Trainings, Trainings, and more Trainings!

Shika na Mikono

The month of December was full of adventures. My break from school started off with a productive bang. I made my 14 hour journey (not usually that long, but I had my fair share of travel problems) to Morogoro. Upon arrival, I was dropped off not at the bus stand, but at a gas station/mosque where I waited for Peace Corps to come and pick me up.

The next day we prepared all of our materials to represent Shika na Mikono at the Early Service Training being held for the new Education class of 2014. This training is less for the volunteers themselves and more to build a working relationship with the counterparts from their schools to successfully work together when they return to start their first full school year teaching in Tanzania.

We broke participants into groups by subject and proceeded throughout the day doing activities including Box of Fun, Shika Express and a Competition of course!

A group of volunteers and their counterparts constructing science teaching aids from locally available materials

Peace Corps asked me to stay as an extra pair of hands at EST because I had to be present for another training that was taking place the next week, so I got roped into facilitating/presenting a day and a half worth of materials about Project Design and Management.  This presentation included walking through how to plan and implement a successful and sustainable project in your school or community. There was big emphasis on the role of the volunteer in this process and they were able to walk through an example project of their choice with their counterpart. This was very beneficial because it gave them a great idea 

The aim was to get the counterparts excited about hands-on science and being a great partner to the volunteer in their future Shika endeavors at their school.

After Shika day, I had the wonderful opportunity to hold a 2 hour session about by block/tile project, which lead into a discussion about various Shika approaches to English teaching. These new volunteers are full of amazing ideas and I’m excited to see what they accomplish and decided to take on during this service. I have a great feeling about them!

Project Design and Management

Peace Corps asked me to stay as an extra pair of hands at EST because I had to be present for another training that was taking place the next week, so I got roped into facilitating/presenting a day and a half worth of materials about Project Design and Management.  This presentation included walking through how to plan and implement a successful and sustainable project in your school or community. There was big emphasis on the role of the volunteer in this process and they were able to walk through an example project of their choice with their counterpart. This was very beneficial because it gave them a great idea about the amount of work that goes into a project, how feasible it is to accomplish what they want and gave them an outline of a project to implement at their school upon returning if they wish.

Student-Friendly Schools

The next week, I was honored to be given the opportunity to facilitate the 3 day Student-Friendly Schools Training. I attended this training in April 2014 and found it hugely beneficial, especially when taking into account the dynamic between teachers and students at my all-girl’s boarding school.  I was doubly excited when I learned that I was able to co-facilitate this training with my best friend in country Lauren! 

Lauren (on the far left) introducing the concept of GBV

The material of training included Gender-Based Violence as well as its causes and influences, bystander intervention, the role of the educator in these matters and alternatives to corporal punishment.  These subjects can be very sensitive and opinions can turned into heated arguments, so respecting ground rules and norms for training were very important.

The size of this training is relatively small compared to other Peace Corps trainings. We had 9 volunteers and their counterparts participating. This training allowed volunteers and counterparts alike to express their feelings about the behavior that they witness at their schools in a safe environment and brainstorm ways to become agents of change. The collaboration between counterparts and volunteers was important because Americans may have many ideas, but Tanzanians are aware of realistically what can work in this education system.

Volunteers and counterparts brainstorming and working together

A counterpart presenting for the group about corporal punishment

To end training the second day, we thought it was important to end on a positive note after the very sensitive topic of corporal punishment. We decided to do spend a few hours crafting and listening to music. This craft was generic and should be made to be given to anyone in the group.

Glitter glue, craft paper and feathers. Oh My!

Our wonderful co-facilitator, Anna,  loving arts and crafts time!

To conclude the training, we handed out completion certificates randomly and they gave the certificate recipient their gift also. It was a nice way to bond and bring everyone together before going our separate ways.

Exchanging craft zawadi and certificates

Group Picture!

The hotel pet tortoise kept us company as we prepared for training

 I was so thankful for the opportunity to participate in these trainings and share my knowledge with the new education volunteers as they enter their full year of teaching (I like to call it your "Rock Star Year").  I know they are going to do amazing things and I was so happy to get to know them. They are an interesting class full of amazing indivuduals and I wish them all the best for the rest of their service!