Mother's Group and Workshop
Met with the mother's group at 6:30 this morning. Before we left the US, The World Vision company sent Mrs. McOmber 60 more glasses to take over to Nepal. That meant we were 60 cases short. Palmo bought a bolt of fabric and thread and it was decided that the mothers could start making cases. We cut 2 templates and some moms started tracing and others started cutting. Then the sewing began. The machine is very difficult to control for the beginners. They are practicing and getting better. The plan is to have some of the cases ready for Saturday for the distribution. ......
After the hour mother's group we went back to the hotel to prep for the workshop and get some paper work done.
At 2:00 the teachers from Strong Roots and Bal-Kendra gathered in their meeting room at Bal-Kendra. 12 staff members joined us to talk about Responsive Classroom, teacher language of reinforcing, reminding and redirecting behaviors, and music integration. We enjoyed talking about teaching and learning and children. We shared many strategies we use and modeled morning meeting greetings, reminding and redirecting behaviors through positive teacher language. The Nepali teachers had lots of questions about student motivation and redirecting. And, a good conversation took place about education.
The fun part of the workshop was modeling content lessons with music integration. We shared Brown Bear through song and a felt board. Then showed 2 ways to use the book for science and vocabulary. We shared 5 Little Ducks in a similar way. The teachers sang along with us and added many other thoughts to add to the lessons.
We ended with a BANG as Mrs. Woronecki broke out the instruments we brought. Teachers laughed and played with them at first. We then modeled how to use them as part of lessons, and as great motivators for small children. Our group then wrote a Haiku about rain, and added musical sounds to the text.... thunder drums!!! Teachers were beginning to see how these fun musical tools can enrich their classrooms.