Mali Balanced literacy, nurturing classroom and socio-emotional learning.

• In Event: Changing attitudes, behaviors and performance through a nurturing classroom: Adapting pedagogy, enhancing teacher resilience, and catalyzing community action

Proposal

This presenter will explain the impact of a nurturing classroom and positive discipline on student performance, particularly on learning to read and write, in a resource lean environment. In a nurturing classroom, teachers are not the only knowledge holders. Teachers have learned to use dialogue, praise and other techniques of positive discipline to redirect student behavior rather than critical and punitive interventions. The simple word respect served as an entry door to a better socio-emotional learning context and fostered behaviors and attitudes that led to the shaping of better global citizens. Challenges implementing such an approach emerge from teachers’ deep-anchored beliefs and cultural norms as well as parental expectations.
The presenter will also describe how the adapted version of balanced literacy has been liberating for teachers and students alike, giving a voice to all and allowing teachers to exercise professional judgments and demonstrate initiative in their practice. This adapted version of balanced literacy has enabled teachers to move away from frontal teaching, and to involve their students in drawing up hypotheses, reflecting on texts and sharing their own opinions. A more active participation in activities has translated into animated sessions where children express themselves, are encouraged to think critically and positively interact with the teacher.
The presenter will share data from a study revealing the impact of both actions, a nurturing classroom and an adapted innovative pedagogy for early grade literacy on classroom climate, teacher behavior and student performance and behavior.
At the same time that SIRA has worked to bring about change in the classroom, its community participation domain has focused on increasing parental involvement in the education of their children both at home and at school and carrying the nurturing emphasis beyond the classroom into the home. Historically, Malian parents have not been involved in their children’s academic education. The assumption is that it’s the school’s job to educate; parents have a different role and the two don’t intersect. SIRA has instituted measures where they can meet, discuss and work in synergy. Through SIRA’s community participation activities, parents and community members have increased their involvement in the life of the school, assisting their children’s learning through activities at home.
The presenter will describe how activities carried out by a corps of SIRA volunteers in collaboration with local volunteers are changing long-standing patterns of school/home separation. The volunteers, who live in the target communities carry out home visits, organize general assemblies, and facilitate parent-teacher dialogue. They also lead reading games and fun activities outside of school to encourage a love of reading in a relaxed, positive settings. Older children help younger ones and a culture of encouragement emerges.
Teachers and school officials have appreciated the increased involvement of parents and community members to achieve a synergy between home and school positively impacting the students’ performance. This is the first time in Mali that a project has combined a pedagogical approach to a community approach. The presenter will discuss this holistic vision and the benefits it has generated.

Author

• Youssouf Mohammed Haidara, RARE