the WCR network.
This relevant article on building capacity through local African think tanks ends on a critical note, it’s extremely difficult to find and retain staff. [ Retaining top quality staff is a challenge, according to Jean Mensa, executive director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a Ghanaian think tank and a grant recipient. ] Africa Director, Emmanuel Sam, 6 years. Sierra Leone Facilitators, Koroma and Kamara, 6 years. Senegal facilitator, Mane Faly, 4 years. Lodmell and Wortham, 8 years. Way to go!
“Up until now we have had to work on specific short-term programmes determined by the funding we received. Recruiting and retaining staff was our biggest challenge,” Mensa told IRIN.
I like this site. Take a look at the “themes” section on the left column. There are 20 distinct areas which shows why it is so important to have a clear focus as a provider of international aid and development. Education is, of course, a theme.
Recent Comments
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on Benjamin Reid Lodmell, “Teacher Training is the answer to changing the qualitative face of education in rural African schools.”
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