Teacher Training
Training Seminars and Courses Offered
The underlying basis for all the activities of the Mona Foundation is the belief that the key to poverty reduction and the development of human resources lies in universal education and gender equality. As one strategy to raise human resources and in service to the community, Mona Foundation offers training seminars and courses to educators as well as to those interested in becoming involved in the development of their own communities.
Members of the board of directors of Mona Foundation exemplify their commitment to this strategy by volunteering their time and expertise, and by offering their professional services at no cost, or at substantially reduced rates, to educational institutions and/or the projects we support.
University of Washington, Winter 2003
The Mona Foundation has been asked by the Honor Students Program at University of Washington to offer a series of courses on service learning. The first in this series was offered in winter quarter 2003. The course has been repeated several times in subsequent years.
Course 371: Principles of sustainable social and economic development: Knowing ourselves, knowing our world, and making our mark
This hands-on and researched-based seminar explores the relationship between our world views and understanding development as an essential human activity. The principles of sustainable social and economic development, grounded in 40 years of cumulative global experience, is studied in light of the development activities of the Mona Foundation in Haiti, North, South and Central America, and Africa. Students then apply their learnings and their research findings to a community service project which they will plan and execute.
For more information on these and other available seminars,
please Email Us
topMulticultural Workshop, Seattle, WA 2003
As one of its community service projects, Mona Foundation, in cooperation with the Puget Sound ESD, sponsored a free one-day workshop for educators in the Seattle, WA area. The workshop covered the effects of teacher expectations on student achievement, institutional barriers to equity and achievement, and educational practices that increase equity and achievement. Participants also considered subtle biases in our everyday language, by examining common words and expressions related to race, gender, culture and ability.
2003 Teacher Training Soloy, Panama
Fourteen Ngobe-Bugle attended teacher training sponsored by FUNDESCU and the Mona Foundation in December 2004. Approved by the Ngobe-Bugle Institute Council and the only courses accredited by the Ministry of Education, Mona provided computer, mathematics and English instruction.
In the mornings, Adan Bejerano taught an excellent and well-organized forty hour course on the Internet: introduction, basic characteristics and uses, connectiong to the Web, toolbar and menus, search engines, email, and avoiding viruses. The teachers were excited to receive their own email addresses, send email, and chose a weighty research topic to investigate, “Globalization and its Impact on Indigenous Cultures.” Several participants offered comments. Alexi shared, “It was like a miracle to me.” Martire said, “This is a tool that can stimulate the development of the entire population of the Comarca. It helps us to realize our highest potential of knowledge.” Victorino offered, “This technology center is an open window to the world of knowldeg for our noble homeland.”
In the afternoon, a requested Mathematics class was given by Dr. Randie Gottlieb on fractions, decimals, percents, measurements, geometric figures and solid forms. These topics were new to many and were explained in Spanish and then retaught in the Ngobere language. In some cases, such as “lowest common denominator” there was no Ngobere word and the participants had a lively discussion to create a new term.
In the photograph are the teachers and participants. Left to right: 1st row: Alexi, Martire, Victorino, Rebeca, Rigo, Genaro. Row 2-3: Corina & Venancia (cooks), Maria Teresa, Desi, Benita, Julio, Ceci, Elmon. Back row: Roberto, Ismael, Steve.
The participants also shared thoughts on the mathematics class. Roberto said, “I learned more in the past two weeks than I learned in ten years at school.
We are happy to share what we have learned with our children.” Elmon shared, “Practice is fundamental to education, and the application of mathematics to daily life is where we truly learn the theory and reinforce it with understanding.” From Julio, “The real mystery of education is having the love and faith that we can do it.” And from Ismael, “Profound thanks for the gift of wisdom and practical useful knowledge that we can apply in our own environment with our children. All of the Mona seminars are jewels of understanding. They are unforgettable memories that I will carry in my heart.”
Randie and Adan were assisted by a youth who traveled with the Mona team, Annie Bateman. Annie journeyed to this part of the world for the first time and was a real support to the classes. The courses ended with a well-attended formal Certificate Ceremony, and certificates from the Ministry of Education were awarded. Randie shares that “The teachers impressed us with their dedication, perserverance,and profound thirst for knowledge. They worked hard and learned quickly. While educational opportunities are quite limited for the Ngobes, and the difficulties they face are indeed great, even greater is their intense desire to learn. They recognize the importance of the material and the spiritual working hand in hand, and are trying to further their education in order to be of greater service.”
2002 Teacher Training Soloy, Panama
Mona Foundation sponsored an intensive three-day educational workshop for 23 Ngabe-Bugle school teachers at the Guaymi Cultural Center in Soloy. The workshop covered the basics of educational philosophy and classroom management, including common discipline problems and effective strategies for dealing with them, external vs. internal discipline, the use of natural and logical consequences, developing classroom rules cooperatively with the students, and reinforcing positive conduct. A third training day (which included personnel from the community radio station) gave teachers practice using story telling, drama and other instructional techniques. The teachers also asked for and received additional instruction in recognizing and treating simple childhood illnesses, so they might better serve the children in their communities.
2001 Teacher Training Soloy, Panama
Mona Foundation sponsored an all-day educational workshop at the Guaymi Cultural Center in Soloy, for approx. 10 Ngabe-Bugle school teachers, at their request. Many of the teachers walked for miles through the jungle in order to attend. The workshop focused on the purpose and goals of education, the role and importance of the teacher, and the nature and capacity of the student. During the day, participants studied various writings on each topic, consulted in small groups, and were given the opportunity to observe and practice cooperative learning techniques.
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