9 October 2009: New training materials developed for promotion of ideas of peace and tolerance among children
The 9th October 2009 was the last day of the week-long workshop organized by UNICEF in Vladikavkaz for resource teachers, methodologists and other educational specialists from five republics of the North Caucasus, including the Republic of Dagestan, Republic of Ingushetia, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and the Republic of Chechnya. One of the main goals of the workshop was to introduce the education workers to the new UNICEF-supported teacher training manual on “Peace and Tolerance” course for students of the 5th through 8th grades of the secondary school. During the workshop there were discussed issues related to integration of the “Peace and Tolerance” course into the extracurricular programme in schools. Specialists from the Republican Teacher Training Institutions (RTTI) showed great interest in the new training manual designed mainly for classroom teachers and deputy school directors. “The issue of cultivation of tolerant attitudes and prevention of radicalization among the young people remains especially pressing in our region – shared Zarifa Sautieva, Teacher Training Specialist from the Republic of Ingushetia - Due to the lack of the necessary methodological materials, the efforts of teachers who are trying to address this issue oftentimes come down to arrangement of one-off school events, which normally don’t have the desired pedagogical impact on students. I am convinced that integration of the “Peace and Tolerance” training course into the educational process would help to raise the work of classroom teachers up to a higher quality level.” The new teacher training manual is a result of collective work of the UNICEF-supported group of authors, which included leading specialists from different Republican Ministries of Education, psychologists and professors from Pedagogical Institutions of Higher Education functioning in the region. Nina Emuzova, Director of RTTI in Kabardino-Balkaria was also among the group of authors who contributed significantly to development of the training manual. “There had been a real demand for such methodological material for teachers in our region - she shared – Developed with careful consideration of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the Russian Federation and the North Caucasus in particular, it equips teachers with a wide range of helpful tools that are necessary for organization of high-quality educational work at a secondary school level.” Education workers from the Republic of Dagestan shared with their colleagues the experience and the achievements attained during integration of the five-module training course on “Peace and Tolerance” into the extracurricular programme of 56 schools in the republic. “Children do change – shared Zarema Guseinova, a teacher from the town of Makhachkala in Dagestan – I can say that with confidence because I have been observing those changes in my own son, who has recently become a volunteer for one of the UNICEF training groups.” Dagestan was one of the first republics in the region to respond to UNICEF’s initiatives proposed since the launch of the Peace and Tolerance Programme in the North Caucasus. The mobile training groups, which were organized within the framework of the programme, carried out a considerable number of training events educating children on the principles of tolerance and peaceful conflict resolution. Eventually similar projects were developed for integration of the “Peace and Tolerance” course into the educational process of schools functioning in the Republic of Ingushetia, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the Chechen Republic. The overall number of schools covered by the programme made up to 120. Raoul de Torcy, Head of UNICEF Office in the North Caucasus addressed the workshop participants saying – “We believe that the training and the new tools, which you have received and adopted during the workshop, will help to enhance the entire educational process implemented in schools. It was our intention through this manual to equip you and your colleagues with new training and methodological materials, which combined with your rich experience and enthusiasm, may produce some significant results in fostering a culture of peace and tolerance among children.” For more information, pls contact: Mukhammed Khavtsukov, Communication Officer
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