From Mean to Meaningful: Lasting Change Through Teacher Mentoring
In briefAI summary — tap to read
Jan Brown, a retired educator, and her husband Bill Whipple founded Teach Rwanda, a nonprofit school in Muhanga that transforms education through child-centered, hands-on learning and teacher mentoring. Their school has grown from a single preschool classroom to a thriving institution serving 200+ students ages 3-14, including a LEGO robotics team recognized by Rwanda's minister of ICT.
Key takeaways
- Teacher mentoring focused on asking open-ended questions and encouraging student curiosity has dramatically improved both teaching practices and children's learning outcomes, including practical life skills.
- Child-centered, project-based learning using locally available resources (rocks, fields, banana fiber, etc.) proves effective and sustainable in low-resource settings without requiring expensive materials.
- Teach Rwanda operates with Rwandan staff at all levels, ensuring long-term sustainability through locally trained teachers, mentors, and leaders who understand and believe in the school's philosophy.
- The school maintained educational continuity during COVID-19 closures through a mobile library, family engagement guides, and continued teacher salaries, which strengthened parent understanding of home-based learning.
- International partnerships with engineers like Eric Biraboos and schools in the U.S. provide students with technology exposure (LEGO robotics, Zoom exchanges) while keeping leadership and operations locally controlled.
About Jan BrownJan Brown is a retired educator who founded Teach Rwanda; her husband Bill Whipple is a retired clinical dietitian. They have lived and worked in Rwanda for over a decade, building a model school that serves vulnerable children in Muhanga.
AI-generated from the meeting recording — AI can make mistakes, so check the recording for anything important.
Meeting for the week of May 30, 2022 - June 05, 2022
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Program: From Mean to Meaningful: Lasting Change Through Teacher Mentoring
Speaker: Jan Brown
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powered by TypeformProgram: From Mean to Meaningful: Lasting Change Through Teacher Mentoring
Speaker: Jan Brown
Every week we bring to you a new program on innovation, entrepreneurship, and education, and how those contribute to service to others.
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What does it really take to create lasting, meaningful changes in education in a developing country? After 12 years as volunteers in Rwanda, the answer to our speakers, Jan Brown and Bill Whipple is clear: encourage analytical thinking, problem-solving, and executive function skills. The teacher mentoring program they run in Rwanda is leading to tangible changes that will last for generations.
Janet Brown is a passionate advocate for high-quality, evidence-based preschool, elementary programs, and teacher education. Her mentors, starting with a teacher in a rural school in Iowa, followed by faculty at Iowa State, Penn State, and the University of Maryland, launched her on a career that now spans more than 50 years. Jan has contributed to education publishing with four leading professional organizations as well as with Crayola. Over the decades, and armed with a camera, she traveled to every continent, except Africa.
When Jan retired, she was ready for more adventures. At the request of Rwandans, she and eventually her husband, Bill Whipple, a retired clinical dietitian, have volunteered and lived in Rwanda since 2010. Jan founded and is president of TEACH Rwanda, an NGO that mentors teachers who have never seen a globe, used a magnifying glass, or read a children's book.
Members and guests, please welcome Jan Brown and Bill Whipple!
You can also follow TEACH Rwanda on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeachRwanda/
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