Great article. I believe this is a working model in many developing countries facing similar challenges…..Keep it up and keep sharing. would love to adapt it here in Kenya.
Fantastic article - I wholeheartedly agree with the STIR focus on teachers as agents for change and the commitment to working within existing education systems. Keep up the great work!
Thank you STiR for the great work. I do think also that a team teaching approach would be worthwhile. This is missing in our education systems. There’s also too much to cover within a short period of time as per the designed syllabi
Thank you! Two comments:
Don’t these principles apply equally to developed nations’ schools?
Finland’s success would say yes!
The first tenant rightly names kindling intrinsic motivation among teachers but then cites extrinsic rewards which have been proven oppositional. I hope STIR explores what really ignites intrinsic motivation.
The real test of this intervention is the half-life of the program. Yes, one can motivate with a short term intervention but will the infrastructure support this over time both with regards to teacher retention/teacher competence and student outcome
Thanks to everyone for the comments so far! We are definitely keeping an eye on Kenya. And agree with Terry that we should really crack the intrinsic motivation part as this is the core of our approach. We are experimenting with our current RCT to see what happens if we add some extrinsic non-financial motivators in too. It will be fascinating to see if these extrinsic motivators build on intrinsic motivation or crowd them out. Finally Tom is right that we need to think hard about long-term sustainability of the approach. We are doing a lot of work to ensure a multi-year engagement model with our teachers, and build it deeply into education systems with leadership from teachers and officials, to drive it so that student learning improves sustainably. There is still a lot to learn here of course - we will keep you posted!
I am interested in how this program differs from the work that BRAC is now doing in 6 countries with over 900,000 students and a long history starting in Bangladesh. BRAC has the resources for a sustainable program and has proven its resilience with significant infrastructure support. The other issue regarding “sustainability” is the invisible matrix in which the system is imbedded. That, of course, includes the government, economics and the social fabric in the communities. Teachers are embedded in a “school” which requires more than just motivating teachers to show up with enthusiasm in the classroom.
Congratulations on your innovative thinking for building a teacher-led movement to improve children’s learning in developing countries. Over time, working with systems will be critical for lasting/sustained impact, as indeed you have begun to do.
It is the way forward to bring healing to our developing countries. Many children have skills that needs the government to ignite by supporting them.Science and Technology is the greatest tool for innovations, let not die. The government should identify the brilliant students at grass root level regards their backgrounds and start to develop them
Many thanks for the additional comments, everyone.
We have been and will continue to be in touch with BRAC and other successful, large scale NGOs to ensure we learn not just from their interventions but also the way their organisations work to enable successful operation at scale. Other suggestions for interesting models to look at will be gratefully received!
In terms of the system(s) in which teachers and officials work, we are working to develop our leadership support for teachers and local officials in a way that recognises that different types of leadership may be required in different Districts and different schools, depending on their location, population and so on. Lots to learn about how to do this but very keen to keep the focus on helping people in the system improve learning in the most effective way for their particular context.
Thanks everyone. James
Perhaps you might share more about your efforts such as:
a) what is your current and ongoing budget to support this effort and those to whom you are providing services
b) what is the experience of the team in doing this type of work and how much background and preparation has been done in understanding the success and failures of those who have been in this area
c) what is the sustainability model for your team and the communities in which you are working?
This is great development James. In my country the Philippines, we have beautiful laws promoting environmental education. We also have existing policies on convergence aim to uplift cooperation. But still working in silos prevails. Month of July is local government units is budget preparation month. There are special guidelines to incorporation climate action programs for 2016. This is a perfect opportunity to lobby local governments participation in schools environmental education campaign. Hoping to connect some local government agencies to environmental institutionalism. At least in our locality.
Thank you so much.
Rural Education and Development (READ India) affiliated with RESD Global is bringing Education Enterprise and Community Development for education and development in rural India through Community Library and Resource Centers in rural villages having books computers modern tools for learning and training young girls to play a pivotal role as rural teachers. Working in its modest way to increase the reading habits. Women empowerment is the key to help them understand the importance of education for their children. The need is collective efforts to show the greater impact. I do agree that strong network with govt is required.
Erin’s comment is on target. For example, teacher motivation needs the support of the underlying infrastructure. BRAC in the education area provides the long term, sustainable infrastructure that supports down to the classroom and individual teachers. In many ways it has become the system while the “official” system moves to the background. BRAC also provides other options outside of the schools which then provides student motivation. In many ways, this program with all its benefits is what has been called “single loop” solutions”- basically trying to find what “works” and then amplify to scale. In a complex-dynamic system, the model is also dynamic and thus there are many and changing paths. The problem rests, in part, on the emphasis on STEM thinking. Scientific thinking is important, but social systems, particularly in development situations, don’t necessarily yield to such thinking in the long term. There be dragons here.
Congratulation on your inventive deduction for building a teacher drove development to enhance youngsters’ education in creating nations. Order assignment uk | Finest-Assignments after some moment, working with outlines will be basic for enduring/supported effect, as surely you have done.
COMMENTS
BY Janet Mawiyoo
ON August 12, 2015 12:20 AM
Great article. I believe this is a working model in many developing countries facing similar challenges…..Keep it up and keep sharing. would love to adapt it here in Kenya.
BY Dominic Bond
ON August 12, 2015 02:15 AM
Fantastic article - I wholeheartedly agree with the STIR focus on teachers as agents for change and the commitment to working within existing education systems. Keep up the great work!
BY Kabagorobya Miriam
ON August 12, 2015 02:56 AM
Thank you STiR for the great work. I do think also that a team teaching approach would be worthwhile. This is missing in our education systems. There’s also too much to cover within a short period of time as per the designed syllabi
BY Terry Chadsey
ON August 12, 2015 08:14 PM
Thank you! Two comments:
Don’t these principles apply equally to developed nations’ schools?
Finland’s success would say yes!
The first tenant rightly names kindling intrinsic motivation among teachers but then cites extrinsic rewards which have been proven oppositional. I hope STIR explores what really ignites intrinsic motivation.
BY tom abeles
ON August 14, 2015 11:27 AM
The real test of this intervention is the half-life of the program. Yes, one can motivate with a short term intervention but will the infrastructure support this over time both with regards to teacher retention/teacher competence and student outcome
BY Sharath Jeevan
ON August 14, 2015 06:26 PM
Thanks to everyone for the comments so far! We are definitely keeping an eye on Kenya. And agree with Terry that we should really crack the intrinsic motivation part as this is the core of our approach. We are experimenting with our current RCT to see what happens if we add some extrinsic non-financial motivators in too. It will be fascinating to see if these extrinsic motivators build on intrinsic motivation or crowd them out. Finally Tom is right that we need to think hard about long-term sustainability of the approach. We are doing a lot of work to ensure a multi-year engagement model with our teachers, and build it deeply into education systems with leadership from teachers and officials, to drive it so that student learning improves sustainably. There is still a lot to learn here of course - we will keep you posted!
BY tom abeles
ON August 15, 2015 06:53 AM
I am interested in how this program differs from the work that BRAC is now doing in 6 countries with over 900,000 students and a long history starting in Bangladesh. BRAC has the resources for a sustainable program and has proven its resilience with significant infrastructure support. The other issue regarding “sustainability” is the invisible matrix in which the system is imbedded. That, of course, includes the government, economics and the social fabric in the communities. Teachers are embedded in a “school” which requires more than just motivating teachers to show up with enthusiasm in the classroom.
BY Madhu Ranjan
ON August 16, 2015 09:10 PM
Congratulations on your innovative thinking for building a teacher-led movement to improve children’s learning in developing countries. Over time, working with systems will be critical for lasting/sustained impact, as indeed you have begun to do.
BY Fred Sichilima
ON August 19, 2015 08:30 AM
It is the way forward to bring healing to our developing countries. Many children have skills that needs the government to ignite by supporting them.Science and Technology is the greatest tool for innovations, let not die. The government should identify the brilliant students at grass root level regards their backgrounds and start to develop them
BY James Townsend
ON August 20, 2015 09:10 AM
Many thanks for the additional comments, everyone.
We have been and will continue to be in touch with BRAC and other successful, large scale NGOs to ensure we learn not just from their interventions but also the way their organisations work to enable successful operation at scale. Other suggestions for interesting models to look at will be gratefully received!
In terms of the system(s) in which teachers and officials work, we are working to develop our leadership support for teachers and local officials in a way that recognises that different types of leadership may be required in different Districts and different schools, depending on their location, population and so on. Lots to learn about how to do this but very keen to keep the focus on helping people in the system improve learning in the most effective way for their particular context.
Thanks everyone. James
BY tom abeles
ON August 20, 2015 10:25 AM
Perhaps you might share more about your efforts such as:
a) what is your current and ongoing budget to support this effort and those to whom you are providing services
b) what is the experience of the team in doing this type of work and how much background and preparation has been done in understanding the success and failures of those who have been in this area
c) what is the sustainability model for your team and the communities in which you are working?
BY Nelson
ON August 22, 2015 05:21 AM
This is great development James. In my country the Philippines, we have beautiful laws promoting environmental education. We also have existing policies on convergence aim to uplift cooperation. But still working in silos prevails. Month of July is local government units is budget preparation month. There are special guidelines to incorporation climate action programs for 2016. This is a perfect opportunity to lobby local governments participation in schools environmental education campaign. Hoping to connect some local government agencies to environmental institutionalism. At least in our locality.
Thank you so much.
BY Geeta Malhotra
ON August 25, 2015 05:29 PM
Rural Education and Development (READ India) affiliated with RESD Global is bringing Education Enterprise and Community Development for education and development in rural India through Community Library and Resource Centers in rural villages having books computers modern tools for learning and training young girls to play a pivotal role as rural teachers. Working in its modest way to increase the reading habits. Women empowerment is the key to help them understand the importance of education for their children. The need is collective efforts to show the greater impact. I do agree that strong network with govt is required.
BY tom abeles
ON February 14, 2016 11:12 PM
Erin’s comment is on target. For example, teacher motivation needs the support of the underlying infrastructure. BRAC in the education area provides the long term, sustainable infrastructure that supports down to the classroom and individual teachers. In many ways it has become the system while the “official” system moves to the background. BRAC also provides other options outside of the schools which then provides student motivation. In many ways, this program with all its benefits is what has been called “single loop” solutions”- basically trying to find what “works” and then amplify to scale. In a complex-dynamic system, the model is also dynamic and thus there are many and changing paths. The problem rests, in part, on the emphasis on STEM thinking. Scientific thinking is important, but social systems, particularly in development situations, don’t necessarily yield to such thinking in the long term. There be dragons here.
BY johnkales
ON June 3, 2017 03:26 AM
Congratulation on your inventive deduction for building a teacher drove development to enhance youngsters’ education in creating nations. Order assignment uk | Finest-Assignments after some moment, working with outlines will be basic for enduring/supported effect, as surely you have done.