Winter News Around the World – 2014-15

Theresa Boli announced a ten-year plan for Full-Circle Learning Papua New Guinea, with a Champion Teacher Training program, early childhood initiatives in rural areas, K-12 education programs and vocational training with preparation for medical careers. She is building a team from among the teachers and administrators trained by FCL in 2013.

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In Liberia, the District 4 Teacher’s Association, through the Liberia Movement for Better Education, has requested Full-Circle Learning training for 300 more teachers now that schools are up and running again after the Ebola’s quarantines. Full-Circle Learning Liberia’s 31 participating schools had initiated a successful social mobilization Ebola prevention program. Educators in Chad and the Gambia also work to implement strategies to engage children and youth in community service in life-changing ways.

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American public schools continue to link communities around the world through their Full-Circle Learning programs. The parents at Tarzana Elementary School’s Habits-of-Heart Club, in California, organized a Kids United for Liberia walk after a discussion of what it means to be an orphan and the work of their global partner in embracing orphans as service-oriented members of their human family. The Venus School project has enjoyed a successful year with the after-school services in Jacksonville Florida, focusing on science and problem-solving. Sixty students at Spurgeon Middle School, in Santa Ana School District, have continued to improve their classroom community. They are known as the Change Agents at their school.

The Early Learning Center at Rancho Sespe is completing an in-home literacy project, with parents reinforcing the same reading and character goals at home that children learn in class by reading with their children. (This project made possible through a Bessie Minor Swift grant.) Children in Zambia’s Blessed Vale School and in the Full-Circle Learning Early Childhood Center at Rancho Sespe (in Fillmore, California) have exchanged smiles and information in a wisdom exchange to learn about the impact of smiles in spreading love throughout a community (just one of many outstanding projects of the preschool, which expanded its services at Rancho Sespe starting in fall 2014).

Meanwhile, the Blessed Vale School in Zambia added new secondary grade level, with the Zambian Gems working on new buildings for the school.

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Full-Circle Learning Images from Around the World

Students at the Full-Circle Learning Early Childhood Center learned about the habit of patience in many ways (in personal interactions, through literacy goals, role play, etc.). One highlight, a lesson plan about the water cycle, taught them to understand the nature of the local drought. They later used math skills to make pumpkin pies to honor farmers who had practiced patience during the drought. Lead teacher Sugey Lopez helped parents plan a banquet to raise money for needed building repairs. The farm workers helped contribute.

In a series of parent workshops, staff members such as Maria Enriquez helped parents explore strategies for bringing making the bilingual reading project effective.

After reading, “Have You Said Hello Today?” Preschoolers in Fillmore, California passed smiles to one another and launched “the smile that went around the world,” symbolically floating their smiles in the air on balloons and sending smiles online to Zambia.

Zambian Cherilyn, who wants to practice helpfulness as a doctor someday, sent an online smile enjoyed by the American children. Her classmates also participated.

Zambian students talked about the influence of Full-Circle Learning on their education, standing near the building site of additional class for 8th grade at the Blessed Vale School. Zambian Gems will help add more secondary grades to the school.

At St. Cecilia’s School, love links helped those of all ages set personal goals for reaching out to others.

American students made love links as wishes for loved ones turned to positive acts to make those wishes come true.

Davidson Efetobore (fourth from right) has been asked by the Liberia Movement for Better Education, to expand the FCL training programs to encompass many schools at once, with the help of master teachers and co-trainers.

African parents meet to discuss ways to enhance their children’s potential.

Sixth graders in California’s Santa Ana School District adapted envisioned their study of civilization, the envision the impact of mutual Respect on the progress of human history. The process of connecting past and present drivers of success helped them define their own class code-of-ethics.

We have received word from Gambia that Funmilayo Aberejesu and her colleagues have based the Solid Foundation School based on the Full-Circle Learning model. They want to provide scholarships for orphans and children of prisoners, with help from donations. Other Gambian affiliates, such as Starfish, continue to provide projects that advance opportunities for service and learning.