Friday, February 04, 2011

1 room schoolhouse to 2 Blog #3

Caitlin Brewer
2/4/11
Blog #3
Word Count: 301

Things have not always been so stressful for the teachers of the Mingachevir School in Azerbaijan. Before the dispute of territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out, the school was a beautiful place. Now after it reopened, it is where hundreds of kindergarteners are placed into a two-room school. The teachers seem to be coping with this problematic way of teaching a little better with some solutions such as, shifts between the two classrooms, a new gymnasium, some new rooms which provide opportunities for afterschool programs. Now some of the other rural schools will be getting some supplies like desks, proper heating and many other necessities. Even with all the improvements happening educators and government officials are still unhappy with some schools still being unprepared without chalkboards and books; saying “the quality of education is not in place”- Seymour Yousfli, a project coordinator at Save the Children Azerbaijan. Besides the lack of proper materials needed to successfully run a school, another issue is teacher quality. The government is trying to set up workshops to teach these teachers effective methods, but many are unable to go due to locations. This is a great resource but the teachers are unable to even access it, what is the point?

This to me is where the money should really be invested in and that’s giving the teachers the information and the most up to date knowledge to teach the corresponding curriculum. You can have to most up to date books and technology, but it is up to the teachers to break it down for the students and give them some enlightenment. If these teachers are teaching something out of date, then how will the children ever be near the most accurate data? Teachers are role models and should show their students how learning is benefical.






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