Seeing is believing. Preschools and primary schools in Rwanda typically have enrollments of 40 or more children with one unprepared teacher. There are no books, no learning materials. Memorization and a few group games leave children bored and fail to develop growing brains. Even teacher education programs, most at the secondary (high school) level, focus on theory. Few, if any, teachers have ever seen a high-quality school in action.
That’s why TEACH Rwanda designed a module series of educational opportunities for Rwandan teachers to become familiar with evidence-based teaching practices, which are required with the Rwandan curriculum.
That’s why TEACH Rwanda designed a module series of educational opportunities for Rwandan teachers to become familiar with evidence-based teaching practices, which are required with the Rwandan curriculum.
Teachers and education leaders from around the country are eligible to participate in our ever-improving professional development system. Our modules were designed by experts with decades of experience in international education and—since 2010—in-country experience with Rwandan teachers and school leaders. Our modules are available in English and/or Kinyarwanda.
The first step in the process is an on-site needs assessment at every new partner school, The cost for this is $150, plus food and transport, for new schools, with discounts available for nonprofit organizations. After the needs assessment, the mentoring process begins.
Professional journeys are enriched with TEACH Rwanda’s learning experiences!
The first step in the process is an on-site needs assessment at every new partner school, The cost for this is $150, plus food and transport, for new schools, with discounts available for nonprofit organizations. After the needs assessment, the mentoring process begins.
Professional journeys are enriched with TEACH Rwanda’s learning experiences!
Observe in an Exemplary School
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Educators and officials discover high-quality childhood education in Rwanda when they observe in one of our play- and project-based Exemplary School classrooms. All children learn Kinyarwanda, English, and French as part of our engaging, integrated, and emergent curriculum.
- Visitors find themselves delighted with groups of 20 happy, self-directed, curious, creative preschool children led by two responsive teachers who scaffold children’s learning through hands-on, personalized explorations.
- Primary classrooms captivate observers, too! Discover up to 24 children who independently and in small groups experiment with science, write and illustrate their own original stories, read and re-enact interesting books, create curriculum webs, keep KWLS charts, and do many more hands-on explorations with their well-prepared teacher.
During and after the observation, visitors talk informally with our experienced teachers about the many benefits of active, child-directed learning which expand relevant Rwandan themes. Rwandan culture and modern teaching practices are masterfully blended from preschool through primary!
Opportunities to observe in our Exemplary Schools are open and free. Schools and other sponsoring agencies arrange and pay for teachers’ transport and lunches. A maximum of three observers per classroom can be scheduled to minimize disruptions in children’s learning experiences. To schedule observations, contact Anitha Meleka, our Teacher Mentor, at
TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914
Learn About
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TEACH Rwanda’s Level 2 mentoring modules are available to Rwandan teachers and school leaders only AFTER they complete Module 1. These engaging, hands-on workshops are conducted at or near the participants’ own schools. They are led by experienced, responsive teacher mentors, primarily Rwandan teachers who started their careers in our Exemplary Schools. Here are some highlights of the modules.
- Each of the four modules is designed to be implemented in a 7-hour session. Sessions are held once a week, every other week, or once a month, at the teachers’ convenience.
- Modules are conducted in Kinyarwanda and/or English, in small groups of 12 to 15 teachers to ensure active participation. Teachers are engaged in learning both knowledge and pedgagogy in many of the same ways they will begin to implement as teachers. Asking questions and sharing ideas are encouraged and supported.
- The workshops scaffold teachers’ understandings and skills in child development, brain development, and early childhood/primary education. The content and skills build on what teachers already know, have experienced in their own schools, and have observed in TEACH Rwanda classrooms.
- Everything in the workshops is congruent with, and expands upon, Rwanda’s competency-based curriculum (CBC). All leaders have successfully taught in schools in Rwanda and/or abroad.
- Workshop leaders introduce practical tools and strategies they can use immediately to help children develop genuine understanding, preserve their natural analytical thinking skills, use executive function skills, and eagerly apply their knowledge to assess children's developmental progress: KWLS charts, intriguing ideas for themes, free and found Rwandan materials lists, checklists, art explorations, portfolios, curriculum web templates, resolve conflicts, and implement other tools.
- TR modules enable teachers and school leaders to practice and refine their new skills with each other through role play and active investigation with Rwandan learning materials. Teachers become confident that they can begin to teach in more responsive, caring, encouraging ways.
- Between sessions, teachers plan and implement new ideas and strategies in their own classrooms. Teachers reflect on and ask questions about their experiences at the beginning of the next session.
Module 2 is offered only after completion of Module 1. This series of four intensive, fun workshops is available for a moderate fee, $1000 for partner schools, with discounts to nonprofit organizations, to cover leaders’ time, learning materials, and other expenses. Cost of transport to the site and lunch is additional. To arrange Module 2, TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914
Continue your professional development with a Classroom Mentor
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Rwandan teachers and school leaders are eager to get feedback about how well they are implementing what they learned and can do after participating in Modules 1 and 2. Therefore, we are happy to follow up these experiences with in-person classroom mentoring.
One or more TEACH Rwanda education experts visit each participating school to observe changes in the learning environment, teaching practices, and children’s engagement. After the observation, teachers and school leaders reflect with TEACH Rwanda representatives on their progress. Goals and timelines are set as next steps to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Module 3 builds on Modules 1 and 2 and is only available to teachers who have completed both modules. This professional development service is available to schools and agencies for $150 per day (discounts available to nonprofit organizations) plus transport to the school and lunch during reflections.
To arrange a mentor for Module 3, contact TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914
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TEACH Rwanda publishes three books, all resources for teachers and children alike! All were developed in Rwanda, for Rwandan teachers, and are illustrated with photos of Rwandan children. Discover Rwanda!
- Bunches & Bunches: How Bananas Grow in Rwanda. Pictures, information, recipes, and craft ideas.
- Learning Materials for Rwandan Young Children--Find, Play, Understand! Book 1 Rwanda’s Natural & Recycled Resources. Materials teachers and students can find, what children might create with them, what to say to inspire analytical thinking, skills and understandings, ties to common curriculum themes, and related children’s books.
- Murakaza Neza! Welcome to Our TEACH Rwanda School. What happens in a TEACH Rwanda preschool classroom? Take a peek into children’s excitement and joy. Follow what happens each day. See integrated learning in action!
Learning Materials from TEACH RwandaAfter visiting one of our schools, teachers often ask where they can find our books, learning materials, and classroom furniture in Rwanda. We source everything possible in country!
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Made in Rwanda! High-quality, durable, tested by children in our schools. Perfect for homes and as gifts for young learners.
How to order our learning materials? Contact TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914 |
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Our furniture is handcrafted to TR specifications by Rwandan carpenters. Wood is aged and sturdy, corners are rounded, surfaces are sanded, and all pieces are finished naturally to hold up to hard wear in busy classrooms.
What are the current prices? How to order our furniture? Contact TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914
- Wooden tables: Short (for 4 children). Long (for 8 children). Half round (for 2 children). Leg heights can varyly
- Book display shelves: Small (10 books). Large (30 books)
- Benches: Short (for 2 children)
- Individual desks: For upper primary, leg heights can vary
What are the current prices? How to order our furniture? Contact TEACHRwanda.TeacherMentor@gmail.com or call +25 078 520 3914
Support progress with our unique TEACH Rwanda T-shirts! These gorgeous, 100% organic cotton shirts are printed by Wildlife Works. Our Tees are available for a $25 donation to TEACH Rwanda, plus the cost of shipping when needed.
Shop for yours through TEACH Rwanda or at Azizi Life in Kigali, Rwanda. Limited quantities available in the U.S.
Sizes
Child: Small or Large
Adult: Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large
To order your shirts, contact Eric (that’s Eric in the photo, wearing an adult small) at [email protected]
Shop for yours through TEACH Rwanda or at Azizi Life in Kigali, Rwanda. Limited quantities available in the U.S.
Sizes
Child: Small or Large
Adult: Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large
To order your shirts, contact Eric (that’s Eric in the photo, wearing an adult small) at [email protected]
Drumming Learning Plan
Learn About Drumming |
Galimotos Learning Plan
Young children learn to create something new from something old. |
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Learning Materials
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Books to Read With Children
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Arts Experiences
Listen to drummers. Invite drummers and drum makers in your community to demonstrate their drumming and drum making skills. Ask them to explain how drums were used in the past to communicate with far-away neighbors. Request that they demonstrate how drums may be decorated with symbols that have personal meaning. Follow up with a group thank-you letter to the visitors.
Move to drums. Ask: How would your footsteps—walking, skipping, galloping, running—sound on drums? Have children move to the sound of drums. Slow beat-walk. Faster beat-run. Fastest beat-gallop. Create a drum dance.
Create drums. Children make and decorate their own drums using clean recycled containers. Create patterns on the drums with construction paper shapes, markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Use sticks as drum sticks.
Sing! If possible, read the story and play a recording of “Abiyoyo” (the music is in the back of the book). Teach children the song. Add instruments, such as drums and rattles, while singing. Pete Seeger’s performance of “Abiyoyo” is also on U-Tube.
Compare and contrast sounds. Describe and discuss loud and soft sounds. Play loud and soft drum rhythms. Ask children to show what they hear by using large movements (arms outstretched?) for loud sounds and small movements (toe touching?) for soft sounds.
Invent rhythms. Beat name rhythms (syllables) on tables or floors—Ab-i-yo-yo, Lou-is-a. Count the drum beats for each name and arrange children in name groups of 1 drum beat, 2 drum beats, or 3 drum beats.
Echo rhythms. Beat out simple, traditional children’s song/nursery rhyme rhythms, such as “The Wheels on the Bus” or “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” Ask children to echo the rhythms. Beat out a rhythm and challenge children to figure out what rhyme it is.
Repeat rhythms. Play Follow the Leader with rhythm. Teachers or children tap out a rhythm pattern and children repeat.
Call and response. After comparing the way people communicate today with the way drums were used to communicate in the past, create simple call and response conversations: Good morning.Response: Good morning. How are you? Response: I am happy!
Enjoy books! Read Jungle Drums to learn about the smallest wart hog in Africa and his magic drums. Look carefully at the illustrations to see how jungle animals change when drums are played. Discuss how we can all be happy with how we look and what we have. The humor and creativity of this book appeal to adults and children alike!
Read Sosu’s Call to find out how a boy with disabilities saves his whole village by using his drum to warn them of approaching flood waters. Discuss ways that young children can be good neighbors who support everyone in their villages.
Listen to drummers. Invite drummers and drum makers in your community to demonstrate their drumming and drum making skills. Ask them to explain how drums were used in the past to communicate with far-away neighbors. Request that they demonstrate how drums may be decorated with symbols that have personal meaning. Follow up with a group thank-you letter to the visitors.
Move to drums. Ask: How would your footsteps—walking, skipping, galloping, running—sound on drums? Have children move to the sound of drums. Slow beat-walk. Faster beat-run. Fastest beat-gallop. Create a drum dance.
Create drums. Children make and decorate their own drums using clean recycled containers. Create patterns on the drums with construction paper shapes, markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Use sticks as drum sticks.
Sing! If possible, read the story and play a recording of “Abiyoyo” (the music is in the back of the book). Teach children the song. Add instruments, such as drums and rattles, while singing. Pete Seeger’s performance of “Abiyoyo” is also on U-Tube.
Compare and contrast sounds. Describe and discuss loud and soft sounds. Play loud and soft drum rhythms. Ask children to show what they hear by using large movements (arms outstretched?) for loud sounds and small movements (toe touching?) for soft sounds.
Invent rhythms. Beat name rhythms (syllables) on tables or floors—Ab-i-yo-yo, Lou-is-a. Count the drum beats for each name and arrange children in name groups of 1 drum beat, 2 drum beats, or 3 drum beats.
Echo rhythms. Beat out simple, traditional children’s song/nursery rhyme rhythms, such as “The Wheels on the Bus” or “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” Ask children to echo the rhythms. Beat out a rhythm and challenge children to figure out what rhyme it is.
Repeat rhythms. Play Follow the Leader with rhythm. Teachers or children tap out a rhythm pattern and children repeat.
Call and response. After comparing the way people communicate today with the way drums were used to communicate in the past, create simple call and response conversations: Good morning.Response: Good morning. How are you? Response: I am happy!
Enjoy books! Read Jungle Drums to learn about the smallest wart hog in Africa and his magic drums. Look carefully at the illustrations to see how jungle animals change when drums are played. Discuss how we can all be happy with how we look and what we have. The humor and creativity of this book appeal to adults and children alike!
Read Sosu’s Call to find out how a boy with disabilities saves his whole village by using his drum to warn them of approaching flood waters. Discuss ways that young children can be good neighbors who support everyone in their villages.