Help us rebuild schools in Nepal

Together with our local partner in Nepal, Kakshyalaya, we recently concluded the latest round of our read-aloud teacher training programs for 30 teachers in Kavre and Nuwakot districts.

The training was titled Kitab-Kiro, which translates to "Bookworms," and was our attempt to encourage reading habits in children in rural areas, where quality, age-appropriate books can be scarce. We were also trying to change a stereotype about bookworms; generally, a devotion to reading is considered a positive trait, but in Nepal the term has acquired a negative connotation because of the rote memorization required by national examinations.

This was the second year of training for schools in Kavre, so we included elements of social studies as part of literacy instruction. After considering visits to a local pottery as well as a weaving factory, we chose to take the teachers on a group field trip to a saw mill, conveniently located next to the Shanti Niketan School where the training sessions took place.

We also visited a nearby forest, collectively managed for conservation purposes. To get there, our teachers loaded onto the back of a local cargo truck for a bumpy, dusty and unforgettable 40-minute ride. A forestry service employee discussed native plants and animals along the way.

Twelve teachers from five schools participated in the training, centered on the idea that social studies is at the core of every interaction between people and their environment. Teachers used their experience on the field trip to create appropriate social studies-based learning modules for their respective schools. Some classes will visit the saw mill, while one of the schools participating in the training has planned a beekeeping project for its students.

In Nuwakot, we were conducting the training for the first time with 18 participants. We followed a similar curriculum to what we had used in Kavre a year ago, based on Nepali children’s literature. We helped teachers understand research demonstrating the benefits of children’s literature (in the classroom and in the home) for literacy development. We also discussed what makes a good children’s book, the importance of illustrations, how to practice reading, and the importance of a child’s perspective in learning to read.

Because we offer matching funds to teachers who would like to order books from Nepali publishers, we introduced them to several publishing houses, including RBK, Sangrila and Kathalaya, and Kathmandu Publishers.

We brought all of the teachers from both training sites together for a final group session in Pokhara, a top tourist destination, popular as the base for trekkers to explore the Annapurna ranges in the Himalayas. We treated our teachers to a three-day getaway at a lakeside hotel where they practiced reading aloud as well as basic illustration techniques in paper collage and water colors.

We will be following up with our teachers throughout the year, to help them incorporate reading aloud in their classrooms and plan social studies activities with their students.