Summer Program

overview  •  requirements  •  program review  •  gallery

Spending three weeks living and breathing the Mansehra culture adds perspective to my world view. The students, teachers, staff, and families I come in contact with are most eager, hospitable, and extend to us comforts that are often beyond their means. Although I am gracious, this is not the highlight of the trip. Thinking of the students lining up in assembly every morning at 8 AM sharp, chanting "Attention! Hoshiar!" as they march between segments of the morning routine still brings a smile to my face, two months after leaving the Mansehra Model School to return to my very different life.

Three volunteers from different backgrounds came together at the school. Each of us had different ideas which we ultimately webbed together into a summer program for the students and teachers. We tied together modeling, teaching, and training. We modeled teaching English, Social Studies, Science, Art, Computers, and some Math. Our focus remained encouraging independent thought, steering away from the dogmatic style being practiced. Teacher training occurred after school hours in a forum-like fashion:

• Adapting and implementing classroom management techniques
• Using appropriate rewards and punishments
• Discussions about negative and positive reinforcements
• Consequences of teacher choices on student views of education
• Making education worthwhile for students in upper grades
• Student centered teaching
• Backwards planning
• Differentiated instruction
• Hands-on learning
• Using available local resources
• Developing the student-teacher relationship
• Hands-on computer training

With some effort, research, and planning, we organized a field trip and picnic for the students and available teachers to Taxila, a Buddhist center for learning dating back to the 5th century BC. The students and teachers paid their own subsidized way. This was the first time many students had left the Mansehra district. All were very excited. When not being car sick, students and teachers were enjoying a local song, "Bibi Shereen" being played and replayed on the bus's stereo all the way home.

On our last day in Mansehra, the students and the volunteers worked together to paint a mural on a wall of the school in memory of the summer program. I felt accomplished but not done. I hope to remain involved with the Mansehra Model School. Given all the challenges that come with a migrant population, welfare families, funding, maintenance, curriculum, and running a school in general, the Mansehra Model School remains an upward bound institute. It is well equipped with a board of directors, building, computers, electricity, and running water, which most other schools do not have. With continued effort, it will continue to mould the future Pakistani public for years to come.

View pictures from Ibtida's website.