GEORGIA PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT MONTHLY REPORT JANUARY 1-31, 2016 Contract No. AID-114-C-11-00003 USAID COR: Medea Kakachia Chief of Party: Indira Amiranashvili 9 February, 2016 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 JANUARY 2016 G-PriEd Portal Continued to interpret Google Analytics to better understand Portal-user behavior: recorded 8,656 users in January (includes both new and returning users), with the highest number of users in a single day being 1,350 (includes both new and returning users) on the Portal-integrated Google Analytics tool (http://www.google.com/analytics/) Continued to revise branded materials uploaded on the Portal with the new G-PriEd logo Completed the testing draft of E-Assess/Math component for screening tests Continued to collect different statistics that can be derived from the Portal. Currently, the following statistics can be produced: 1) General Report on registered TLC facilitators and teachers: http://kargiskola.ge/GC/stats/general.php 2) E-sessions report with the numbers of teachers: http://kargiskola.ge/GC/stats/new/video_new.php 3) Classroom observations/teacher evaluations by Principals report: http://kargiskola.ge/GC/stats/new/dir_new.php 4) Teacher Learning Circles meetings/activities report:http://kargiskola.ge/GC/stats/new/teachers.php Continued to upload materials to the Portal Continued to maintain a FAQ block on G-PriEd Portal to support schools in using portal and to facilitate efficient use of e-sessions Finalized the initial list of topics for G-PriEd Forum Quality Control Prepared and sent one of the questionnaires for Portal-managed surveys to ensure improvement in quality of G-PriEd’s deliverable: math electronic course. Received complete questionnaires from 120 schools Training Delivery Delivered a 2-day ToT to 6 GSL trainers and 1-day ToT to 9 math trainers who will train respective teachers in pilot and expansion ethnic minority schools Sustained the Portal-based electronic training in Georgian pilot schools: TLC facilitators from 59 schools conducted 182 e-sessions in reading and 184 e-sessions in math Sustained the Portal-based electronic training in Georgian expansion schools: TLC facilitators from 444 schools conducted 1,343 e-sessions in reading and 1,345 e-sessions in math School Visits and Classroom Observations Conducted 51 visits to expansion schools: - During 28 visits reading trainers observed 108 teachers and 28 TLC facilitators - During 23 visits math trainers observed 86 teachers and 23 TLC facilitators Conducted a brief phone survey with 10 randomly selected school principals TLC Activities 742 TLC facilitators from expansion schools reported on 1,179 TLC activities conducted at their schools during the period of November 2016-January 2016: - model lessons – 56 - lesson study – 162 - case study – 274 - data analysis – 526 - peer observation – 161 School Principal Activities: Instructional Leadership 289 school principals submitted a portal-based report on school-based teacher evaluation and classroom observation - 2,751 teachers were engaged in school-based teacher evaluation process - School principals conducted 2,727 individual planning and goal setting sessions with teachers individually - School principals conducted 21 unannounced and 107 formal classroom observations Training Materials Edited, finalized, and uploaded four e-sessions on differential instruction in math to the Portal: two for Grade 1-4 teachers and two for Grade 5-6 teachers Edited and finalized materials for 3 e-sessions for teachers of grades 5-6; finalized and uploaded 2 e-sessions on diagnostic assessment (one for grades 1-4 and the other – for grades 5-6) Finalized the script for a 2-hour e-session on parental engagement and sent materials for final editing Continued printing of Reading and Math Resource Books, intended for distribution to G-PriEd target schools Instructional Resources Continued illustrating, formatting, and uploading the supplementary leveled readers to the Portal Completed formatting and uploading of reading diagnostic assessment items into the reading item bank for E-Assess Portal Zone Continued validation of math diagnostic assessment item bank for E-Assess Portal Zone Continued printing of instructional resources, intented for distribution to target schools (readers, big books, activity cards, flash cards) Contracted procurement of student newspapers and posters Finalized a content page of the 7th issue of the student newspaper Reading Times with USAID approval Re-submitted the request for procurement of math manipulatives Parental Engagement Continued with bus and bus station advertisements for parental engagement public awareness campaign in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi Continued printing of parenetal engagement cards, intented for distribution to expansion school students Filmed and broadcasted tree one-minute video clips on the importance of parental engagement in education for Maestro media project and uploaded them to G-PriEd Portal Prepared and uploaded a presentation in PE for facilitators on the Portal BSPE On January 22, G-PriEd organized the second school visit and a business skills lessons’ observation for Mr. Douglas H. Ball, USAID Mission Director and Dr. Tbilisi School #133, Grade 6 BSPE classroom observation Medea Kakachia, G-PriEd COR. The visit was by the USAID Mission Director and filming by Maestro TV recorded by Maestro TV station and aired in the 3 morning show Sakmiani Dila (Business Morning) on January 25. Signed two MOUs with private sector companies, bringing the total number of signed MOUs to 34, with 137 volunteers committed to participate in the business skills program Continued meetings with private sector companies in the regions to solicit their participation in the business skills program Continued training private sector volunteers: six trainings held in January for 37 volunteers Continued delivery of the business skills programs in 39 pilot schools Continued production of the business skills animated movie Distributed CDs with a rap song Money Moves Around in the Community to all 3rd grades in 39 BSPE pilot schools Cooperation with the MES Received comments from the MES about business skills slogan on business skills banners for bus advertising campaign Received an approval from the MES to use the MES logo on business skills banners Project Administration Submitted a contract modification request to USAID for a six-month no-cost extension and revised SOW– approval pending PLANNED ACTIVITIES FEBRUARY 2016 G-PriEd Portal Test reading and math (focused assessment) software of E-Assess in selected schools, fix bugs and launch Continue to program math (screening assessment) software of E-Assess Continue to design different statistics that can be derived from the Portal Continue to interpret Google Analytics to better understand Portal-user behavior Continue to upload materials to the Portal Continue to develop tutorials for Portal users Finalize a Forum structure to be integrated into G-PriEd Portal Continue to maintain an FAQ block on G-PriEd Portal to support schools in using portal and to facilitate efficient use of e-sessions Quality Control Continue to develop online questionnaires for a survey regarding the quality improvement of the Portal Process and analyze data from questionnaires received from 120 schools regarding the quality of math electronic course and submit to Math Improvement Director Training Delivery Deliver an orientation session to 19 pilot ethnic minority school principals and TLC facilitators on G- PriEd interventions and usage of resource portal www.kargiskola.ge on February 4 and 5 Deliver a 2-day training to 215 reading and math teachers from expansion ethnic minority schools Deliver 2-day training to 170 reading and math teachers from pilot ethnic minority schools 4 Organize and film a roundtable session with up to 6 principals from expansion schools to solicit feedback, provide TA and make a video-record for other target schools via Forum of the Portal Start development of an agenda and content for a 1-day refresher for school principals and TLC facilitators from expansion schools. School Visits and Classroom Observations Conduct 242 visits to expansion schools to observe teachers and TLC facilitators Conduct a 1-day feedback session with trainers conducting school visits Conduct 3 unannounced visits to pilot schools. TLC Activities Maintain analysis of TLC activity statistics submitted by TLC facilitators and reach out to those TLC facilitators, who did not report or reported insufficient information Develop a draft of the script for the TLC e-session on Lesson Study; engage participant teachers and a facilitator in the planning process. School Principal Activities: Instructional Leadership Analyze statistics on school-based teacher evaluation and reach out to those Principals who did not report or reported insufficient information Plan and start preparations for promoting instructional leadership in 1-minute on Maestro TV Training Materials Continue development of the TOT guidelines