Dear Supporter
I’m now six months into my placement in Pokhara and am very much settled here. I’m building strong relationships with teachers in my primary schools and I really feel that I’m starting to improve education for young children. The current system discriminates against girls and Dalits - whose status within Nepalese society is so low that they actually fall outside of the caste system – so I’m also trying to change attitudes within the classroom. There’s a long way to go but I’m confident that, with your support, I can make some real progress in the district.
Comforting local families
The last few months were very tough as I experienced a much harsher side of life than I'd become used to. Flooding in May caused the banks of a local river to burst and many people lost their lives, whilst others had their homes washed away.
Three children from one of my schools were killed, and others lost parents and close relatives. Teachers at the school and the local families have shown amazing strength and resilience, helping each other as best as they could in the aftermath, and I've been doing what I can to comfort people and help pick up the pieces too.
Thankfully, things seem to have settled down now, but the recent events have made me even more determined to help build a brighter future for these children by making their school life as positive as possible.
A fear of damaging books
Despite having excellent libraries with books donated to them from charities, I was amazed to find that the teachers in my schools rarely use them for fear of spoiling the books! In the UK, children are encouraged to learn by reading books for pleasure, but the same culture just doesn’t exist in Nepal.
Here, teachers read to the class and children are expected to write down word for word what they hear. I’ve therefore been helping the teachers to use the books in their libraries by showing them different ways to involve the children and help them learn more effectively.
Birth of a butterfly
I recently found a story book in the library about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, which I thought would be perfect for a science lesson. After reading the story to the class, I encouraged the teacher to try out different activities to help the children learn about stages of life.
Through drawing the life cycle of a butterfly, retelling the story in their own words, and sharing pens and paper to make butterflies with symmetrical patterns, the children really enjoyed the lesson.
The teacher did too, and we talked about ways to structure future classes upon different activities to help the children learn better through interaction.
Enrolling more children
From primary school age, children in Nepal are often considered old enough to work and help support their family. This means that thousands of young children miss out on schooling right from the start.
So, to find out who they are and make sure that they are included in the education system – and encourage those that are already in school to keep going each day - we’re keeping track of attendance and carrying out household surveys.
As soon as I know how many children I’m dealing with, I’ll then be able to put plans in place to enroll them. I hope to be able to show you these children enjoying school too, with thanks to your kind support.
Creativity in the classroom
I’ve become really fond of the children in my schools and adamant that they have a decent education.
So to help improve the quality of teaching they receive, I’ve been observing lessons and feeding back to the teachers afterwards, suggesting different ways for the children to learn.
Together, we’ve put plans in place to involve each child and create a more positive atmosphere in the classroom. We’re introducing things such as following a basic timetable each day to help the young children get used to a routine, setting aside time for free play to encourage them to share toys, and pinning their drawings to the walls to brighten up the stone classrooms.
The children are now interacting with one another more and they seem much more engaged in class, whilst the teachers are enjoying having a structure to each day. I feel confident that small steps like these will continue to make all the difference.
Extra support for those who need it
Some children need extra support at school whilst others benefit from being set harder challenges. To help the teachers in my schools set the right level of work for each child, I’ve started to ask the children questions to see how much they have understood of each lesson so that the teachers can tailor the work accordingly.
Here, children have a real fear of failure and punishment in the classroom so identifying those that need extra support from the outset really helps to put them at ease and encourages them to learn, whilst setting more stimulating work for others is an incentive for them to remain in school.
Whilst it’s been a hard couple of months due to the recent flooding, it’s been an encouraging time since then too. Your support is really helping these children to rebuild their lives and help set them up with a better future, so thank you for your regular donations.
Beth
