Evidence based teacher training model for catalyzing inclusion and stabilizing communities post-conflict

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The Education for Coexistence in Iraq (ECI) program, implemented by IREX from September 2017 – June 2022, demonstrated that teachers who are supported in their own emotional wellbeing and empowered under a unifying identity of teacher leader, who are then equipped with tools to employ trauma informed strategies for emotional support to students as well as strategies for promoting inclusion, enable schools to become a powerful force for rebuilding on a systemic level in areas where culture, ethnicity, religion and politics created division and injustice. The ECI program equipped 255 educators from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds in post-Da’esh areas of Iraq, who in turn trained an additional 12,627 educators across Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Nearly 30,000 students benefited from new emotional support and inclusive peacebuilding strategies in their classrooms. Available data show that from 2019 to 2022, at least 73% of educators consistently used strategies from the ECI program in their classroom or school. At least 40% of those who used ECI strategies shared success stories of change in their classrooms. Results ranged from improved academic performance, increased classroom engagement, improved classroom behavior, increased social cohesion and inclusion as well as increased parent and community engagement. At least 38% of program participants consistently facilitated additional training for educators outside the program from 2019 – 2022 on the ECI curriculum, exponentially increasing the program’s impact.

This panel highlights effective methods, confirmed by external evaluation, that support increased inclusion, equity, emotional wellbeing, and peaceful co-existence in post Da’esh areas of Iraq as demonstrated through the ECI program. Education is pivotal in rebuilding a cohesive society in the aftermath of years of complex, sectarian and ideological conflict and further demonstrates that teacher leaders have the potential to create safe inclusive spaces for learning in their schools. Outcomes from the ECI program show that school-based interventions focused on supporting students affected by trauma and promoting a shared identity as teacher leaders can positively contribute to an overall community building strategy in Iraq, and potential model for other areas post conflict.

The panel presents learning on sustainable and adaptable methods educators can apply for teacher development and effective tools and strategies teachers can use to promote emotional wellbeing for their students and inclusion in their schools. As Ministries of Education and administrators seek best practices for teacher development, it is critical a whole person approach is taken to strengthening the identity of educators as teacher leaders. As teachers seek new strategies, it is critical they have an understanding of how trauma impacts learning, are equipped with strategies to provide emotional support, as well as strategies for uniting students across ethnic, religious and cultural barriers. By providing teachers and school administrators with the skills to identify and help students most in need, while ensuring their classrooms become inclusive, education can become a force for rebuilding. Those rebuilding must seize the opportunity to create schools as safe protective spaces for learning before they become another tool for division. Schools and educators in post conflict areas must shift their understanding of the role schools can play in uniting a community. Inclusive school environments that respect human rights and reinforce non-sectarianism while providing emotional support to trauma-affected students are a critical component of stabilization.

The ECI program equipped teachers and administrators to serve students by providing them with triaged psychosocial support for those most in need and peace-building, inclusive education for all students to promote reconciliation in communities through the Inclusive Educator Curriculum Guide, designed by IREX. ECI educators were also trained on the Student Psychological Support Tool (SPST) designed by IREX, which was then used with nearly 6,000 students, where educators identified 2,802 students in need of support from a trained professional clinician. From the 255 educators, IREX trained 30 Master Trainers, selected from Cohort I alumni, through a ToT approach, equipping them with skills and expertise to serve as a resource for sustainability by leading training for additional educators through the Ministry of Education beyond the life of the program.

The objective of this panel is to share how the findings and outcomes from the ECI program connect to and build upon already existing research based in education in conflict. The panel will share outcomes related to the model and approach of the ECI program and its impact on creating safe protective schools across post conflict areas of Iraq. Panelists will discuss the effectiveness of the program on both the individual teacher level as well as on a sustainable systemic level through the Ministry of Education, the current context and challenges within education in post Da’esh Iraq, and how the ECI program addressed these challenges. The panel brings perspective from an external evaluator for the ECI program, local partner in Iraq, the Al Ghad League for Women and Childcare, and ECI program implementers at IREX.

The first panelist, Marissa Wong, will provide an overview of the impact and effectiveness of the ECI program to meet its goals and objectives as learned through an independent External Evaluation that was conducted at the end of the program. The second panelist, Mohammad Jasim, will provide an overview of the current context in Iraq and challenges facing teachers and students post Da’esh related to trauma, equity, inclusion, and social cohesion. The third panelist, Lindsey Powers, will share the method and approach for the ECI program, discussing the curriculum and tools designed by IREX as well as the unique approach to teacher training.

The panel chair, Lindsey Powers from IREX, will provide a brief introduction to the panel, connecting the panel to the conference theme of improving education for a more equitable world. The discussant, Stanley Currier from IREX, will provide summary remarks drawing from lessons learned and facilitate a question and answer discussion with attendees.

Sub Unit

• Education in Conflict and Emergencies SIG

Chair

• Lindsey Powers, IREX

Individual Presentations

• Measuring Results: The sustained effects of empowering educators - Marissa Wong

• The impacts on teachers, students and schools in post-Da’esh Iraq - Mohammad Jassim, ALGHAD League for Woman and Child Care

• The Education for Co-existence in Iraq program: a teacher training model for post-conflict areas addressing inclusion and emotional support - Lindsey Powers, IREX

Discussant

• Stanley Currier, IREX