Support Teacher Trainings in rural Myanmar

Dear supporters of our Teacher Training Programs in Myanmar,

 It is now the beginning of the monsoon season here in Myanmar and thus our trainings slow down and planning is made for the rest of the long rainy season and for the upcoming cold, dry season following the ends of the rain. Over the last three months, we were also busy with two trainings and are excited to share that news with you.

Sagaing Monastic School, Sagaing Division (Dry Zone)
For a week, Jim spent time living at a small monastic school serving over 50 ethnic Palaung children who were coming from Southern Shan State. The majority of the young children were ordained as young, novice Buddhist monks. The school was part of the larger International Buddhist Education Centre in Sagaing.

 We focused on several projects with the teachers, primary care givers and Buddhist nuns who help to care for the children. The children and staff were all very interested in learning to make an earthen brick oven, and to learn baking and cooking. The aim of the monastery was to build the first oven there at the monastery, then make other ovens in Sagaing downtown area where they would be able to sell their baked and cooked goodies as an income generation project.

 Together we built a cob oven and learned several different kinds of breads, cakes and cookies. We also focused on various kinds of sweets and desserts which could be fried. To see the completion of the oven and then to be able to taste the banana chocolate chip cookies and homebread from the oven was very exciting!

 During the building of the earthen oven, we introduced several techniques of earthen building so the staff would be able to start making earthen bricks for further development of the project, including plans for building a meditation hall and better buildings for school and housing, which they can now to more efficiently, sustainably, cost effective and they have skills to do it themselves.

 We also introduced co-operative games for the children to play which promote peace, conflict resolution, team building and just pure fun in a non-competitive manner.

 We have plans for follow up training to further support the teachers, staff and children in various capacities.

Shanan Education Networking Group (Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division)
One of our partner organizations that we have been working with for several years now is the Shanan Education Networking Group. They provide teacher trainings each year during school breaks for teachers primarily from Kachin State, and those working with ethnic Kachin communities. This year we were excited to join them once again and provide support training and facilitation for their program and teachers.

Together we explored the challenges that teachers, parents and students face here in Myanmar and particularly those issues faced by ethnic Kachin communities. We introduced the principles of Holistic Education to the teachers. Through creative and cooperative processes, they explored the fundamental differences between holistic models of education and the current methodologies and theories used in mainstream models.

In the training we also explored holistic child development, early childhood psychology and new research on brain development were explored. Through practical activities and games we offered many tools and techniques to support them in their teaching. Hand skills which also support cross brain integration were introduced. These skills, knitting, crochet and bracelet making are also great projects and skills which the teachers and share wit the children and use as income generation projects.

Although the rainy season brings a more quiet time with the trainings, we were still very busy here at Whispering Seed supporting teachers and students learning processes here in Myanmar. We are wrapping up our planning for the next few months and look forward to sharing more of our stories with you in our next report.

 Warmest regards,

Jim