English Language Fellows Robert Palisin and Jessica Griner and Peace Corps Volunteer Tara Sullivan organized a one-day training for local teachers in the Muhanga district of Rwanda. There were eighteen local primary and secondary teachers in attendance.
The training focused on the skill of reading – promoting it in the community, motivating students to want to read more and developing the skill in the classroom. This training provided an opportunity to bring new techniques and models to Rwandan teachers. Representatives from both the Rwandan Education board and the local library attended the training to further encourage reading.
Two concurrent sessions took place in both the morning and the afternoon sessions. The day finished with a “train the trainer” session on how teachers can return to their schools and pass along the information to their students. At the end of the training Rwandan teachers felt confident in their ability to promote reading in their classrooms.