HOW DID WE ADAPT OUR WORK IN THE CURRENT COVID_19 CONTEXT?

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The current context of the Covid_19 pandemic is particularly challenging in the regions where Voy con Vos works. In addition to the suspension of face-to-face school classes, the region has a lack of access to technology and connectivity, the rural areas are extremely vulnerable and the families are unable to accompany children in their school work (due to lack of physical space and academic tools), also teachers face great challenges to accompany all children.

During these months all of us who make up the Voy con Vos team (8 people working from the Chaco territory, and 3 members working from Buenos Aires) have redoubled efforts, and have adapted the work in a flexible and creative way -even with the various difficulties raised above- to continue accompanying children, young people, rural teachers and principals.

Find below the different initiatives that we are implementing:

  • Weekly virtual meetings with rural directors and teachers.

Since March we have been holding weekly meetings with rural principals and teachers. In these meetings teachers share their situation and those of their communities. It is a great moment to share ideas, tools and education materials in pedagogy and didactics. Also, the monitoring of each student is shared, in order to enrich ideas on how to best accompany him / her - according to the available booklets, books or devices and connectivity available.

In addition, there´s a time allocated in these meetings for the development of “pedagogical gatherings” which serves as a training module for teachers. At the moment the book Mythologies of Argentine Education is being used for this purpose.

These meetings proposed and led by Voy con Vos are highly valued, especially because interactions and exchanges between teachers in rural contexts are infrequent, since many of the schools are single-staff. Also, several of the rural school´s principals had never before used videoconferences, and now they are able to manage a new tool.

  • Development and transmission of radio programs.

We develop and transmit -through the radio of one of the schools- tools that allow teaching and learning; and a vehicle that permits children, youth and families in rural areas to be connected and communicated.

The programs are broadcast twice a week. Voy con Vos team works together with the school's principal Noemí Medina, who in 2019 won the award for the best teacher in the province of Chaco.

We invite you to read the article in the National Newspaper La Nación which illustrates in depth this. Click here..

  • New school activities

 We provide new materials to continue developing educational activities outside the classroom, for example: pre-recorded stories with work guides; In alliance with OX Education we made available playful and artistic activities aimed at improving writing skills; and we follow up on the distribution and usage of working booklets prepared by the national government. We also shared recommendations for families on how to carry out school work at home.

  • Personalized support in reading and writing.

Our team responsible for implementing the Schooling Program, is undertaking home visits (after validation with families and teachers) to continue implementing the “DALE! Proposal”, so that children -especially those with greater difficulties in reading and writing skills- can continue to improve these fundamental skills. Also, during the school visits support is given to children who need help with school assignments.

 

  • Accompaniment to the 80 young scholars of the Scholarship Program

The team of tutors is in permanent contact with each of the scholars and their families. After undertaking a survey to assess the level of access to a technological device and/or connectivity (very low in the communities where Voy con Vos works), all the scholars were provided with printed material so that they could carry out school activities at home. The tutors are responsible for weekly managing the delivery of work booklets, their monitoring and completion of tasks.

For those young people in need of support in specific subjects, and for those who due exams in certain subjects, support from private teachers – specific to the subject area- have been made available.

The tutors keep track of all the scholars and manage the need for materials and school supplies.