In early September more than 40 teachers and head teachers of the department of Putumayo, actively participated in the training and update workshop for the implementation of the Escuela Nueva model in this part of the country.

The workshop took place in the municipality of Santiago and was attended by the municipal mayor and some council members. They insisted on the need to strengthen training processes aimed at improving the quality of education.

The participants updated their knowledge about Escuela Nueva, experiencing a workshop on general principles, components, strategies, methodological elements and their proper implementation.

The Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), which the Escuela Nueva Foundation is a member of, distinguished in its most recent publication our adaptation of Escuela Nueva for displaced populations: the Learning Circles Program Escuela Nueva- Activa.
 
This strategy is based on the Escuela Nueva pedagogical model and adds some adjustments to meet the particular needs and realities of those displaced children and those who have dropped out from school, generally ignored by the mainstream school and the education system.
 
For the INEE “it is fundamental that education in emergency situations is appropriate and relevant. Beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic, schools in these fractured societies should provide the foundation for peace, tolerance, conflict resolution, human rights, environmental conservation and disaster prevention”.
 
Click here to see the full document.

It was very gratifying for the Escuela Nueva Foundation to visit the headquarters “El Rosal” which belongs to the  Santa Barbara Agricultural Educational Institution, located in the municipality of Cómbita (Boyacá). Here, you are able to find a great implementation of the Escuela Nueva model, thus benefiting the quality of education in the region.

In this educational institution, the face of every child is a clear example of the joy they feel to belong to this school, “El Rosal” is a place where in addition to providing affection to the children, their previous knowledge is given great importance, they acquire new relevant knowledge and team work is regular.
 

One of the architects of these achievements is Maria Isabel Camargo, a teacher really committed to the education of these children. For four years she has been working with the Escuela Nueva model and has slowly seen the progress of the hard work, also supported by the rector Jaime Cuadros.

"After arriving at the school, the number of students increased, children saw that here they worked differently to other places, then they were more motivated to continue their studies," said the teacher.

"The teacher training that is delivered by the Escuela Nueva Foundation, has been very important to me because every day has allowed me to strengthen the work I do with other teachers," she added.

"Many teachers from other schools ask me how do I work with six grades at a time, and I answer them that is possible because of Escuela Nueva," she held.

Jaime Cuadros, the Institution of Agricultural Education Santa Barbara´s rector, said that Escuela Nueva allows teachers to teach parting from teamwork, children are taught to be autonomous and that all of this is important to learn values.

Escuela Nueva Foundation welcomed Gloria Moreno, director of Educación Básica General of the Republic of Panama. She came to Colombia at the beginning of this month to discuss the possibility of executing a bi-national educational project with the cooperation of Colombian entrepreneurs, with headquarters in Panama, the leadership of Connection Colombia and the technical support of the Escuela Nueva Foundation.

During her visit, she got acquainted with Escuela Nueva experiences in the rural sector, and Escuela Activa experiences in the urban sector. The Escuela Nueva-Escuela Activa educational model is currently being developed as a State policy in Panama, and aims to improve pedagogical practices, teachers, learning environments and rural student achievement. This project will be targeted at vulnerable groups, preferably in rural regions and urban marginal communities. “Escuela Nueva is a strategy that strengthens teachers’ actions and helps students,” stated the respected government official of the neighbor country.

In addition, she highlighted that getting to know Colombian schools has allowed her to give feedback and reflect on the process her own country is undergoing. Escuela Nueva model has been successful in the rural sector in Panama: more than 500,000 boys and girls at preschool and elementary levels have benefited.