Montessori Training for East Pokot Teachers

Teachers and trainees in East Pokot
The East Pokot initiative started about 2,5 years ago. So far, ten teachers from East Pokot have been supported with their Montessori training:

• Denzel, Kemoi and Victor:­ F­irst year of the National Montessori Certificate
• Danson, Sharon, Julius and Gladys: Second year of the National Montessori Certificate, on teaching practice
• Evelyne, Linet and Maureen: Completed the National Certificate in November 2022

Denzel, Kemoi and Victor – Module two
Denzel, Kemoi and Victor started the second training module in June, after a brief break. During the break, they went to their families in East Pokot and supported the planting of crops, taking advantage of the long-awaited rains. Rivers came to life once again and the landscape turned very green. Denzel shared that they hope to grow enough crops to feed their families for a few months. Most households still rely on food provided by aid organisations and the trainees are happy that they can use part of their allowance to support their families.

The trainees just completed the module on culture and have now started with the language module. They put a lot of effort into making materials and work neatly and precisely, as they see how the materials can really support children in their development. They proudly share that they are well on track in making their materials and other trainees are often interested in learning from them. David shares;

“The materials are so precious; I cannot wait to show it to the children in our local school. I am so thrilled that what we make really helps the children to think for themselves while solving a problem”.

David hopes to work in the school near his home, so that the children in his community can benefit from his knowledge.

Victor, who is the only child in his family that went to school, shares that he would like to be a role model for the other young people in his community. During the short break, he met the youth in his church to talk with them and encourage them to pursue an education. He says that teaching young children is traditionally seen as a job for women, but the interactions he has had with his peers have changed their perspective and many of them expressed interest in Montessori training. The training helped Victor to realise that a good foundation is very important for the development of children and their opportunities later in life. He plans to continue to bring awareness to his community about the importance of education, where many children still do not go to school.

The trainees have also done a one-week observation as part of their training. Denzel did observation at the Corner of Hope Montessori school in Nakuru and shares: “When I entered the school, it hit me that I was looking at the practical implementation of what we had learned in the college.” He observed that the children worked independently and needed little guidance from the teacher. “I was very excited to see a Montessori classroom. It was neat and beautiful, the materials were displayed in a very organised manner and the calm and patient teachers made the children feel at ease”.

Montessori environments in Pokot

Nasaltuko
The four trainees in their second year who are now in teaching practice are doing well. Sharon and Danson work with 80 children in Nasaltuko in a temporary church structure. Sharon says that the children love working with the materials: “After we presented the different activities to them, they have not missed a day of school. We also talk with the parents about the importance of education, which has helped to keep the children coming to school every day”.

Despite the many young children, Nasaltuko village did not have a school. The local priest who was involved in the set-up of the first Montessori classrooms in Pokot became determined to establish a Montessori school in the village. Funds have been collected and a new school building will be ready in a few months. Danson is very happy with the support they get from the priest and those who donated to the school building. “It can be challenging to work with so many children in the temporary structure. There is not enough space to display all the materials and we also work outside in the shade to create more space for the children. We make it work, but we look forward to moving into the new school building”.

Chesakam
Julius is working at a government school called Chesakam, with over 45 children in his classroom. He shares that the biggest challenge is that children often miss school. This is a common challenge in East Pokot, mainly caused by the long droughts which force parents to move as well as a lack of school lunches and insecurity in the region. He shares that despite the challenges, he is passionate about his work. He was asked to help the other teachers in the afternoon. He loves to engage the older children with practical activities. He says that the children love working with their hands and he tries to think of activities for them in a creative way, making use of what is available to them. 

Barpello
Maureen, who completed her certificate training in November 2022, now supports Gladys, who is doing her teaching practice in Barpello. Maureen shares that the children are working independently and the parents are very happy with the change in behaviour they observe in their children. The parents say that their children are very independent and they are surprised by all the tasks they perform at home. Some parents have requested for their children to be transferred to the Montessori classroom which they see as the best education.

Tangulbei
Evelyne and Linet are responsible for the two 3-6 classrooms at St. Luke’s school in Tangulbei. They set up their first Montessori environment 1,5 years ago. The community and parents are embracing Montessori education, which has resulted in an increase in enrollment of children. Both teachers are doing well and are becoming more confident every day. As Linet is currently on maternity leave, Evelyne is supported by Benjamin Kago, a Montessori teacher from Corner of Hope.

All teachers are supported by mentor teacher Gladys Lokolia, who is from East Pokot. She is currently doing the 3-6 International AMI Montessori Training in Tanzania to further develop her mentorship skills. The teachers are also regularly visited by experienced teachers from Corner of Hope and Montessori for Kenya conducts monitoring visits. These visits help the teachers to deepen their understanding of Montessori principles and reflect on their skills. The teachers also go through the environments with the mentors to look at the condition of the materials and receive what they need to repair and maintain their materials which helps them to keep their Montessori environments tidy and complete.

The teachers are very happy with the progress they observe in the children and see a better future for the Pokot children. They hope that there will be more trained Montessori teachers to reach out to all children and schools in East Pokot in the future.

2023 trainees

In December 2022, tutor Beth Kosgei from St. Ann’s training college, and Gladys Lokolia, mentor teacher from East Pokot, conducted interviews with new potential trainees in East Pokot. The community awareness sessions that had been held throughout the year generated a lot of interest among young people, as they saw the potential of Montessori education to support the child and the community. Three new trainees started their training at St Ann’s Montessori Teacher Training College in Nakuru in January 2023.

After five weeks of training, Denzel, David and Victor shared that they have learnt a lot and they have already started working on their materials. Denzel noted that Montessori education is something very new to him, and he really enjoys learning about it in the lectures. He shared that the lessons gave him new insights on the importance of respecting the child and ensuring that the child is supported in their development in the best possible way. Victor added that the tutors at the college are guiding them very well. It has been his dream to become a teacher, but he lacked the financial means for training. Daniel shared that he perceives the training as a great opportunity and he looks forward to supporting the children in his community. He comes from a village called Kolowa, where children do not have access to education because of the long distances to the nearest schools. As the children have few educational opportunities, many lose interest and end up herding cattle. Daniel shared: “I believe that through education the children from my community will get a chance to choose a better future, and that it will increase the literacy rate. I believe that the strong foundation of Montessori education will be of great benefit to children and their community.”  

Danson Soen, headteacher from Corner of Hope Kisima, has been visiting the new trainees regularly. He supports them in making quality materials along with an experienced carpenter, who shows the trainees how to make materials using what is available in their environments. Victor was surprised to learn that children can learn from what is around them without using many resources. He is already thinking about ways he can share that knowledge with teachers in Pokot and to explore with them how they can utilize the knowledge and resources around them to guide the children. He shared; “I believe my community is very rich with natural resources that can help the children reach their potential.”

New environments

The four trainees who started their training in 2022, Gladys, Julius, Danson and Sharon started their in-practice year in January 2023. With the support of mentor Gladys Lokolia and Corner of Hope teacher Hellen Oyugi, the trainees set up three Montessori environments in East Pokot. Through the support of the Sub-County Education Office, Gladys and Julius were able to set up environments in government schools in Chesakam and Barpello. Danson and Sharon are working in a new school set up by the Catholic Mission in Nasaltuko village, where children did not have access to early childhood education before. The children were immediately attracted to the materials when schools opened and the teachers showed parents around in the environments and explained the use of the materials to them. Gladys shared that some parents brought their children from other classes to the Montessori classroom in Barpello after the awareness day that was organised by the school management. Some parents and teachers from the neighboring schools also expressed their interest in Montessori training as they saw the positive impact in Gladys’s classroom.

In Chesakam primary school a meeting was organised for the teachers and the school committee to learn about Montessori principles and practice and Julius shared his knowledge. The head teacher, Patrick Mudanya, shared his joy to be among the first government schools with a Montessori classroom. He mentioned that after learning about the opportunity, head teachers from other schools are now for Montessori classrooms in their schools. Some have visited to see how the children are engaged in the classroom and they became interested in Montessori training for their teachers as they were impressed by what they observed.

Danson and Sharon have over 80 children under their care in Nasaltuko, from 3 to 10 years of age. The community is very supportive and eager to bring the children to school. Danson and Sharon met with the parents from the community to share more about Montessori education. The local chief visited the school and saw how the children are working with the materials and expressed his support for a larger Montessori school so that more children can benefit from high-quality education. Sharon and Danson are very enthusiastic and determined to support the children. Every morning, they carry their materials to the temporary church structure where the children learn, both inside and in the shade outside. At the end of each day, they pack the materials and take them back to their houses. At the same time, the team in charge of the school is working hard to construct classrooms which will allow the teachers to set up permanent Montessori environments in Nasaltuko.

Certified teachers

Linnet, Maureen and Evelyne are now working as fully certified teachers after graduating in November 2022. They can see a difference in the children after working with them for a year. They are independent, calm, and confident, which they note is not very common in their community. Maureen now works in the government school in Barpello alongside trainee Gladys. Having Maureen there is a great asset to Gladys, who can learn from Maureen’s experience.

All teachers continue to receive mentorship support from Hellen Oyugi and Gladys Lokolia, who visit them regularly. They discuss challenges with the teachers, provide support during parent awareness meetings and guide the teachers on maintenance of the materials and the environments. Gladys and Hellen are training for their AMI 3-6 International Diploma in Tanzania and are very excited to share their experiences with the teachers from East Pokot.

The parents and the community have shown a lot of support to the teachers and the schools where Montessori classrooms have been set up. They are happy their children have access to high-quality education. The Sub-County Director expressed his appreciation, and he promised his continuous support in engaging government schools, as the biggest challenge in the region is lack of trained teachers; “I hope that one day that there will be Montessori training for all teachers from East Pokot. I believe that children from East Pokot deserve the best education, like any other child in the world, and that this can be achieved through Montessori training to teachers from the communities and setting up new schools which are accessible to the children in the region.”

The East Pokot initiative started two years ago, and Linet, Maureen and Evelyne are the first teachers to complete their certificate training. The second group, Danson, Gladys, Julius and Sharon, will start their teaching practice in January 2023. We have been able to create two Montessori environments in East Pokot, which serve fifty-four children. As a next step, it is planned to set up two more environments in January 2023.

Maureen, Evelyne and Linet
Maureen, Evelyne and Linet started their training in 2021 and will be graduating in November, after completing a year of teaching practice under the guidance of the tutors of the training college and mentor teachers.

When Maureen reflects on her first year as a Montessori teacher, she is struck by the difference she is observing in the children: “When I first started, I would show the children how to use the materials. They were interested, but still a little insecure and they still had some questions. I can see that over the past year the children have become more courageous and independent. They have learned a lot from the practical life activities, they know how to tie their shoe laces and how to pour water.” She adds that she believes Montessori education in East Pokot is of great importance, as it supports peace in a region which is prone to conflict. Evelyne and Linet have also seen a great difference in the children with respect to grace and courtesy. “The children have learned to express themselves. They know how to excuse themselves, how to say sorry and how to walk and talk in the classroom”, Linet shares. All three are keen to continue their work as Montessori teachers, and to raise awareness in the community about Montessori education. “The parents have already learned a lot about Montessori education. We hope that more people in the community can learn about the value of Montessori education and how it benefits children”

Mentoring
The trainees were supported through regular mentoring visits during their teaching practice. Experienced Montessori mentors supported the trainees in setting up their Montessori  classrooms, and subsequently visited them every two months for multiple days. The mentors were tutors from St. Ann’s Montessori college, experienced teachers from the Corner of Hope schools, and a Montessori teacher from East Pokot. During each visit, the mentors stayed with the trainees in their classrooms for several days, observed them and offered guidance on how to refine their skills and discuss difficulties they encounter. It was not an easy context for the trainees to start their work as Montessori teachers, as all other teachers in the school, the children, the school management and the parents did not yet know about Montessori education. For the trainees, this was their first experience as Montessori teachers, implementing the theory they had learned during their training in a new Montessori environment. They benefited from the mentoring support and showed great progress after each visit. With the initiative growing further to include more classrooms and the need for continuous support, the team decided to engage  Gladys Lokolia, an experienced Montessori mentor teacher from the region, to support the trainees on a full-time basis.

Danson, Gladys, Sharon and Julius
Danson, Gladys, Sharon and Julius are preparing for their teaching practice, which will start in January 2023. They have learned a lot during their first year of training and have each made a full set of Montessori materials. They are keen to start working in their communities and strongly believe Montessori education can be of great benefit to the Pokot. Danson shares: “When I was home during the holidays, I had many conversations with my community about Montessori. Some people thought it was something very difficult, but I explained that it is not difficult and that is very important for children to learn with the Montessori method. In my region, many people have not gone to school, and some do not see the value of education. Since I started my training, I have been encouraging people to have their children go to  school, as I believe education will improve the lives of our people.”

Strong Interest
The establishment of the first Montessori classrooms in East Pokot have generated much interest in the region, including community leaders, government officials, school administrators and NGOs. They see the potential of Montessori education as a good fit with the needs of the Pokot children and families. They are also interested in the contribution Montessori education can make towards building peace in the region. “Maria Montessori’s approach to education helps the children to cultivate a value of peace, which is of great importance in an area of frequent conflict”, shares Father Maxwell. He is the priest in charge of the school in Tangulbei, where Linet and Evelyne have been working as Montessori teachers since January 2022.

New Partnerships
In October, a team from Montessori for Kenya visited the Montessori environments in East Pokot, as well as potential new locations. During their visit to East Pokot, the team had a conversation with the Sub-County Director, who represents the Ministry of Education in the region and oversees all schools. The Sub-County Director gave a clear picture of the numerous challenges in the region and was keen to learn about Montessori education. A follow-up meeting is planned for December to identify a government school where a Montessori environment can be established and to discuss the steps for setting up and maintaining the classroom.

The team also met with the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, who manage the government early learning centre in Barpello. They discussed a possible partnership to support the placement of Montessori trainees, followed by long-term employment. The Sisters expressed great interest in establishing a Montessori classroom in Barpello.

At the suggestion of Father Maxwell, the team visited the Nasaltuko village, a settlement 30 kilometers from Tangulbei.  As there are no schools in the vicinity, over 100 children of mixed ages attend a temporary classroom in a church structure where they learn basic educational skills from a teacher without formal training. Father Maxwell had invited the community, community leaders and the area chief to discuss the idea of establishing a Montessori school in the area. Montessori Mentors Beth and Gladys gave a presentation on the Montessori method and introduced materials to some of the children who had accompanied their parents to the meeting. The community committed to the establishment of a school, to support it fully and to send their children to school. The area chief was enthusiastic by what he saw and asked to bring Montessori education to other villages as well.

Plans for 2023
In 2023, trainees Julius, Gladys, Sharon and Danson will start their teaching practice at two new locations. This will bring the total of Montessori environments in East Pokot to four, expecting to serve over 200 children in the region. Mentor teacher Gladys Lokolia will support the teachers at the different sites preparing them to become confident and skilled Montessori teachers.

In response to the growing interest in Montessori education in the region, a new group of trainees will start their Montessori training in January 2023. We aim to support at least three new trainees to start their Montessori training, but this number depends on the funds available that come in through donations. Your support will allow us to continue to support the training of Montessori teachers and the establishment of Montessori environments, ultimately increasing access to quality education for the Pokot children.

When schools closed in April, the 2022 Montessori students Danson, Gladys, Julius and Sharon went home for a short break. They found their community in a tense situation. The long drought had severely affected their community. Many people lacked food and families migrated to look for greener pastures. The lack of food and water induced conflict, which led to insecurity in the region. The government took drastic measures to address the violence.

The trainees explain that it had been hard to be at home during the break, as there was heavy military presence, along with a curfew. “I believe that education is a solution to curb our problems” Sharon says. She would like to enable more children to go to school once she is fully trained and she would love to open schools in areas where children do not have the opportunity to go to school. Julius thinks that Montessori education will have a great impact on his community, as it fosters respect and peace; “If all children learn the Montessori way, they will become responsible and learn to live with others, promoting peace in the region”. The trainees are convinced that education has the power to heal their society.

 Sharon shares that during the holiday, they were asked several times where they go to college as people were curious to learn more about the training. Gladys got a chance to give a talk to the young people in her community and she shared her experience with Montessori training in the college. Her talk sparked a lot of enthusiasm and interest among the audience. Gladys is very proud of her training and how she is now seen as a role model for the young people in her community. She has overcome many challenges and was able to continue her education despite the fact that her father refused to educate her beyond secondary school.

After the break, Danson, Gladys, Julius and Sharon started with the second training module at St. Ann’s college and continued to explore new learning areas in their course. So far, they have covered freedom and discipline, planes of development and language. Gladys mentions that she found the presentations challenging at first, but after a lot of practice she is now confident doing a presentation in language. She says that the training is not easy and that it requires a lot of planning to finish the materials and the assignments in time, but she is willing to work hard to achieve her dreams.

A new experience in this module was the observation at the Corner of Hope Montessori school. “It was my first experience in a Montessori environment with children, I have never seen children practicing grace and courtesy. It was amazing to see the things we are learning about in practice,” said Julius. Danson and Sharon added that they found it very interesting to observe what they learnt during their training; children working with the materials independently and putting the materials back in the shelf after the activity, without being told to. “The self-drive and independence of the children was mesmerizing. I cannot wait to start my teaching practice,” said Danson.

The teachers who started their training in 2021, Maureen, Linet, and Evelyne, are now half-way through their teaching practice. During the short break, they took the opportunity to repair and repaint some materials and replace the ones that were missing. Maureen heartwarmingly mentioned that the children are still very new to the materials, and they love them so much that they sometimes take them home to show their parents.

Maureen, Linet and Evelyne have set up their Montessori environments in established schools in East Pokot. They receive frequent mentoring support from the trainers from the college, the Corner of Hope Montessori teachers, and an experienced Montessori teacher from East Pokot. The trainees appreciate the support, as it helps them to refine their skills and become more confident in their practice. “I enjoy working with the children every day” says Maureen. “It is so satisfying to see the changes in the children since they started working with the materials. The children also started to practice grace and courtesy and you can see a positive difference in their behaviour. I never thought it will be possible to achieve what we have achieved in such a short period of time”. Evelyne adds: “This method of teaching works and I am so proud to see the daily changes in the children”.

The trainee teachers will complete their training at the end of 2022 and continue their work as fully trained Montessori teachers. They aim to have more conversations with parents and other members of the community about Montessori education, how it works, and how it supports children in their development. They are confident that with more Montessori trained teachers, the children can receive an education that will greatly contribute to bridging the education gap in their community.

Start of Practice in East Pokot
The third training module for the East Pokot trainees ended in November 2021. Maureen, Linet and Evelyne packed their handmade materials and prepared them for transport to the schools before they traveled home to be with their families. When the materials were brought to the schools in East Pokot mid-December, the trainees were already waiting for them to arrive so that they could set up the environment as they learnt in their training. They set up their environments with the support of Corner of Hope mentor teachers and started working in the Montessori environments from January 2022 onwards to introduce Montessori principles and refine their practice, with ongoing support of the training college and mentor teachers.

Linet, Evelyne and Maureen shared that children and parents are curious about the way the Montessori classrooms are set up. The parents asked many questions about the Montessori method, so the trainees took the time to show them the environment and explain how Montessori works and how the children learn from each activity. They mentioned that many people do not know what Montessori education is and that they are very happy to be the ones to raise awareness in their community. “Being the pioneers and the first to be trained as Montessori teachers makes us so proud. We will ensure that no child is left behind in education,” said Linet.

New Trainees
In December 2021, interviews were conducted with the candidates for the next intake. Twelve candidates who were shortlisted attended the interviews and four were selected to train at St. Ann’s college. Gladys, Danson, Sharon and Julius started their national certificate training in January 2022. The two-year training programme includes one year of Montessori theory and practice at the college, and one year of teaching practice at a Montessori school with continuous mentoring support.

The new trainees started with an orientation to familiarise themselves with the Montessori method, and they were shown the practical room at the college. “The first time I saw the materials displayed I feared that I would never be able to make them” said Sharon, “later, when the trainers took us through the material making, I realised that I can easily work with my hands and mind to make nice materials”. Sharon loves to work with the other trainees as they learn together. The trainees have already started working on their own set of materials. A unique aspect of their training is making handmade materials using locally available resources. “When I look around, I find myself imagining how a plant, piece of stick wood or anything that I see can be used with the children. The training has made us more aware of our surroundings and more creative in using what we have available here” Julius shared.

The trainees are now used to life at the college. They mentioned that their lives have changed for the better as they learn, experience new things, and interact with students from other parts of Kenya. Danson mentioned that prior to the training that brought him to Nakuru, he had never left his small village. He went to school near his home for both primary and secondary education. He appreciates the scholarship as it gave him an opportunity to get out of his community and see new aspects of his country. He has a lot to share with his peers back at home and has vowed to encourage young people to work hard so that they can get a chance to see how life is outside of their community. He mentions that many young people do not get the chance to leave the villages and do not strive to better their lives. His dream has always been to be a teacher and he is very happy that he can fulfill his dream through Montessori training. 

The first module is coming to an end for the new trainees. They have learnt a lot in a short amount of time, and they feel supported and motivated. “I cannot explain how lucky I am,” shared Gladys. “If it wasn't for this opportunity, I would be still at home not knowing what to do. I applied for the scholarship because my father doesn’t see the need to educate a girl, but I have dreams. I want to change that mindset in my community to give hope to every girl not to give up on their education”.

While the trainees enjoy their training and the opportunity to learn, they are also worried about their families and community. It has been a very dry year in Kenya which has left people and animals facing hunger. Most people from the Pokot communities rely on their animals for their livelihoods. They have suffered losses in their herds due to the droughts and were forced to migrate to find pasture and water. The migration has led to insecurity with neighbours as they look for the same resources. The trainees are worried about the welfare of their families, but at the same time they are committed to their training as they see it as a unique opportunity to contribute to a better future for their community.