Georgia Primary Education Project in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia
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GEORGIA PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT MONTHLY REPORT NOVEMBER 1-30, 2014 Contract No. AID-114-C-11-00003 USAID COR: Medea Kakachia Chief of Party: Nancy Parks 8 December 2014 This material is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Chemonics International Inc., and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Preparation of the material is made within the framework of the USAID Georgia Primary Education Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. G-PRIED HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER 2014 1,062 primary grade teachers trained: 886 teachers from 103 Georgian pilot schools and 176 teachers from 19 ethnic minority schools Teacher attendance rate at training sessions was 84% 105 pilot school principals and 37 heads of regional Educational Resource Centers trained in school-based teacher evaluation and parent engagement strategies 139 school visits conducted by national trainers; 252 reading Lia Gigauri, Deputy Minister of Education, welcomes school principals and ERC teachers observed in 68 schools and 275 math teachers representatives at G-PriEd workshop observed in 71 school 134 TLC facilitators observed while conducting TLC meetings 105 schools reported using classroom diagnostic assessments 33 schools reported in conducting TLC meetings focused on parental engagement 18 pilot schools appointed a staff member to be responsible for parental engagement activities 9 pilot schools submitted schedules of planned parental engagement activities TLC meeting in Kutaisi School #32 “E-Assess” concept presented to NAEC Third shipment of training materials in GLS for ethnic minority schools dispatched Subcontracts for professional printing of instructional materials signed RFQ for procurement of math manipulatives issued PLANNED ACTIVITIES DECEMBER 2014 Conduct a minimum of 90 school visits by math and reading national trainers Present G-PriEd’s School-based Teacher Evaluation model to MES and its relevant agencies Translate TLC facilitators’ reports Conduct a competition among pilot schools for the best parental engagement slogan Conduct a focus group among parents and MES personnel to prepare parental engagement messages for public awareness Broadcast three one-minute video clips on G-PriEd’s activities on Maestro TV channel Organize a meeting with the MES and TPDC to present the G-PriEd Resource Portal concept Continue to develop technical description of G-PriEd Resource Portal and prepare content for front pages Develop software program and incorporate bank of test items into it Distribute printed instructional resources to pilot schools Procure additional math manipulatives Recruit personnel to develop multi-media products (math and reading games and simulators) for the G-PriEd Resource Portal Continue to assist in the development of excel-based score and analysis sheets for math diagnostic assessments Print the final versions of leveled readers, flash cards, activity cards, and student newspapers Complete filming of the videos on reading fluency instruction and diagnostic reading assessment Begin development of GSL conversational posters Continue development of the next set of supplementary leveled readers, diagnostic assessment forms, and materials for the G-PriEd resource portal ANNEXES Annex A: November School Visit Report Annex B: G-PriEd/MES Correspondence in November Annex C: Status of USAID/MES Approval of G-PriEd Materials in November Annex D: G-PriEd Official Meetings in November Annex E: TLC Parental Engagement Report Form Annex F: Report on the Introduction of Classroom Diagnostic Assessments 3 GOALS: 1. Improve reading and math instruction for approximately 40,000 Georgian students, grades 1-6, including ethnic minority students in approximately 300 … schools. 2. Improve reading and math delivery systems in Georgia’s primary education. 3. Enhance community and public engagement, accountability, and transparency in approximately 300 schools. Component 1: Improve reading and math instruction for approximately 40,000 students of grades 1-6, including ethnic minority students, in approximately 300 schools. Subcomponent 1.1: Improve Teacher Effectiveness in Teaching Reading and Math, as well as in the Use of Formative Assessment-Based Teaching Approach NOVEMBER ACTIVITY 1. Develop a concept for improving teachers’ instruction of reading and math through 1) training and 2) school-based professional development and integrate it with the MES’ concept of state-provided professional certification and continuous professional development. This concept will cover the procedures for nominating teacher circle facilitators. Completed, October 2012 2. Discuss the concept and requirements with the MES and encourage its approval. Completed, October – December 2012 3. Hold conferences with principals. In November, G-PriEd held a two-day workshop for pilot school principals and heads of ERCs. Detailed information is provided below in Task 8. The next meeting with principals will be held in January 2015. Task 1: Develop, 4. Assist the schools/MES in identifying teacher facilitators in the pilot schools. propose, and support Completed, June 2013 the implementation of 5. During pilot phase, provide sample materials and quality assurance procedures to support TLC school-based facilitators. mechanisms for G-PriEd continued to provide materials to TLC facilitators. Through its Facebook page, the facilitators promoting received a teacher self-assessment form that all teachers are expected to complete as part of the professional teacher evaluation process. G-PriEd urged TLC facilitators to discuss the self-evaluation form with the development of math teachers at TLC meetings. and reading teachers Teachers are actively engaged in TLC activities as evidenced by the many photos and entries posted on the TLC Facebook page. In November, TLCs were primarily engaged in the analysis of classroom diagnostic assessment results. However, other activities, such as model lessons and lesson studies, were also conducted. School principals will submit detailed reports of the September-December TLC TLC meeting in Ikalto School activities on January 15, 2015. 6. Support and monitor, in cooperation with TPDC, the work of the teacher facilitators in pilot schools. School Visits. G-PriEd national trainers continued their visits to pilot schools. The purpose of the school visits was to observe math and Georgian language teachers delivering their lessons and TLC facilitators conducting meetings in order to provide constructive feedback on their practices. Each trainer observed 3-4 teachers and one TLC facilitator per school visit. G-PriEd national trainers conducted 139 school visits (reading trainers visited 68 schools and math trainers visited 71 schools) to observe 252 Georgian language and 275 math teachers during this period. In addition, the trainers observed 134 TLC meetings. (Annex A: November School Visit Report). Reading Observations Math Observations G-PriEd also encouraged school Schools Teachers TLCs Schools Teachers TLCs principals to accompany the Visited Observed Observed Visited Observed Observed trainers during classroom and TLC Abkhazia 2 8 2 1 4 1 Adjara 5 20 5 8 29 8 observations and attend the Guria 3 12 3 4 16 4 feedback sessions between the Tbilisi 5 19 5 4 16 4 teachers and trainers. During 112 Imereti 13 48 13 10 39 9 out of 139 school visits, the school Kakheti 7 27 6 7 28 6 Mtskheta-Mtianeti 3 12 3 2 8 2 principals or deputy principals Racha-Lechkhumi & joined the national trainers in 4 17 4 4 15 4 Kv. Svaneti observing classrooms and Samegrelo & Zemo 7 27 7 6 24 5 participated in the feedback Svaneti Samtskhe-Javakheti 9 31 9 8 29 8 sessions. Involving principals in the Kvemo Kartli 7 20 7 9 35 8 teacher evaluation process Shida Kartli 3 11 3 8 32 8 promotes principals as instructional Total 68 252 67 71 275 67 leaders in their schools. Math lesson observed in Gori Reading lesson observed in Gori G-PriEd Math National Trainer and School # 12 School # 8 School Principal conducting a feedback session 5 ERC Visits to G-PriEd Schools. The regional Educational Resource Centers (ERCs) are very important components in the education system. As G- PriEd launches its activities in the expansion schools, ERCs will play an important role in driving and sustaining the innovative educational ideas, practices and resources that G-PriEd has introduced. Therefore it is critical that ERC representatives not only participate in G-PriEd workshops, but also visit the schools to see G-PriEd’s innovations implemented in the classrooms. On November 27, the head of Gori ERC, Zurab Kareli visited Gori School # 12, the first ERC representative to visit a G-PriEd pilot school. He observed math and reading lessons, met with the teachers and school principals and saw various instructional resources provided by G-PriEd. G-PriEd will continue to encourage ERCs to participate in project events as the first step in guaranteeing the sustainability of project-introduced innovations. Zurab Kareli, Head of Gori Educational Resource Center visiting Gori School # 12 7. During expansion of pilot, hold conference with principals in expansion schools to introduce the plan to improve teachers’ instruction of reading and math. This activity will begin later in project implementation. 8. During expansion, assist schools/MES in identifying teacher facilitators in expansion