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Educationproject Somos Pilcomayeños
Since October 2008 the LAMPI foundation is actively engaged in developing a curriculum for secondary schools in
Villa Montes. This project consists of a combination of theoretic and practical classes including issues such as the
ecology, biodiversity, utilization and environmental problems of the Pilcomayo River. As soon as the project design is
finished a pilot will start at the secondary school "Julio Crevaux. Below you'll find extensive information on this project.
For pictures of this project, click here.
Villa Montes. This project consists of a combination of theoretic and practical classes including issues such as the
ecology, biodiversity, utilization and environmental problems of the Pilcomayo River. As soon as the project design is
finished a pilot will start at the secondary school "Julio Crevaux. Below you'll find extensive information on this project.
For pictures of this project, click here.
The immediate cause for this project
The primary cause for the design of this project is the current situation where the growing human population along
the Pilcomayo river uses the river and its natural resources without taking into account any consequences
for the future. I.e. the sustainability concept is not applied. This leads to problems such as pollution of the river (which
for this reason is not suitable as a source of drinking water) and overfishing. We believe the main reason for the
unsustainable use of the river is a structural lack of knowledge among the public about the values represented by the
river and how to use it sustainable. Furthermore, poverty also is a reason for the unsustainable use of natural
resources: it is more important that there is one fish on the table tonight than that there will be two fish there in 10
years.
Reviewing the results of a survey the foundation conducted last year among the teachers and directors of 20
secondary schools in Villa Montes, showed that there is little or no knowledge among teachers and students on
topics such as ecology and environment. The science classes are often limited to mathematics and human biology
and are very theoretical in nature. During assignments and examinations, students are mainly trained in the
repetition of the material. Students are not sufficiently stimulated to think for themselves and / or to come up with
original solutions on given problems. Finally, the (biology)classes often
have an insufficient level, which makes it even harder to move on to a university in this field.
The primary cause for the design of this project is the current situation where the growing human population along
the Pilcomayo river uses the river and its natural resources without taking into account any consequences
for the future. I.e. the sustainability concept is not applied. This leads to problems such as pollution of the river (which
for this reason is not suitable as a source of drinking water) and overfishing. We believe the main reason for the
unsustainable use of the river is a structural lack of knowledge among the public about the values represented by the
river and how to use it sustainable. Furthermore, poverty also is a reason for the unsustainable use of natural
resources: it is more important that there is one fish on the table tonight than that there will be two fish there in 10
years.
Reviewing the results of a survey the foundation conducted last year among the teachers and directors of 20
secondary schools in Villa Montes, showed that there is little or no knowledge among teachers and students on
topics such as ecology and environment. The science classes are often limited to mathematics and human biology
and are very theoretical in nature. During assignments and examinations, students are mainly trained in the
repetition of the material. Students are not sufficiently stimulated to think for themselves and / or to come up with
original solutions on given problems. Finally, the (biology)classes often
have an insufficient level, which makes it even harder to move on to a university in this field.
Methods
We designed an extensive curriculum for students, with the following 3 chapters:
All these modules consist of the following 10 lessons:
We designed an extensive curriculum for students, with the following 3 chapters:
- Chapter 1, Properties of the river pilcomayo, containing the biological and
- Chapter 2, 'the life of the Pilcomayo' zooming in on plant and animal life and the connections between them.
- Chapter 3, 'the use of the river and the resulting environmental problems', which refers to environmental
pollution from mining waste and general waste and the problems of overfishing.
All these modules consist of the following 10 lessons:
Target Group
Students
We focus on students in the second grade of secondary education in two different schools in Villa Montes. Villa
Montes is generally a quiet town in the Bolivian province of Tarija. The residents are in general, a mixture between
natives and immigrants. There are also people of the Weenhayek and Guarani living here. Especially in the
fishingseason, there is a lot of work. Outside this season there is far less. Children generally go to school, but it is
not uncommon that they don´t finish school. There are many drop-outs for several reasons: Among others, work,
pregnancies and lack motivation. The age of the students we focus on lies between 14 and 18 years and there is an
approximately equal
ratio of boys and girls.
Family and Friends
Furthermore, we focus on the environment around the students: brothers, sisters, parents and friends (via
home assignments). In addition, the students will design a information campaign about contaminacion for its peer
group.
Teachers
Finally we focus on the biology and science teachers at the participating
schools. The theoretical knowledge of the teachers is generally reasonable (for the offered material), however, they
lack the skills to pass their knowledge on in an interesting and didactic way. These teachers are closely involved in
the preparation, implementation and evaluation of all classes, we also offer them a chance to acquire these skills.
We also hope that they will learn through imitation because they see how the lessons for this project are given.
Students
We focus on students in the second grade of secondary education in two different schools in Villa Montes. Villa
Montes is generally a quiet town in the Bolivian province of Tarija. The residents are in general, a mixture between
natives and immigrants. There are also people of the Weenhayek and Guarani living here. Especially in the
fishingseason, there is a lot of work. Outside this season there is far less. Children generally go to school, but it is
not uncommon that they don´t finish school. There are many drop-outs for several reasons: Among others, work,
pregnancies and lack motivation. The age of the students we focus on lies between 14 and 18 years and there is an
approximately equal
ratio of boys and girls.
Family and Friends
Furthermore, we focus on the environment around the students: brothers, sisters, parents and friends (via
home assignments). In addition, the students will design a information campaign about contaminacion for its peer
group.
Teachers
Finally we focus on the biology and science teachers at the participating
schools. The theoretical knowledge of the teachers is generally reasonable (for the offered material), however, they
lack the skills to pass their knowledge on in an interesting and didactic way. These teachers are closely involved in
the preparation, implementation and evaluation of all classes, we also offer them a chance to acquire these skills.
We also hope that they will learn through imitation because they see how the lessons for this project are given.
Intended results
- This pilot project will be executed on 2 schools, two classes on each school with approxametly 23 students.
All these student will have a better knowledge of the life in and around the river Pilcomayo, its natural
resources, utilization and playing environmental problems; - With the interactive way of teaching 92 students will get a better picture of what research is and how you can
research something by yourself; - Right now often students have a lot of motivational problems and choose not to follow clases. With this new
way of teaching, we expect less drop-outs; - The new way of teaching is more similar to classes in college. It will make it easier to go on to a college or
university. - We expect a change in the intention to responsibly deal with their environment. For example, by keeping it
clean of waste so that a safe and healthy living environment can be created. This should be noticeable in the
students homes and the city; - The teachers (10 in total) will, after completion of the project, be able to execute follow-up projects
independently. Also, they will be able to apply various didactic methods of teaching in all their future classes.
This makes the lessons more interesting for students; - After the pilot project has been executed and improved at these school, the project will be implemented in
several schools in Villa Montes.
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Objectives
Short term goals:
Long term goals:
Short term goals:
- Increase the knowledge of students about life in and around the Pilcomayo River and the playing
environmental problems; - Increasing enthusiasm among students about the Biology and Environmental fields;
- Familiarize students with the terms biodiversity, ecology and sustainability;
- Increasing the support for protection (measures) of the Pilcomayo;
- Increase opportunities for formulating and solving existing environmental problems;
- Improving the level of classes and increase the possibilities for students to go to college;
- The instruction of the teachers in the field of science so that they are able to execute the project in the future;
Long term goals:
- Contribute to improving the quality of teaching in secondary schools in Villa Montes (starting with ´Julio
Crevaux´ and ´Ismael Montes'); - More students going to college, in particular interested in the exact sciences;
- Execute the project on several schools in Villa Montes;
- A new vision of teaching for teachers in Villa Montes;
- Teachers implement the project independently on their school (with just our teachers guide);
- A greater acceptance among the population of Villa Montes for protection (measures) of the Pilcomayo.
Movies of Julio Crevaux
The Julio Crevaux is a public school in
Villa Montes and on of the schools
where this project will be executed. If
you look closely you'll see that the
classroom doesn't have glass in its
windows, but some gauze. This keeps
the insects outside, but unfortunatly not
the souds. The links below take you to
a variety of youtube films of the school.
Villa Montes and on of the schools
where this project will be executed. If
you look closely you'll see that the
classroom doesn't have glass in its
windows, but some gauze. This keeps
the insects outside, but unfortunatly not
the souds. The links below take you to
a variety of youtube films of the school.
To make the classes more interesting and fun for the students we´ll use a variety of didactic methods. Among
others, theoretical instruction, education learning conversation, cooperation, self-employment, fieldclasses,
demonstrations, practical work, presentations, review and creative work (such as creating posters, a play, a waste
campaign).
Teachers will be involved in detail and will help with the improvement of this project:
others, theoretical instruction, education learning conversation, cooperation, self-employment, fieldclasses,
demonstrations, practical work, presentations, review and creative work (such as creating posters, a play, a waste
campaign).
Teachers will be involved in detail and will help with the improvement of this project:
- Step by step explanation of classes using
- Separate manual for teachers
- preparation of each lesson
- Participation of clases
- Evaluation of each lesson
- Survey forms after each module
- Open atmosphere where questions and problems can be discussed. It asks for both positive and negative
feedback on the project. This is necessary for the project to adapt the needs of the schools.
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