COVID19: Education & Food for Palestinian Children

TYO is in the seventh session of the Academic Support Program for students between ages 9-14. What started out as a pilot project for the residents of the Khallet El Amoud neighborhood, the Academic Support Program has been scaled up with incredible success to welcome children from the wider Nablus community, including all four of the refugee camps in the city. This affords the children of the most underserved communities with an opportunity to learn, play, and grow through TYO’s interactive approach to education. New beginnings are also an important time for reflection. As such, we invited Raneen, who is entering her fourth session of the program, to share her thoughts and experiences at TYO.

Welcome back! Can you tell me about yourself and how you got started at TYO?

I am eleven years old and in the sixth grade. I come from the Khallet El Amoud neighborhood and I am the oldest of five siblings. I have two younger brothers and two younger sisters. I started out at TYO in the Core Program and am now in the Academic Support Program. My parents noticed how my grades in Math and English started to improve, so they decided to enroll all four of my brothers and sisters at TYO.

It seems that TYO has become a family affair! How has TYO impacted your family?

My mom comes from a village nearby and my dad is from Nablus. My mother attended school until the eighth grade and my father attended school until the fifth grade. My mom is a housewife and my dad is a worker in his friend’s carpentry shop. My mother registered me in the program because I had trouble with English and Math. My parents cannot help my siblings and I with our homework and they do not have the money to pay for a tutor. TYO is where my brothers, sisters, and I come to learn and play.

Have you noticed any particular changes in yourself since starting at TYO?

Before I came to TYO, I was very shy and did not feel comfortable speaking in the classroom. Now I am the first student to answer questions in class. I even volunteered to participate in this interview! This confidence came from being able to play games and activities with other students and volunteers. I also like learning English and practicing math, especially multiplication.

What are some of the activities you participated in at TYO that helped you build your confidence?

When the weather gets really hot, we go outside and have water balloon competitions in teams. This is definitely one of my favorite games because I get to make new friends from different neighborhoods and villages. I have made friends from my neighborhood that I never spoke to at school, as well as the Balata camp and the Old City. I really like how TYO teaches us activities that use materials I can easily find at home. After I learn a new game, I teach it to my siblings so we can play it together. The fisherman game is really simple to set up and I love to play it at my house with my brothers and sisters.

You mentioned how you really enjoy playing the games you learn at TYO in your home, why is that important to you?

I usually only leave my house to attend school and the Academic Support Program at TYO. Before learning new games that I can play at home, I was bored and my house is very crowded. I study between 3-4 hours a night when I am at home. In Palestine, we have many tests at school, which does not leave much time for students to play. My house is very small, we only have two rooms, one for my parents, and one for the children. I am not allowed to leave and play in the streets like some of the other kids in my neighborhood, because my parents do not think it is safe. TYO is a safe space where I can be a kid.

Can you give me some more examples of how TYO is different from your experiences at school?

I really enjoy coming to TYO because it is a completely different way of learning than at school. At school, we have to remember everything we learn by studying with our books.  When I am at TYO, we learn by playing fun games. The students at school are always shouting at each other and it can be very distracting for the teachers and the class. There are fewer students at TYO and the classrooms are much bigger, so students have more space to speak and do activities.

Do you have a favorite memory since starting your journey at TYO?

All of the volunteers at TYO are so nice and helpful, but there was one volunteer from the Academic Support program that I liked the most. She took the time to help me work through the challenges I had in English and Math. Her patience and kindness is what really encouraged me to keep coming back to TYO.

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Minna is a 3rd-grade student from the neighbourhood of Khallet al Amood. She heard about TYO from her friends at school. The students were enrolled in the Core Program and told Minna about the activities they do and how much fun they have at TYO. After hearing about the opportunity to play with other kids her age, Minna decided to register for the Early Childhood Education Program.

Hi, Minna! Why did you decide to enroll in the Core Child Program at TYO?

The main reason I decided to join TYO is there is no one to play with at home. There is a large age gap between me and my sister. She comes home after 5 pm because of work, so I spent a lot of time at home without someone to play with. I wanted to be in a place where I am safe and can play with other children. I always want to come to TYO. I have perfect attendance because there is someone to help me with my homework, especially in English and Arabic, and we do fun activities in the classroom.

How are your experiences at TYO difference than school?

At school, there are many girls in the classroom and they shout to be heard over each other. At TYO, everything is very organized and disciplined. The teachers at TYO respect children very much. I want to be a doctor when I grow up because I learned at TYO that we need to help others. I can help others, especially poor people, by contributing my time to help those in need.

What have you learned at TYO?

We are learning how to be responsible inside the classroom and how to be a leader. The two best students chosen by the teacher will take responsibility and lead the class for the day. Last week, while we were playing outside, we learned about cooperation and sharing. While we are playing, we shouldn’t fight and should play in a peaceful way. We should play for fun, not as a competition.

Have you noticed any particular changes in yourself since starting the Core Child Program?

I used to be lonely and wouldn’t talk much because there was no one to talk to at home. Now I have started to be more social and to play with more kids. Core classes are only 2 hours, but this is time for me to play with other kids.

I also used to be bullied by other kids and they would hit me. I think I had a weak personality that would attract other kids to bother me. Now I think I have a stronger personality. I am more confident and have a stronger sense of self-worth.  I can find support and can find someone to help me if something happens in the street.

What has been your favourite experience at TYO?

I love the Fishing Game the most! All the students move around the classroom like they are in the water. Two kids have small balls that they toss at the moving students. If a ball taps a student, they are caught like a fish. We must be quiet and concentrate on how to stay away from the balls to stay in the game. The purpose of the game is to help us learn to be patient and practice our discipline. The students catching the fish must concentrate. It is a very fun game!

Will you keep coming to TYO in the future?

Yes, I will keep coming to TYO forever.

This session at TYO marked my first-time teaching 5^th and 6^th graders English, and with it the introduction to a huge group of students who seemed to have boundless enthusiasm and limitless amounts of energy. In the spirit of TYO, I looked for ways to redirect and focus this energy, rather than trying to suppress it and control it, and ended up introducing my favorite personal teaching style into the classroom: Competition.

I am hardly the first teacher to harness the benefits of competition. Its effects have often provided positive results. The use of team competition in education has been documented in psychology before, including the 1981 study Effects of Cooperative, Competitive, and Individualistic Goal Structures on Achievement. The study tested how students preformed when they competed against each other individually or as a team working in a cooperative effort. The study concluded that, “Cooperation with intergroup competition is also superior to interpersonal competition and individualistic efforts,” (Johnson, W., Maruyama, G., Johnson, R, 47). By adding a teamwork element to competitive learning, students were able to remove themselves from their insecurities and play together, learning the lesson material without realizing they were studying through play.

The study supports the claim that team competition can help students academically, but that’s not all competition can provide students. Competitions help to meet students half way by using the energy that they naturally bring to class and redirect it in positive directions. Energy in a classroom can cause disruptions and distractions during class, but it’s not an inherently negative thing and can be used in a positive way. If students supply the energy, teachers should supply the means to use it in constructive ways and change how students view learning.

Confidence can be cultivated during activities when students recognize their abilities and overall contribution to their team getting points. During an intense moment of competition, students will try to help their team however they can. Win or lose, the sense of contributing to a shared goal can often boost the confidence of even the shiest students.

The positive impact of competition in the classroom became obvious through my own anecdotal experience with one of my older students as the class participated in a competitive activity in 4 teams. The subject was spelling, one of the less engaging subjects, yet when points were on the line, my students scrambled to find the necessary letters out of a pile. The student, who is normally the most reluctant to answer any question and tries his best to sit in the corner, was now completely hunched over the table, sorting through letters with his teammates and excitedly yelling that he had found the necessary vowel. This complete transformation wasn’t merely limited to the spelling challenge. He continued to amaze as he encouraged his teammates, excitedly pumped his fist when his team scored and was the first to throw his hand up in the air when his team had completed their task first. As an individual, he was unsure and timid in his answers, but surrounded by his teammates and the chance of victory, he was a completely different student. The student now shows his confidence outside of competitions and is more likely to engage in lessons when he knows that he might have an opportunity later to use that same knowledge to gain some much-coveted points.

Games and activities allow students to grow academically, gain confidence in their abilities, and express themselves through play. Education that is effective, fun, and leads to personal growth is what TYO is all about, and what distinguishes it as an education center rather than a traditional school. The goal isn’t merely to have students leave our doors with a little bit more knowledge in their heads, but to create a personal love of knowledge and to grow as individuals.

After a wonderful session with the children at TYO, the end of the session brings the challenge of saying goodbye. Saying goodbye to the students is never easy, especially after creating such a unique bond with them. As the end of each session comes closer, students start to reveal different emotions from attachment to the place and people including sadness from not being able to see each other every day. These feelings are quickly reversed once the teachers inform their students that they will see each other next session!

During our Winter 2018 session, we were able to open two classrooms for returning Core students. The parents were excited because they knew how deeply their children were attached to TYO and the teachers and how eager the children were to return to TYO! As for the Core teachers, they were incredibly happy to know that they would be seeing so many familiar faces.

On the first day of the session, it was no surprise to see the returning four and five year olds with big smiles and opened arms! To celebrate the first day, TYO arranged a day full of fun by bringing in inflatable bouncy games! Upon seeing these games, the children were surprised, thrilled, and excited to start playing!

Core teacher Shireen shared her thoughts and feelings on having the students return for another session at TYO. Shireen stated, "One of the best experiences in life is being able to give to others and draw a smile on their faces, particularly children. Through numerous experiences with children you always discover that everyday gives you a chance to not only teach, but also learn from the children surrounding you. Children always start off feeling nervous and scared when coming to a new place they have never been exposed to. Day after day, they become more comfortable and connected as this new place becomes a part of their lives. It feels amazing when we have returning students as it allows you to see the impact you left on them. They come back following the same set of rules you taught them from the first encounter with them. I strongly believe that children constantly require strong mentors to guide them in a proper and healthy manner which allows them to strive."

As TYO is a safe space for children to learn, grow, and explore who they are and what makes them special. It is with no doubt that giving children a place that is steady and positive in their lives plays an essential and positive role on their mental and emotional wellness. That's why at TYO it never really is goodbye, it's see you later!

“There is no such thing as a mistake in art.” Even now, years later, I can still remember my elementary school art teacher encouraging me to embrace mistakes. She showed me how a misplaced line or extra paint splotch could become a new design. There is always a way to transform an accident into an opportunity. As a child pre-occupied with perfection, art gave me space to develop at my own pace. I enjoyed learning without worrying about making mistakes.  

My elementary teacher must have known that using art in education helps students to develop and become well-rounded individuals. In June 2017, The Arts Fund USA released a statement confirming that students who learn through art are well-equipped to express themselves, show empathy towards others, and collaborate and solve problems. They are also willing to take risks and are resilient in their learning. The California Alliance for Arts Education adds that students with exposure to the arts tend to have higher test scores, higher school attendance rates, and are more likely to continue their education beyond the secondary level than their counterparts. They grow into critical thinkers and innovators.

I have come to appreciate the truth of these findings while using art to teach English to students at TYO. Including daily art projects in my lesson plans has provided children with a critical sense of both structure and accomplishment. They feel prepared for class each day and they know that even if they make mistakes while learning English, they will always be able to take pride in their work. Art emboldens students to be creative and to make the mistakes that language learners must make in order to develop.                

Art also gives students freedom to make mistakes and take risks in their daily lives. Many of my students live in crowded homes and neighborhoods. Due to space and noise restrictions at home, they do not always have the ability to buzz around in bee wings, make a kite and then fly it, or roar while wearing lion masks. TYO is a place where they do not need to worry about being perfect, still, or quiet. They are free to complete an art project, take pride in their work, play with it, and simply enjoy being children. I have seen that freedom translate into an eagerness to continue learning and attending class at TYO.

Art has instilled my students with a new sense of self-esteem and motivation in their learning. It has also enabled them to build stronger relationships with one another and with me. In my two months at TYO, I have watched every single one of my students grow through art. Art has fueled their imaginations and their curiosity about themselves and the world around them. Even after our session together ends, I hope they will continue to approach their education with enthusiasm and a willingness to take risks.