By Francescah Kipsoi | Program Director, Montessori for Kenya
East Pokot Update - October 2023
As the 2023 academic year draws to a close, all the hard work and mentorship provided by Montessori for Kenya to the teachers and trainees from East Pokot is evident in their progress and commitment. The trainees are happy to be part of the Montessori network and look forward to sharing what they’ve learned with their community.
There are currently three trainees in training at the college and six teachers working in four different schools in Pokot. They are:
2023 Cohort - Year 1 Teacher Training
2022 Cohort- Year 2 Teacher Training
2021 Cohort
Denzel, David & Victor
Denzel, David and Victor are nearly finished with their first year of training at St. Ann’s Montessori Teacher Training College in Nakuru, Kenya. They will start their internship at schools in their own community in 2024. Denzel is full of praise for the tutors at St. Ann’s. When he began the training, he didn’t know what to think, especially when he was told that part of the training is to make Montessori materials. He kept wondering what the materials were and how they were used to teach children. Later, he was introduced to Danson Soen and Zipporah Wangari, both experienced teachers at Corner of Hope, who mentored him in the production of quality, durable and beautiful materials. Denzel is now very happy and confident that he’s made the best materials he possibly could. “I think I am ready to guide the children in my community now”, he said. “I have gained a lot of knowledge during the training to be a good teacher for life.”
David feels that his life has changed for the better because of his Montessori training, especially because he now sees children differently. “Part of the training includes grace and courtesy, which I think really helps children to be good people in society”, he said. David now believes that children need just to be guided as they already possess knowledge and are ready to absorb that in the world around them. He is confident to share the training he has learned with the children and his community and hopes to open a school there in the future, given that the closest school is many kilometers away and inaccessible for children due to the distance. He would love to see all children attend school every day and become movers and changers in East Pokot. David says, “My community has been left behind, and we will continue to be marginalized because we do not have schools. I hope that we can train more teachers to reach all the children in East Pokot.” He is very grateful for the Montessori training opportunity.
Victor loves to play football, and when he became a student at St. Ann’s he joined the local group of young people in Nakuru who play football in their free time. He shares that it helps him to refresh after a lot of learning. Victor completed his albums as required and is now almost done with making the mathematics materials. “This year I have gained a lot of knowledge, learned new theories, made new friends and I have almost completed my first year of training,” he said. He said that the tutors are very happy with his work. “I could not have made it without the support of Teachers Dan and Zipporah. I am sure that I will be able to maintain and repair my materials using their methods, and once I’m in a school, I will be doing my practice without a problem.”
Gladys, Julius and Sharon
Sharon, Julius and Gladys have been working with children since early 2023 as part of their teaching practice. Gladys is very proud that she has not lost a single child in her classroom since she started, and instead that there are more children joining from nearby villages. She is very grateful for the support that Maureen gave her when she had her baby in April. “I was very happy when Montessori for Kenya recommended Maureen, an experienced Montessori teacher who could replace me when I was away,” Gladys said. “The transition was very smooth, and we have both seen a lot of changes in the children in my class. They are confident, respectful, and can respond to Swahili and a bit of English, so their parents are very happy.” Gladys hopes that the community will bring all children to school to start their education at a young age. She believes education is both the foundation and key to better life.
Sharon is in Nasaltuko in a very remote school, where she and Maureen have been working with more than 90 children. She says that more children just kept coming, so they took them in as they are unable to attend school otherwise. Sharon shares that the children are learning a lot, and she feels the support from the community each morning when they bring the children to school. One mother now helps with making porridge for the children. “I used to be in class and making porridge for the children at the same time, but now I can give all of my time to the children,” said Sharon. Maureen recently joined the faculty at Nasaltuko School to support the teachers after Gladys returned from her maternity leave in Barpello. They are working together to enhance the Montessori materials and the environment, which was set up in a temporary structure which also functions as a church. The trainee teachers and the children are all happy to have an experienced teacher supporting them. At the same time, generous donations made it possible to construct a school in Nasaltuko which is now close to completion. With the new school almost completed, the parents are happy to have qualified teachers to help their children learn. The new school is now being furnished with furniture for the new academic year which will start in January 2024, and the community is feeling encouraged to bring more children to school.
At Chesakam, Julius has been working consistently with a few children who, despite many challenges, keep coming to school. Children walk very far and even when they arrive late it “is an achievement,” he shares. He is grateful for the experience as it exposed him to so many ways to support children when few resources are available. Julius is looking forward to using his experience as a Montessori teacher to guide others, especially other trainees from East Pokot. At the request of the other teacher in Chesakam school, he has been working closely together with them to guide older children.
Evelyne, Linet and Benjamin
Evelyne continues to work with children at St. Luke School, currently with the support of Benjamin, a supporting teacher from Corner of Hope, as Linet is on maternity leave. They have been able to maintain enrollment at the school during the last two school terms. At the end of the previous terms, parents attended engagement sessions and learned more about Montessori education. They subsequently promised to send more children to the school next year. Evelyne and Benjamin complement each other well in their classroons, giving presentations and sometimes swapping classes to support each other in various activities. Evelyne mentioned that they have learned a lot by sharing their knowledge and working on the materials. Linet will resume her work as teacher in January 2024.
Mentor Teacher Gladys L.
Mentor teacher Gladys L. frequently visits the teachers in all four schools. She has mentored the trainees and supported teachers in giving presentations and maintaining order in their environments. She notes that there is noticeable improvement in the schools each time she visits. Gladys L. accompanied the tutors from St. Ann’s in their assessment of each trainee to learn alongside of them. She sought clarification and support to improve their teaching experience as well as her mentorship skills. As the school year comes to an end, Gladys L. will attend each school’s closing day to engage with parents about Montessori education and the benefit it brings to their children. She hopes that more schools will open in the future for children who do not currently have access to education in their community.
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