Himalayan Teacher Training Project
Abiding Heart Education is currently training teachers from kindergartens and schools in the Himalayan region. The Himalayan Teacher Training project aims to continue to support teachers through this training while working to increase and broaden the intake of trainee teachers across the Himalayas for sustained social, economic and environmental change and to preserve the unique Tibetan Buddhist culture.
Our work involves:
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Training kindergarten and primary teachers in Abiding Heart’s experiential Buddhist education
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Developing a bespoke curriculum for the Himalayan region
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Consulting with kindergartens and primary schools on classroom design and resources (e.g. natural playgrounds) and enabling trainees to make learning resources, to support learning and child wellbeing
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Translating the kindergarten and primary curriculum content and resources into Tibetan
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Consulting on the management of schools and the importance of implementing a continual professional development programme
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Providing a mentor programme for trainee teachers
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Providing in-school teacher training
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Providing weekly guidance to teachers in lesson planning and implementing the Abiding Heart's curriculum in their school
About the Training Course
The Himalayan Teacher teacher training course has been specifically designed for teachers who are currently teaching in the region. The course aims to train teachers in the Abiding Heart Education approach and preserve the unique Tibetan culture and Buddhism, while introducing transformational and experiential education practices, as a foundation for kindergarten and primary education in the Buddhist Himalayas.
The Abiding Heart kindergarten and primary curriculum integrates the principles of Waldorf Education, Montessori and other progressive education approaches with Tibetan Buddhism and as mentioned, is fully embedded in Buddhist Himalayan Tibetan culture. Due to the urgency to protect Himalayan culture, Abiding Heart Education has undertaken to translate all Abiding Heart kindergarten and primary curriculum into the Tibetan and Nepalese languages. Teachers will have access to rich materials in Tibetan and Nepalese to support children’s sense of self and cultural identity.
The teacher training course is designed to be completed over two years full time or four years part time. We aim to provide some flexibility for trainee teachers, who can, to some extent, determine the shape of the learning programme each year at a pace that suits them, while continuing to gain kindergarten or primary school experience.
The Himalayan trainee teachers receive a theoretical and practical understanding of early childhood and primary education based on Abiding Heart’s transformative experiential Buddhist learning approach and the cultural heritage of Buddhist Himalayas. The course content includes:
• A foundation in Experiential Buddhist studies
• Abiding Heart’s Human Development: a holistic child development from birth to rebirth
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Buddhist, Waldorf and contemporary learning theories and methodologies
• Abiding Heart kindergarten/primary curriculum studies
• Buddhist psychology
• Curriculum and lesson planning
• Artistic activities such as drawing, painting, modelling, handwork and crafts
• Practical techniques such as morning circles, learning circles, circles, games, stories, puppetry, finger plays and songs, class plays
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Literacy and numeracy teaching skills
Successful graduates will receive an Abiding Heart Education Kindergarten or Primary Teaching Certificate.
About our Team of Teacher Trainers
Our international team of highly qualified teacher trainers have an intimate knowledge of the region and the socio-cultural context as well as the skills to support both teacher and child wellbeing and development. Our team provides a unique opportunity for trainee teachers, who are taught by teacher trainers that have many years of experience in Nepalese and Himalayan Waldorf education and experience of the Abiding Heart Education approach and a bespoke culturally relevant kindergarten and primary (class 1-8) curriculum.
The Teacher Sponsorship Programme
The teacher sponsorship programme provides financial support to broaden the reach of the teacher training course across the Himalayan region and to increase the recruitment of new trainee teachers. Sponsorship supports the delivery of the course, from providing trainers’ salaries, trainers accommodation and travel expenses, to enabling trainee teachers to access resources and materials for their classrooms. The sponsorship programme also supports our continued work to translate the curriculum into Tibetan and the creation of rich resources for local Buddhist Himalayan kindergarten and primary schools.
The Himalayan kindergarten and primary teacher training sponsorship programme lays the foundation for early childhood and primary education in the region, providing high quality education, nurture, and care for its children.
The course empowers teachers with the knowledge, skills and understanding to create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment to support child development. Evidence shows that early experiences of such positive learning environments supports the development of self-esteem and confidence and increases the likelihood of children continuing in education.
PLEASE HELP
You can sponsor part of a Himalayan teacher trainee's tuition fee for $50-$100 a month.
You can sponsor the cost for training one Himalayan teacher over two years $8,000 by making a one off donation or instalments. Or please consider making a one-off donation of your choice.
Your donation can make a huge difference!