Training
A shelf full of books does not create a reading culture by itself. Without the proper training, library managers and teachers often don’t have the comprehension and tools to make their schools successful. Within the Ethiopian education system, library managers show up in brand new libraries not having grown up with books and libraries, with little training or support. Having never had this role modeled for them, they are often confused about what their role should be and feel very alone and unappreciated.
Our goal is to nurture library managers with professional development seminars that promote sustainability. We want to help them become empowered to create a library that comes to life and makes an impact. For example, a simple lending system to get books in the hands of students or creating a calm, welcoming environment can dramatically improve literacy rates.
Ethiopia Reads’ professional development seminars arm library managers with the tools to be successful in a challenging environment. Through partnerships with major institutions like the Ministry of Education, the UN Economics Affairs Council Library and library managers from some of the most prestigious international schools in Addis Ababa, we are able to provide unmatched skills-training and education. And, because we continue to monitor and assess our libraries, we fine-tune our training sessions as specific needs become apparent.
Among other principles of good literacy practice, our training sessions focus on:
- Individualized student engagement through book clubs.
- Developing critical thinking and comprehension skills while reading fiction aloud to kids.
- Showing library managers how students can begin to see themselves as authors and storytellers by making their own small books using affordable materials.
- Understanding the fundamental components of literacy, and how to translate them into teaching practice.
- Using music with patterned lyrics to teach English.
- Exposing library managers to nonfiction conventions (bold print, captions, headings, charts and diagrams for example) that assist readers in deepening their understanding of a particular topic.
- Introducing the concept of a welcoming lending system vs. a highly guarded information archive; including book care routines for students and staff.
- Colleague mentoring and hands-on practice.
- Library design and function as a means of creating a welcoming and usable space with limited resources.
Facing an annual battle with local officials and landlords who demand exorbrant rent increases, Ethiopia Reads decided to change the program model for serving this population of children who live in a densely populated and low-resource urban area.
In Ethiopia, it pays to be nimble in program design. Strategies must be mixed, must be flexible and fluid. Conditions change. We are now conducting focus groups among parents, educators, and officials in three sub-cities in Addis Ababa, including the Mercato District, about best ways to serve children with foundational literacy. This year we will be submitting project proposals to those three sub-cities.
By designing mobile programs based in strong existing libraries, we help both the base library and the whole sub-city, supporting library and broader literacy projects with training, materials, staff support and mentoring. We advocate district-wide for strong reading instruction and strong libraries. In this way, we have the potential to impact thousands of early grades readers within budgets comparable to one’s school’s operations budget, particularly in this spiraling costs in Addis Ababa.
Book-Centered Learning (The BCL Project) recognizes that books have the power to unlock each student’s potential. To accomplish this goal, this project acknowledges that it is not enough to provide the physical resources and books for a library- but imperative to expertly train those who help students utilize the resources. When students interact with a knowledgeable and skilled librarian their opportunity to learn is much greater.
The model of Book Centered Learning begins with assessment. This is done through the use of an assessment tool, called a rubric, that states the desired outcomes regarding how a good library functions and identifying the qualities of a highly skilled librarian. This assessment rubric was developed with the expertise of the Ethiopia Reads Staff supported by library and literacy specialists in the United States. Feedback was also received from successful librarians working in Ethiopia to assure that this assessment tool is meaningful and relevant to those who would benefit from it. Initially this project was piloted in 22 schools throughout all regions of Ethiopia.
Based on the initial assessment results, three main goals were established:
1) Library Environment and Access- The library is open, well organized and equipped with high quality resources and support.
2) Read Aloud Protocol- The librarian uses books to actively engage students in an enjoyable and informative reading experience- asking higher level questions that teach students how to actively engage in texts for deeper learning.
3) Professional Development/ Advocacy for and extension of the Library- The librarian recognizes the value of continued professional development and seeks innovative and exciting ways to develop a culture of literacy for students, families and community.
Based on these three goals, there have been 23 individual training modules/ presentations developed, supported by a comprehensive training manual. This training focuses on literacy skills and strategies that students can use in their study of the general curriculum- such as ways to learn new vocabulary words, ways to comprehend what they read, and strategies for locating resources in the library to assist them in their own research and study
The model of curriculum delivery is a cascade model where literacy professionals engage in training Ethiopia Reads staff in Addis Ababa, who then deliver the training in the individual schools / libraries while assessing program effectiveness and providing additional needed support. The training modules are delivered at various levels due to differing experience levels of the librarians as well as differences in the individual library collections. After implementation, the librarians are observed and re-assessed to celebrate improvement, determine additional training that is needed, and assure that the program is effective and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.
Book-Centered Learning (BCL) Committee Members
(*In-Country Training Facilitators)
Laurie Curtis, Chairperson*
Dr. Laurie Curtis is the chair of the Book Centered Learning committee. Her experience includes teaching elementary school for 15 years before serving 14 years as a university professor at Kansas State University. While at K-State, she taught both undergraduates and graduates in literacy methods, neuroscience of learning to read and write and served as the director of the Reading Specialist Program. She is the Executive Director of the Association of Teacher Educators in Kansas and chair of the Kansas Learning First Alliance. Since co-leading a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad to Ethiopia in 2010, she has returned multiple times to observe in libraries and was an invited scholar at the International Conference on Quality Education for the Institute of Pedagogical Sciences in Mekelle, Ethiopia in 2015. During each visit to Ethiopia, Dr. Curtis provides professional training for the Ethiopia Reads staff in the area of literacy education, based on the data-driven modules and manual created by the literacy experts on the BCL committee. She has published regarding her work in Ethiopia, including a book chapter in International Collaborations in Literacy Research and Practice
Yemisrach Worku*
Yemisrach is currently the Country Director for Ethiopia Reads. She has served a training facilitator in her previous work with the Digital Opportunity Trust and is now one of the lead training facilitators for our organization. In addition to being involved in the training of trainers, Yemisrach has been integral in helping to design, adapt and test the BCL Training Curriculum for ER over the course of three years in order to ensure that the curriculum works well for an Ethiopian audience.
Carol Settgast*
Carol Settgast currently works at Sheridan Elementary in Junction City, Kansas. Her career in education began in the classroom as a first and second grade teacher. After completing her Masters degree in 1999, she moved into the role of library media specialist at Sheridan where she has the unique opportunity to co-plan and co-teach standards-based lessons with colleagues. Her passion is to inspire wonder and develop students who launch into learning through the love of literacy. Some of her students created one of the Open Hearts Big Dreams, Ready Set Go Books* titled "Help!" with the guidance of Jane Kurtz. Although her first trip to Ethiopia was in 1974, she has returned more recently to provide training for Ethiopia Reads staff and as a member of the BCL committee, helped to create the BCL rubric, training presentations and manual.
Janet Rose*
Janet Rose received her advanced degree in Educational Media and served as a Library Media Specialist for more than 25 years at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. Fluent in American Sign Language, Janet has organized multiple events (academic and sports related) for students and educators. Dr. Rose has also organized libraries in small village schools in Tanzania and Namibia. A former Peace Corp Volunteer in Thailand, she has a heart for education and international work. She served for seven years as a team leader for Global Volunteers, a world-wide nonprofit organization that sends volunteers on two- or three-week trips to build construction projects and teach English. Janet has shared her expertise with Ethiopia Reads by assisting in the creating and training of the BCL curriculum, specifically related to library environment and organization.
Susan Rauchwerk*
Susan Rauchwerk, Professor at Lesley University, brings expertise in elementary education, science education, and teacher professional development. In collaboration with non-profit organizations in Ethiopia, teacher candidates in her science methods classes have been supporting science literacy development in Ethiopia through the creation of culturally relevant, scientifically accurate lesson plans and science stories. Thanks to a generous grant from Lesley University, she traveled to Ethiopia in 2016 to train Ethiopian educators and librarians. She received another small grant to produce ten science stories each year for WEEMA that will be translated into three languages and distributed through WEEMA and ER libraries. Dr. Rauchwerk authored a pedagogical review and published a paper about her work with Luminos Fund’s Ethiopia Speeds School.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor is an international literacy consultant who served as writer and editor of English textbooks for Ethiopian students. Between 2006 and 2012 she traveled to Ethiopia multiple times visiting schools and working collaboratively with Ethiopian educators in numerous regions. Elizabeth became familiar with the successes of Ethiopia Reads while touring sponsored libraries throughout the country. Her expertise is in primary grades literacy which serves her well in writing the curriculum guides for the Open Hearts Big Dreams, Ready Set Go Books* project. Currently, she is in the process of completing TESOL certification coursework.
Mary Spor
Dr. Mary Spor has over 35 years of experience in various levels of education and has in-depth expertise in literacy education. She has worked as a Reading Specialist in K-12 schools and also designed and taught literacy courses for undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to her teaching, research and scholarship in the U.S., she and a colleague developed an early grade reading program that is being used by refugees in Europe. A consummate educator and recognized expert in reading and literacy, she served as Chief of Party/Program Director of a $14.2 million USAID Textbooks and Learning Materials Program in Ethiopia that encompassed reading, writing, listening, and speaking content for textbooks, teacher’s guides, and supplemental readers. Her unique, culturally adaptive, strategic instruction model for teacher training was implemented successfully throughout Ethiopia, and USAID Ethiopia has honored her for quality textbook development.
Other BCL Committee Members
LeAnn Clark
Jane Kurtz
Semra Seifu
Judy Merra
Carolyn Pauls
Alicia Van Borssum
*Read more about the Open Hearts Big Dreams, Ready Set Go Books project
