Program Overview - 1997-1999
Program Coordinator: Ulviya Mikailova
The Step by Step (SBS) program is a comprehensive education reform program for children from birth through age ten. The program introduces child-centered, individualized teaching methodologies and supports community and family involvement in pre-schools and primary schools. The Step by Step program does not offer educational standards; rather, it offers new educational methodologies.
The Step by Step Program is the passing-on of the combined experience of the world's teachers, formed into a technology directed to increase a student's role in the learning process. It provides the individual approach to such a process as well as active family involvement. The program supports the idea that schools and parents must have a right of choice among alternative programs.
Thus, the program in Azerbaijan is trying to obtain the status as the official alternative methodology to the existing national program approved by the Ministry. The program holds training workshops for teachers, assistant teachers, family coordinators, methodology specialists, psychologists and directors on new interactive methods of teaching that renders technical assistance to kindergartens and schools.
Preschool Step by Step Program
The methodology of the pre-school Step by Step program includes the development of literacy, drama, mathematics, cooking, science, outdoor games, and music. In addition, it also encourages parent and public involvement with the children.
Starting from 1998, the program has held 5 training workshops for teachers and principals of kindergartens, including inspectors from regional departments of education, representatives of Baku City Institute for Teachers Improvement, and Ministry of Education:
- With trainers from the US (Baku, June 24-29, 1998/ March 27-April 3, 1999)
- With local trainers (July 6-11, 1999/September 31-October 1, 1999)
- With trainers from the Ukraine (Baku, January 6-11, 2000)
Foreign trainers visited kindergartens in Baku and Gandja with the purpose of providing the necessary consulting services to the program on site.
Elementary Step by Step Program
The goal of the program is to develop an educational model for elementary schools, which will ensure the continuation and development of the philosophy and methodology of the pre-school program and introduce an alternative educational program based on democratic and developing principles.
For teachers and principals of selected schools, workshops are held at various times during the school year.
High School Education Program
One of the purposes of the Step by Step program is the training and re-training of teachers from Higher Education institutions. OSI has built relationships with pedagogical institutes, colleges, teacher re-training institutes, and the Ministry of Education. Through these relationships, OSI has been able to promote curriculum reform for Higher Education.
In addition, OSI has held many round-table discussions and meetings on child-centered methodology in 11 regional in-service and pre-service training institutes. 12 of the faculty from these institutes participated in further training in individualized teaching and family and school partnerships.
The OSI-Azerbaijan training workshops cover the following topics:
- Program Philosophy
- Developing a learning environment within the group
- Education through games
- Active subjects: science, math and quantitative games, arts and music, literature, writing and literacy, and drama
- Creation of integrated syllabus
- Observation of children
- Theoretical planning
- Individualization
- Creation of books
- PT training
- Family involvement
- Establishment of rules and regulations
- Role of the teacher
- Daily cycle "plan-action-evaluation"
- Adult-child interaction
- Integrated education - Speaking Development
- Team work
In 1998 OSI developed 18 Step by Step classrooms in 9 Azerbaijan kindergartens, in both Baku and the regions. In 1999 the foundation expanded the program to 7 more kindergartens, for a total of 35 classrooms in 16 schools. One of the expansion kindergartens is a school for children with speech impediments, and OSI will work to develop programs for handicapped children in an effort to integrate them into the regular school system. So far OSI has co-operated with several international NGOs: Children's Aid Direct, World Vision, and UMCOR to further promote the reform of education.
- 1998 Program Expenses: USD 243,098
- 1999 Program Expenses: USD 452,851
