From 1-2 November 2013, the Rutu Foundation with partners VIDS, VSG and RKBO* organized another training in Intercultural Teaching. This time the training was for education inspectors, teaching consultants and other trainers of teachers. Around 15 people participated in the training and gained deeper insight into the realities, possibilities and challenges of intercultural differences.
More and more we have become aware that the education results in Suriname are dependent on the well-being of the children in the classroom. Much has therefore been invested in programmes for Child Friendly Schools. School teams are trained among others in creating a powerful learning environment including how to connect to the child’s reality.
Intercultural Learning Environment
Because we have so many different cultures in Suriname, it can be quite a challenge for teachers to connect to the diverse realities of the children, especially in the Interior, home of different indigenous and tribal peoples. The training Intercultural Teaching offers teachers important tools to meet this challenge.
Among others, the programme includes a common description of an intercultural learning environment. What is it and how can you create such an environment? What role does the teacher play? How do you positively engage with diversity and with your own identity? The objective is to encourage inclusion, both inside school and outside.
Collaboration with the national telecom provider Telesur
The practical part of the training about m-learning had to be post-poned. This part of the training focuses on the use of mobile phones and internet when supporting teachers in the Interior. The Rutu Foundation collaborates with Suriname’s national telecom provider Telesur, who supports the m-learning project and offered one of its conference rooms for the training.
The training was hosted by Ralph Schreinemachers and our local project coordinator Maggie Schmeitz, with support from Gloria Saaki of the Bureau VSG and Sandra Jeffrey of Bureau VIDS, who previously followed the training-for-trainers. Read more here about the first training.
‘I want to encourage the teachers to use more languages with the children by asking them during the lesson how they would say it in their home language. This way, the children will be able to understand it immediately in their home language.’ – participant
* RKBO is the Roman Catholic School Board. VSG stands for Association of Saamaka Traditional Leaders and VIDS is is the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname. Here you can find more information about the partners of the Rutu Foundation.