Content

Introduction

Session #1: Fundamentals of Teaching

Session #2: Lesson Planning

Session #3: Classroom Management, Conflict Resolution and Non-Violent Communication

Session #4: Developing a Child-Friendly Classroom

Session #5: Participatory Education: Games and Activities

Session #6: Comprehension Questions, Brainstorming and Group Work

Session #7: Evaluation and Assessment

Session #8: Inclusivity and Child Protection

INTRODUCTION

This manual is the result of several years of Ba Futuru’s work in the areas of participatory teaching methods, classroom management, conflict resolution, non-violent communication, positive discipline and child protection in schools in Timor Leste. Over the years, Ba Futuru has used, developed and adapted various materials and methodologies to train teachers, school directors, parents, and other adults who impact the lives of young people. This manual compiles and condenses the key knowledge and strategies that we have found to be most important and effective in the Timorese context. A lot of the content is new and challenging for participants, and questions the long standing practices and belief of some people. However, we are passionate about the need to eradicate violence from the lives of children and youth to ensure as table and positive future for Timor Leste, and we believe in the transformative power of education to contribute to the development of individual lives and the future of Timor Leste.

The objectives of this training include:

To share information about participatory teaching methods, including classroom management and what teachers can do to make their classes more interesting and more fun

To demonstrate the need for positive, non-violent discipline and provide useful strategies for the management of problematic behaviour so that adults can better respond to challenges in children’s behavior and reduce the use of violence and other types of abuse in schools, homes and the community

To strengthen peace in the lives of children by promoting positive, non-violent and long term education provided by teachers and other adults, thereby helping to break to cycle of violence and teach students how to resolve conflicts peacefully in everyday-life.

To share information on child rights and child protection and about accessing available support services so that people know how to get assistance for children experiencing trauma and abuse

This manual is for:

Trainers and facilitators who are training people in participatory teaching methods, classroom management, conflict resolution, non-violent communication, positive discipline and child protection

Educators and teachers, including school directors; and

Other people who care for/look after children, including parents and others who

work with children.

Suggested Training Schedule

Ba Futuru generally presents the material in this manual as a one day training per session. While it is ideal to present all content and activities in the same training, to give people as comprehensive training as possible, it is also possible to choose activities and content based on your needs.

Acknowledgements

This manual is the result of the contributions and effort so many people. Ba Futuru extends its thanks and appreciation to Jenna Rudo Stern, whose work with Ba Futuru formed the basis and much of the content of Part 4: Positive Behaviour Management, as well as for her many other valuable contributions; Alex Hughes, for providing countless resources and fruitful debates on the training topics; and Pamela Sexton for sharing some great activity ideas on positive discipline. Ba Futuru staff who worked on this training manual, orthe projects that implement it, include (in alphabetical order): Yohannes Bouk, Jo Remegito da Costa, Sierra James, Juliana Marcal, Laura Ogden, Nina Rothermel, Judit Maria de Sousa and Kelly Stevenson. Ba Futuru also acknowledges the various other organisations in Timor-Leste and overseas who have produced quality resources which have informed this manual. These organisations can be found in the Reference list. Laura Ogden is responsible for the most of the translation of this manual from English to Tetun. Finally, Ba Futuru extends its gratitude to the East Timor Justice Sector Support Facility for their ongoing support for Ba Futuru’s child protection and positive discipline work in Timor-Leste.

What you can expect from the training sessions

Our training sessions are designed to provide you with practical techniques and activities which can be easily integrated into your regular lessons. This manual is best used with eight half-day sessions. Its purpose is to help you as a teacher to improve your teaching skills and make your classes more effective and enjoyable.

In the first few training sessions, we will focus on how to increase student participation in your lessons. This can:

Increase students’ concentration and their level of interest in your lessons Help students to process information more effectively and improve their

understanding of a subject, thus becoming more successful in their studies Improve student behaviour. Misbehaviour is often caused by boredom. If your

students are fully engaged in their lessons, you will have more time to support your students’ learning and teach at your best.

All of the activities presented in this training are merely new ways of delivering content in your lessons; they are not additional activities. Therefore, teachers should use these activities to present the content they normally teach, but in new and interactive ways. This way, these activities will not take time away from your class, but will simply make your classes more effective.

Session #1: Fundamentals of Teaching

School is the place where children learn to read, add and subtract. It’s also a place where they can learn to think, to cooperate and to be creative. It’s an amazing job, and each time you step into a classroom, you have a chance to enrich your students’ lives. You can help them to increase their knowledge. Each session will focus on a different teaching topic. After each session, you will receive a list of key points that will support your teaching.

Most students can only maintain peak concentration for about 7 minutes when listening to information. Beyond this, students may appear to be listening but will in fact be drifting in and out of focus; or may be thinking about something else altogether! If they are tired or stressed or hungry, then this figure may be even lower. Therefore, our goal in these sessions is to give you some ways to keep students interested and concentrating for longer, which will help them to learn much more in each lesson. Research shows that the best way to maintain student concentration and interest is by making your lessons more participatory; or in other words, by involving students in the process of learning. There are lots of different methods and activities that you can use and we will demonstrate some of these in the coming sessions.

Participatory Teaching Strategies will:

Increase students’ concentration and learning, through being involved in the learning process.

Help students to learn and better understand lesson content, because they will have the chance to practice the new skills and knowledge which you have already taught them.

Make learning more fun for both yourself and students, leading to students wanting to learn more.

Allow you to discover what children know and don’t know more quickly, and plan your lessons to fit this.

Make your job easier because you can spend less time lecturing and more time supporting and monitoring.

Enable you to spend less time managing poor behaviour because students will be less bored and therefore less likely to disrupt your lesson

Increase students’ personal discipline and organisational skills, as the responsibility for learning and development will be shared between the students and you.

Require students to interact with the teaching material and form their own ideas and opinions. This will help to develop students’ critical thinking skills which are essential for good decision-making in their long-term personal and professional lives.

This manual contains eight sessions about teaching methods:

1. Fundamentals of TeachingIn this session, we will discuss the fundamentals of teaching.

2. Lesson PlanningWe will go through the step-by-step process of planning your lessons, so that your teaching is more effective and your lessons are more interesting for your students.

3. Classroom Management, Conflict Resolution and Non-Violent CommunicationWe will look at ways to manage your students and encourage good behavior. We’ll look at ways to set up a space that is child-friendly and focused on the students.

4. Developing a Child-friendly ClassroomWe will look at non-violent communication in this session to show a more effective way with handling issues that arise, and we will encourage students to resolve conflicts by working together as a team.

5. Participatory Education: Games and ActivitiesWe will share ideas to make your lessons even more participatory, creative and engaging.

6. Comprehension Questions, Brainstorming and Group WorkNext, we will demonstrate how to incorporate comprehension questions, brainstorming and group work into your classes and allow students to work through content with one another.

7. Evaluation and Assessment We will discuss methods to assess how well your students are learning and how well you are teaching, so you will know when your teaching has been effective.

8. Inclusivity and Child ProtectionFinally, we will discuss ways to bring inclusivity into your classroom, so that you are enabling and encouraging young females, those with a physical or mental disability, or those who are marginalized to actively and confidently participate in your classroom. You can help your students to become tolerant, empathetic and future leaders.

While we cannot control what happens before and after school, we can provide a safe and supportive environment for our students when they come to school. These methods are meant to inspire new ideas and encourage you to try new things. You can adapt these teaching suggestions and learning materials in whatever way works best for you. Do not get frustrated if some of the methods don’t work the first time. As everything else you start new these teaching methods might take several attempts until you can use them successfully. Be patient, confident and keep on trying!

Session #2: Lesson Planning

In this lesson, we will introduce you to some ways that help you to make a good lesson plan.

1: Set up your objectives

It’s important to begin your class by telling your students the lesson objectives. That way, your students understand what is expected of them and they can work towards achieving the learning goals.

2. Energizer activities

Before you begin teaching, you need to arouse the students’ interest and activate their background knowledge to introduce them to the subject. Encourage them to make a connection between what they already know and what are they going to learn. This is called “energizer activity” and its aim is to generate excitement and interest. Always provide examples of what you expect from your students when introducing a new activity. You may need to provide them with three of four examples before they can do the activity with a partner.

3. Mini-Lesson

Teachers should instruct for no more than twenty minutes, not only to make sure the students stay interested and get involved in the lesson but also to help themselves to feel less stress and pressure.

4. Guide to practice

Reflecting about examples together with their teacher, about what is good and what is bad, makes students understand new concepts. Using practical examples also makes lessons much more interesting and relevant. Introduce the knowledge you want your students to absorb from your lesson, go through a few examples with them, give them opportunities to make mistakes and corrections while you are guiding them thought the process. Encourage students to always think creatively, and always engage students by asking comprehension questions to make sure the material is being digested and understood by everyone all the time.

5. Individual practice or activities

After you have taken your students through the content and concepts of your lesson,it is important for students to apply these newly learned concepts and skills and to practice on their own. Independent practice helps the teachers check how much of the material the students have truly retained. Teachers shouldn’t completely leave students alone to do the work but walk up and down the rows to help the students who are

struggling to complete the assignments. Don’t try to prevent students from making mistakes. Allowing students to make mistakes is the only way students can learn, correct their errors and become independent. Offer your support, but understand that students need to take ownership of the learning process to be able to master the content.

6. Evaluation

To understand whether or not your students achieved the objectives that you laid out for them, you need to do a quick evaluation. The evaluation can be in the form of:

Group or individual presentations of the students Asking question to check the students’ understanding (oral or written) Making a short quiz Any other method you can think of that allows students to share with their teacher

what they have absorbed from the lesson that day

Reviewing your students’ written or oral responses helps you to reflect on the effectiveness of your lesson plan and facilitation skills.

7. Reflection

Always finish your class by reflecting on the contents you have taught. Getting students to reflect on the significance of their newly acquired knowledge and skills can help them to transfer this knowledge to everyday-life. Continuously reflecting on the effectiveness of your lesson is an important part of being a teacher. Through journaling, self-reflection and discussions with other teachers at your school, you can discover strategies to make your lessons more effective and your classroom more enjoyable for your students.

Session #3: Safe learning environment, classroom management and routines

1. Safe learning environment: Sponge and stone (teaching with fear and teaching with respect)

Students learn better when they feel safe. When we feel afraid, our bodies are tense, the muscles tighten up. When we feel safe, our bodies are soft, the muscles relaxed.

How does this affect our learning? When the teachers use fear to manage their classrooms, students find it difficult to focus on the lesson and to absorb information. However, when teachers use respect, students feel at ease, can concentrate easily and are able to absorb information.

Stones represent fear, sponges on the other hand represent a feeling of safety.

Stone/ System based on fear

Advantages:

Easy to establish Effective to keep students quiet and make them follow the instruction This system is used very often and many people are used to it

Disadvantages:

Students struggle to absorb information Like a stone cannot absorb or save water, students who are scared cannot absorb or keep information that they learn in class. Maybe students can repeat information at a given moment, but it is very difficult for them to remember information after a longer period time.There is not only fear of physical punishment. Fear is also created when a teacher threatens or humiliates students. Example 1: A teacher walks around the classroom with a stick in his/her hand. Although the teacher may not beat the students with the stick, the students are still afraid. Many students have experienced the pain of being beaten up before and they know exactly that that’s what the stick in the teacher’s hand is used for.

Example 2: A teacher calls his students “fool” or makes fun of the students. Even though the students don’t feel physical pain they are still hurt, scared and feel uncomfortable.

Difficult to maintain In order to maintain a system of fear the teacher constantly has to increase his students’ fear. This is unhealthy for the teachers. It makes them feel stressed,

tense and angry. In the long term, negative emotions have a bad impact on our health and well-being.

Difficult to motivate students When students feel afraid, it is difficult for them to develop new skills or answer questions. But making mistakes and asking questions is an essential part of learning. In a class that is controlled by fear, students often remain silent because they want to avoid the teacher’s attention and punishment.

Harmful for the community Students learn that in order to control other they have to intimidate them.

Sponge / System based on respect

Advantages:

Easy for students to absorb information Like sponge can absorb a lot of water, students who feel safe can absorb a lot of information that they try to learn. Sponge can absorb water for a long period of time. When students feel safe, they can retain information effectively.

Easy to maintain It requires more time to establish a system based on respect because the teacher has to explain his/her expectations and set up a clear classroom routine. However, it is very easy to maintain this system. Students enjoy the positive learning environment and therefore help to reinforce good behaviour in the classroom. Students have the opportunity to get feedback and support, and to gain the teachers’ respect through their participation in class. The positive learning environment is also beneficiary for teachers. They feel less stressed and healthier.

Easy to motivate students Students feel motivated to work hard because they want attention and positive feedback from their teachers. Moreover, they enjoy learning. They feel it they can ask questions and make mistake. They are encouraged to try and overcome obstacles. They also know that they get support from teachers and friends.

Good for the community Students learn to respect themselves and others and to be respected.

Summary

Stone Afraid Can’t absorb water

Makes work difficult

Absorbs Makes

Sponge Safe lots of water

work easy

People with authority get other people’s respect and trust. What does it mean?

Important message: Teachers can become authority figures, heroes or role models for their students. However, they have the responsibility to show many good characteristics.

Teachers are special. They play an important role in the community and in many students’ lives. Teachers also have power and trust. Therefore, they have a great responsibility to demonstrate good behavior patterns, to support and guide their students. Teachers have to try to protect students from abuse. This can mean that teachers have to defend students who are treated in an unfair way or they provide the right assistance students who are abused.

Teachers are role models for students or even super heroes. Teachers should take this role seriously and always try to help all students. Students must know that their teachers support them so they can be successful at school and thereafter. Teachers as well as heroes must not favor or disadvantage one of the students. They treat everyone equally and with respect. Each teacher’s objective and challenge is to discover each student’s talents and to foster them.

2. Classroom Management: Setting up clear expectations

It is very important to set up clear expectation and explain the students what positive behavior you expect of them in the classroom.

Advantages:

Expectations describe what actions you want from your students. Clear expectations help to create a positive environment in the classroom because

you encourage positive behaviours and kindness between the students. Clear expectations help you to manage the classroom more effectively. There is

less confusion because the rules are clear and thus there is more time for teaching. Students are not surprised about negative consequences for bad behaviour,

because everyone is familiar with the rules, expectations and consequences.

What you should consider when setting up your expectations:

Expectations should be based on positive behaviour . This motivates your students to fulfil the expectations successfully.

Expectations should be formulated in a positive way. Encourage positive behaviour instead of listing prohibitions. Avoid the word “Don’t!” when formulating your expectations.

Good example Bad example

Be on time. Don’t be late.

Be prepared for the class. Don’t forget to bring your study materials.

Treat each other nicely and respectfully.

Don’t be rude and disrespectful.

Be precise and detailed when you explain your expectations. Tell your students what exactly you want to see and hear from them.

Example:

Your expectation Be precise and detailed

Be on time. This means we all should be in the classroom at 8.00.

Be prepared for the class. Please have your study materials, notebooks and pens on the table.

Treat each other nicely and respectfully.

Listen to each other, be friendly to each other, help each other and be patient if a classmate makes a mistake- that’s the best way to learn.

Introduce the expectation to the class. These steps help you to ensure everyone understands the expectations:Write your expectations (3 to 5) on a large sheet paper, use colours to highlight what is important.Display the poster in the classroom so that every student can see it.Read out slowly and clearly every expectation and explain precisely and in detail what you mean.Ask your students if they have any questions and if they want to add some rules.Approval: Ask if everyone agrees with the rules and let everyone sign them.

Implementation

Once you have set up clear rules and expectations, it is very important to implement them. You can do this reminding your students regularly of the rules and expectations, praising them for good behaviour and enforcing consequences for bad behaviour. Use verbal or non-verbal signals to catch your students’ attention and to remind them of the classroom expectations. Call your students by their name and acknowledge their positive behaviour. This is very effective. Students (like everyone else) like positive feedback. When you acknowledge their positive behaviour, you automatically encourage them to continue behaving this way.If students do not respect the expectations enforce consequences. However, never use any form of violence (physical, verbal, emotional).The best way to make your students fulfil your expectations is being a role model. You as their teacher should follow the rules yourself so your students can follow your good example.

Consequences

Do not forget: Classroom expectations refer to abilities and characteristics you want your students to develop when they finish school and start working.Not fulfilling an expectation must have a clear consequence. However, consequence does not mean punishment. The consequence has the objective to encourage students to practice good behaviour in the classroom.

Positive reinforcement aims at motivating and praising the students’ positive behaviour. Ways of positive reinforcement are giving good marks, displaying the students’ work, letting the students read out/ present their work, verbal acknowledgement, gestures of acknowledgement, giving permission to the students to leave class early or extent the break, doing something fun together if everyone follows the rules (for example watching a movie, going outside, etc.)

Consequences are enforced when students do not respect the classroom expectations.It is important to introduce consequences early. This way the students know the consequences are not personal but apply to everyone in the class. Consequences should not intimidate students but encourage good behaviour.

Tips Take a breath before you enforce consequences and make sure you are calm. If you are angry, frustrated or sad find some time for yourself after the class to

relax. Find the right time to enforce consequences. Sometimes it is good to talk to

students who do not follow the rules after class. For example, if you feel upset and need to calm down first, or if you need extra time and a quiet environment to speak with your student or if a student’s personal or private life is involved.

Example of applying rules:

Activities: Mini-board

Objective:

Content revision, exam preparation

Instructions:

Teacher divides students into two or three groups.

Expectation Raise hand before answering questions

Positive Reinforcement(if students fulfil the expectation)

Students can answer the question and get positive feedback from the teacher.

Negative Consequence(if students do not fulfil the expectation, ex: shout out the answer without raising the hand)

Teacher reminds the students of the class rules and asks the students to respect them. A student who raised his/her hand can answer the question, not the one who just shouted it out.

3. Routine

What does routine in the classroom mean?Routine in the classroom means introducing activities and processes that are repeated on a daily basis. The teacher explains activities step by step until everyone is familiar with them. Being familiar with how the lesson is structured and how activities work makes students as well as teachers feel comfortable. Later on, we will provide some examples of how routine can be established.

Why is routine in the classroom important?

Routine helps to manage the class. Routine makes students understand what their teacher’s expectations are, how the lessons begin and end, and how to move from one activity to another.

Teacher can use time effectively because they don’t need much time to give instructions and explain the expectations.

It is important to ensure students understand routine and the reasons for it. You should explain and practice routine regularly so that all students understand it and get used to it.

It is important to use a consistent routine during the entire school year otherwise students can get confused.

Note that there are no consequences for not following the routine. Do not punish students if they make a mistake. Instead, ask them to repeat the activity until it’s correct.

Compliment your students on following the right routine and explain processes and activities again when students do not do them in the right way.

Do not establish many routines at the same time. Begin with the routine of how to start and end your class. Let your students familiarize with the first routine before you introduce new routines.

Activities: Mini-board

Objective:

Content revision, exam preparation

Instructions:

Teacher divides students into two or three groups.

Design your own routine

To familiarize all students with the routine you want to set up follow the following steps:

Write the routine you want to set up on a big sheet of paper so students can see it.

Read it out slowly and clearly. Practice the routine before beginning an activity. If the students have difficulties

following the instructions, explain and practice again. Be patient with your students. They are learning.

Know your students, learn their names The first step to a successful classroom management is to learn the students’ names. Knowing the students’ names makes them feel valued and helps them to trust and respect each other. Make the effort to learn your students’ names when you start teaching a new class.

Tips to learn your students’ names:

Stand at the door and greet the students when they enter class. Make an attendance list and look at each student when you call their names. Make a seating plan. Every time you call students to answer a question you can

refer to this plan and address them with their names. Ask the students to write name cards and to put on their tables. Use the students’ names frequently . If you give positive attention to the students,

they will feel safe, relax and interests of the class. As a sponge, they learn easier.

Activities: Door

Objective:

Learning the students’ names. Pay attention to each student individually.

Instructions:

Teacher stands at the door, students form a line in front of the classroom.

Students enter the classroom one by one.

Teacher shakes each student’s hand and says “Good morning!” and the

student’s name if possible.

Students sit down quietly and prepare themselves for the lesson.

4. Tips for teaching

We already talked about why it is important to create a teaching system based on respect and not based on fear. We also talked about why it is important to manage the class and about how to create a safe learning environment by setting up clear expectations.

Now we will continue with some practical tips that help you to create a learning environment in which students feel happy and learn as if they were sponges and in which you enjoy teaching.

Tips 1-5: Basic Level

1. Set up clear expectations

Expectations describe certain actions and ways of behavior you want to see in your classroom. Establish

3 to 5 expectations that are very important for creating a good learning environment. Be a good example

for your students and always respect the class rules. Implement consequences if students do not respect

the class expectations and reward students if they respect and follow the rules.

2. Always stay calm and patient

As a teacher you should be a role model for your students and show the behavior you also want your

students to show. Follow your own classroom expectations (being on time, etc.) and also always remain

calm and patient. If you are calm and patient, your students are likely to also be calm and patient which

helps them to learn effectively. Do not get angry when some students need more time than others to

understand something or if it takes some time to establish routines in the class. Take a deep breath if you

feel you lose your patience and cannot control your emotions.

3. Use arts and music

Arts and music create a positive atmosphere and make people feel happy and relaxed. Find opportunities

to include arts and music into your lessons to stimulate your students’ creativity and make them feel at

ease so they can learn effectively.

4. Sharing

Just as you want to know your students better, they also want to know about you and your interests.

Include personal things in your lessons such as family photos or personal objects that mean something to

your students. This allows you to build a more personal relationship with your students. They will not

just see you as an authority person but as someone they know and they can trust. Having a good

relationship with your students decreases problems in class.

5. Walk around in the classroom

Walk around in the classroom instead of just standing at the front, especially when the students are

writing or working in groups. This way students can get individual attention from you and you have a

better overview of your students’ progress and behavior. Do not interrupt their work unless you notice

they are struggling or have questions.

Tips 6-10: Intermediate Level

6. Ask questions

Constantly ask questions about the content you are teaching. Do not wait until the lesson is almost over to

check whether your students understand everything, ask questions throughout the lesson. Remember to ask

comprehension questions rather than yes-no-questions though!

7. Ask students for help

Keep students active during your class, for instance by letting them take notes on the board during discussions

or by handing out work sheets.

8. Give praise

Positive recognition is much more motivating than the correction of errors. When your students do well in

class recognize their good work and praise them. Make eye contact, nod, smile, give them additional 5

minutes to play during the break, give them higher grades, or present their great work in class, say: Thank

you!, Well done!, Congratulations!, etc. Do not wait until you praise your students, always acknowledge their

good behavior immediately.

9. Using signs and sounds

You can use signs or sounds to support your teaching. For example, ring a small bell or knock on the board with chalk to get your students’ attention, use certain face expressions or gestures when you want your students to be quiet, to form groups to work together, to stand up, etc. You can also clap your hands in a certain rhythm and let your students repeat it. For example, you can say: “If you you hear me, clap your hands once. If you listen to me clap your hands twice. If you listen to me clap your hands three times.” Or you can use the “Hello, Hi” method. When you say “Hello” your students are supposed to answer “Hi”. When you say “Hi” your students answer “Hello”. You can vary this exercise “Hello, Hi”, “Hi, Hi, Hello, Hello”, etc. This makes them bring the focus back to you and makes the lesson entertaining. Choose your signs and sounds carefully and make sure that their meaning is clear to every student. You can explain for example: “When you hear this bell ringing sit down and stop talking. This sound means that the group work is over and we continue the lesson.” Cling to the sounds and signs you chose, do not change them every lesson. Using the same sounds and signs is a great way to establish routines in the classroom.

10. Solve conflicts and problems when they occur

It is important to solve conflicts between students as soon as they arise so they cannot become bigger. Smaller

problems can be solved in classroom, bigger or more complicated problems can be solved after class with all

students who are involved. It is very important to always resolve conflicts being clam. Listen to each part

before you take decision and try to find a solution that is beneficial to all parties involved (win-win).

Tips 6-10: Intermediate Level

6. Ask questions

Constantly ask questions about the content you are teaching. Do not wait until the lesson is almost over to

check whether your students understand everything, ask questions throughout the lesson. Remember to ask

comprehension questions rather than yes-no-questions though!

7. Ask students for help

Keep students active during your class, for instance by letting them take notes on the board during discussions

or by handing out work sheets.

8. Give praise

Positive recognition is much more motivating than the correction of errors. When your students do well in

class recognize their good work and praise them. Make eye contact, nod, smile, give them additional 5

minutes to play during the break, give them higher grades, or present their great work in class, say: Thank

you!, Well done!, Congratulations!, etc. Do not wait until you praise your students, always acknowledge their

good behavior immediately.

9. Using signs and sounds

You can use signs or sounds to support your teaching. For example, ring a small bell or knock on the board with chalk to get your students’ attention, use certain face expressions or gestures when you want your students to be quiet, to form groups to work together, to stand up, etc. You can also clap your hands in a certain rhythm and let your students repeat it. For example, you can say: “If you you hear me, clap your hands once. If you listen to me clap your hands twice. If you listen to me clap your hands three times.” Or you can use the “Hello, Hi” method. When you say “Hello” your students are supposed to answer “Hi”. When you say “Hi” your students answer “Hello”. You can vary this exercise “Hello, Hi”, “Hi, Hi, Hello, Hello”, etc. This makes them bring the focus back to you and makes the lesson entertaining. Choose your signs and sounds carefully and make sure that their meaning is clear to every student. You can explain for example: “When you hear this bell ringing sit down and stop talking. This sound means that the group work is over and we continue the lesson.” Cling to the sounds and signs you chose, do not change them every lesson. Using the same sounds and signs is a great way to establish routines in the classroom.

10. Solve conflicts and problems when they occur

It is important to solve conflicts between students as soon as they arise so they cannot become bigger. Smaller

problems can be solved in classroom, bigger or more complicated problems can be solved after class with all

students who are involved. It is very important to always resolve conflicts being clam. Listen to each part

before you take decision and try to find a solution that is beneficial to all parties involved (win-win).

Tips 11-15: Advanced Level

11. Smile and Laugh

When you smile at your students, they know they do not need to feel afraid. This creates a positive relationship and

ensures that students feel free to ask questions and learn successfully.

Also laughing creates a good atmosphere and everyone can relax for a moment. However, it is important that the

classroom remains a safe place. Never laugh about your students’ comments or questions and never make fun of your

students themselves. The aim is to make the class fun, not to disrespect people.

12. Sit down together with your students

When you sit down together with your students they feel confident to communicate openly with you. For some minutes

you can become a member of their group. You can ask questions, ask questions about their projects or simply listen to

them.

13. Be happy with your work

Students, including very young ones, know when their teacher is not happy. We can transmit positive feelings to each

other as well as negative ones. Teaching is not always easy, but it can be a fulfilling job. Find out what you like about

your job and show it to your students. If enjoy teaching, your students will enjoy learning. Leave room for funny and

relaxed moments as it improves the relation with your students.

14. Use group work

Divide your students into small groups to discuss or complete exercises together. This encourages them to think on their

own and to share their ideas. Everyone can participate and it is easier for shyer students to speak out.

15. Use games and energizers

This helps your students to keep on concentrating and to create a good classroom atmosphere.

Tips 16-20: Advance level

16. Be honest when you do not know the answer

It is a great strength when teachers can admit when they do not know the answer or when their answer was wrong. This

is a good example for students that making mistakes is an important part of learning and that no one knows everything.

That’s why it is important to work together and to share our knowledge and skills in other to achieve our goals.

18. Let students solve problems on their own

When students solve problems on their own, they learn that they should not hope someone else will always give them the

solution. Some students need more time to understand new ideas or to put theory in practice. Thus, it’s important to give

them enough time to find their own solution. Only if you let them try out (and possibly fail in the beginning) they can

develop problem-skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.

19. Offer options

When students can make decisions about their learning, they feel ownership of it. Giving students options to choose from

shows them that we consider them mature and reasonable and that we respect their decisions. If you say: “You have three

options for this project” instead of: “You have to do it this way!”, they will be more interested in the project. However,

it’s important that all options are linked to the lesson content and the lesson plan. You can let your students choose

whether they prefer working alone or with a partner or whether they want to give a presentation or write an essay. The

learning outcome remains the same but the process is different.

20. Establish a feeling of community

Often include activities and strategies into your teaching that allow students to express their own thinking and feelings so

they can establish strong relationships with their class mates and work well together. This helps you to maintain feelings

of safety and comfort in the class.

Session #4: Developing a Child-friendly Classroom

What is conflict?Conflict is a natural part of our lives. It is the result of the different needs, interests or perceptions of individuals or groups. The majority of people thinks that conflict is always something destructive or negative. However, conflict bears not only dangers but also opportunities.It is interesting to look at the Chinese word for conflict or crisis. It consists of two symbols: one stands for danger, the other one stands for opportunity.

Danger Opportunity

Conflict can be seen as a way to empower or develop people. They learn to express what they need in order to live happily. Unless conflict escalates and causes harm to people (emotionally or physically) it is an important part of life. Conflict helps a person to understand other people’s needs and to look for ways to respond to common interests. Conflict is a form of behavior, which we learn from our families and communities. Usually, the approaches communities use to resolve conflict differ from the approaches tribunals suggest. In some cultures people learn to avoid conflict, in other cultures avoiding conflict can be considered as cowardly. People often think that in a conflict one group wins and another group loses. However, there are also solutions which benefit each conflict party. These solutions are called “win-win”. Win-win-solutions are more likely to solve a conflict permanently because they take into consideration the needs of all conflict parties. In order to reach a win-win-solution it is important for each group to explain to the other group in a constructive and non-violent what their needs and intentions are. This helps each group to understand each other better and to understand what the motivations are that cause the conflict.Apply all available talent/capacity to find a win-win-solution: imagination, openness, good will and empathy. Learn from each other, influence each other so that everyone can win, improve and grow.

Different levels of conflictIt is important to know that there are different levels of conflict which can influence each other. For instance, conflict that occurs inside of someone (Internal or intrapersonal conflict) can influence a conflict that is happening between people (interpersonal conflict). On the other hand, these two types of conflict can influence conflicts between groups or conflicts within an organization and vice versa. Group conflicts and conflicts within organizations in turn can influence national or international conflicts and vice versa (political, social and other conflicts). In each conflict situation we need to identify the sources of conflict on the various levels before we decide which means are best to resolve it.

Types of different conflictsObjective and Action Complete Each Other

OBJECTIVU

OBJECTIVE THAT COMPLETE EACH OTHER

OBJECTIVE THAT DISAGREE

AC

TI

ON

ACTION THAT

NO CONFLICTHow do we know when objective and action complete each other?

COMPLETE EACH OTHER

THE HIDDEN CONFLICT

ACTION THAT COMPLETE EACH OTHER

CONFLICT WITH METHOD OPEN CONFLICT

Personal Attitude In a Conflict

AA

S

Compete“I want to win”Strategy:Control, force to compete, fight

Collaboration“Solve Together”Strategy:Gather information, dialogue, find a win-win situation

Orie

ntat

ion

tow

ards

inte

rest

s an

d ot

her n

eeds

Compromise“I will share with you, it you also share with me”Strategy:Lower expectation, contract, give and receive, “distinguish the difference”

KII

KMove away“Conflict? What conflict?”Strategy:Move away, deny, run away, ignore, walk away

Helper“Whatever you say, for me it is not a problem”Strategy:Agree, happy or do not want to start discussion, comply with

KIK Orientation towards interest and other needs

AAS

Conflict Analysis

What is conflict analysis? Conflict analysis is a process which aims at understanding conflict by looking at it from various prespectives. This understanding can become the basis for developing a strategy how to tackle the conflict. Participatory analysis means that a conflict is analyzed in a group with members of all conflict parties. Sharing prespectives and understanding how “other people” see the situation helps to clear up misunderstandings, to strengthen mutual trust and eventually to reach an agreement between the conflict parties.

Conflict analysis is not a one-time-activity. It is rather a continuous process in which we can adapt our actions according to the current situation.

Why do we need conflict analysis? To understand the context and history of the conflict To indentify all relevant groups that are involved in the conflict To understand each group’s perspective as well as how they relate to each other To identify reasons that contibute to the conflict To clear up misunderstandings and eventually reach an agreement between the

conflict parties To learn from mistakes as well as from successes

Conflict analysis tools:

There are various conflict analysis tools. Here we will focus only on the conflict tree and the conflict map because they are good to use in the school context.

Conflict tree

The conflict tree offers an easy way to identify what the conflict is mainly about (main problem), what caused the conflict and what its effects are. This tool can be used to analyze conflicts on all levels: internal, interpersonal and national. Please see below the example of land conflicts and how the conflict tree can help to identify and visualize causes, main problem, and effects.

Trunk : conflict issue or main problem (example: disagreement about land ownership)

Leafs: effects or impacts of the conflict (example: fighting, throwing stones) Roots: cause of the problem (example: why are there land issues? Lack of clear

laws, new nation, old and contradicting land titles, government lacks capacities to solve the problems)

In order to solve a conflict, we have to understand its causes. However, just like the roots of a tree, the causes of a conflict are often hidden and hard to see. People often attack the effects of a conflict. Like the leaves of a tree they are more visible but attacking the effects does not solve the conflict.

Example: If one’s house was burnt because of unclear land rights, rebuilding the house does not solve the actual conflict because the land rights are still unclear.

Conflict mapConflict maps serve the purpose of identifying groups and individuals who are involved in a conflict, directly or indirectly. They are very useful in mediation processes because they give the mediator a good overview of all parties involved in a conflict and their relationships. They can indicate who has power, who is more vulnerable or dependent and which parties are allied. Conflict maps can also show possible ways for intervention. For example, we can recognize which groups can cooperate in order to achieve a common goal and to reduce conflict. Don’t forget: conflicts develop! Check your map from time to time to see if it’s still up to date.

CONFLICT MAP

Nonviolent communication

Nonviolent communication is a way of communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg. It assumes that a lot of conflicts emerge because people communicate in a violent way. Their language generates feelings of fear, anger or guilt but lacks empathy for other people’s feelings and needs. Nonviolent communication on the other hand focuses on expressing how a person is doing without blaming or criticizing someone else and on understanding how another person is doing without hearing blame or critique.

There are four components of nonviolent communication (ideally all conflict parties adhere to them):

1. Observations - Observe what contributes or does not contribute to your well-being. Important: Do not evaluate your observations! (“I see/hear/remember…”)

2. Feelings - Express how your observations make you feel. (“I feel …”)

3. Needs - Say what you need. Mostly, your feelings indicate whether your needs are satisfied or not. (“I need/value…”)

4. Request - Formulate a request, ideally in a positive way: Say what you would like to see instead of what you do not want to see. State some concrete actions that would improve your well-being, without demanding. (“Can we…? Would you be willing to…?”)

Example:

1. “I observe that my students talk a lot in class.”2. “This makes me feel that they are not interested in my lessons and that they do

not appreciate the work I put into preparing my lessons.”3. “I need their attention and appreciation in order to be motivated and teach

well.”4. “Can you be quiet during the lessons and save your stories for during the

breaktime?”

Fill in your own example:

Step 1: Observation

(What do you see/hear/remember?)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Feelings

(How do you feel? Example: Worried, angry, disappointed, self-conscious, confused, satisfied, motivated, impatient, tired, uncomfortable, stressed… )

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Needs

(What do you need in order to feel differently? Example: I need you to come on time.)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step 4: Request

(Formulate your request, in a positive way.)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Exercise Needs:

Examples of feelings that relate to needs which are not satisfied

What need that does not get satisfied?

I am angry because you do not listen to me.I am sad because you do not want to talk to me.I feel guilty because you do not do your homework.I am afraid because I cannot do this myself.I am frustrated because the teacher does not explain clearly.I am tired because I spend a lot of energy

on this job.I am afraid that you are going to call my mother/father.I am furious because you do not pay attention to meI feel tired because my mother/father always puts pressure on me.I am hopeless because I cannot pay the school fees.

Active Listening

Active listening is a powerful communication technique. It means that the listener (person B) fully concentrates on the speaker (person A), understands what is said and what it means to the speaker, remembers and responds adequately.

APerson who speaks

Listen actively B

A speaks about a topic or about himself/herselfB listens actively

How to listen actively:

1. Non-verbal techniques: eye contact nodding mimic gestures turn your body towards the person you’re listening to

2. Verbal techniques: sounds / short words like “mmh”, “ok”, “ah” paraphrasing: repeat what your partner said in your own words ask questions if something is not clear to you do not change the topic, let A decide what he/she wants to talk about do not comment on or judge what B is saying give B time to pause and to be silent summarize what B told you

!!! “Listening” does not mean you agree with or approve what you have been told.

Section 5#: Participatory Education: Games and Activities

This section helps you to increase your students’ participation in class by using games. Many of the games and activities in this section can be used in all subjects or inspire you to create your own!

There are many good reasons for playing games during your lessons. We will focus on four:

1. review lesson content2. Teach or practice something new 3. Encourage your students to think critically4. Use games as transitions between different topics or energize your students when

they feel tired.

Don’t worry that playing games will use up a lot of teaching time or make your class noisy. On the contrary, you can teach new content playing games. And games do not necessarily take a long time but will make your teaching more effectively. To prevent the class from becoming noisy you simply need to establish some guidelines before starting to play. The more often you try, the easier it becomes to set up a playing routine.

Reason #1: Games can be used to help students review information to help their learning and ability to keep information. This is a very nice way to help children to prepare for the exam.

Game #1: The last person wins

This game is easy to play in groups. It is very motivating because everyone can win, not only the smartest students.

Objectives:

Review or practice content you have already taught.

Exam preparation (you can include question about various topics).

Instructions:

Students have 5 seconds to find a place for standing. After the 5 seconds are over,

everyone has to be quiet. Students who speak, are out of the game and have to sit down.

The teacher asks questions. The first student who raises his/her hand can give the

answer.

If the answer is right, he/she can choose one student who has to sit down (and thus leave

the game).

If the answer is wrong, he/she has to sit down.

The last person who is still standing, wins.

Alternatives:

If the game takes a long time, you can ask your students to pick two classmates

who have to sit down if they know the right answer.

Split your class in two groups (for example: boys and girls) and let them compete

with each other. When one groups knows the right answer they choose someone

from the other group to sit down.

Game #2: Two truths and a lie

Objectives:

Review lesson content.

Check your students’ knowledge.

Prepare your students your exams.

Instructions:

Teacher gives the students 2 minutes time to write down 2 statements that are true and 1

statement that is false. The students should choose statements that relate to the subject. For

example:

Hippopotamus’ are one of the two most deadly animals in Africa, 2) Hippos have litters

of 2-4 babies, 3) Hippos only eat plants.

Mix up the order of truths and lie.

Students have to identify the lie.

Calls on one participant to stand on his/her chair and read the 3 statements.

The other students hold up one, two, or three fingers to show which statement they believe is

false.

When all participants are holding up fingers, the statement giver reveals which statement is false.

Repeat with other student.

Reason #2: Games are a good instrument to teach or practice something new.

Reason 3#: Game can help students to develop their ability of

Game #3: Guessing words

This game is great because it involves all students in class. This game is a competition which motivates the students to get involved because they want to win the game.

Objectives: Eencourages students to think about what they have learned and to use it. Let students combine the knowledge they have in order to find a solution.

Instructions: The teacher makes a list of key words that relate to the topics he/she recently taught.

For example: “Australia” (geography), “photosynthesis” (biology), “Nelson Mandela” (history).

The teacher gives hints about the key word (slowly, one after the other). The students guess what the right word is. Ideally, the teacher provides only little information which makes it harder to guess.

This way, the students have to listen carefully and combine everything they know in order to find the right answer. At the same time this is a good revision.

Example:If you teach chemistry, you could choose the key word “oxygen”. Hints could be:

1. “It is related to chemistry.” 2. “It is something we studied this week.”3. “It is a chemical element.” 4. “It is gaseous.”

Students guess: “Is it oxygen?” - “Yes, it is!” Alternatives:

The teacher divides the class into two groups. Each group has one representative sitting in front of them, their backs facing the blackboard.

One group starts. The teacher writes a keyword on the blackboard. The group has 1 minute to explain the word to their representative. If the representative guesses right, they get a point.

After one minute the representative changes (so several students have the chance to guess) and it’s the second group’s turn. The teacher writes a new word on the blackboard and the student have to explain it to their representative.

The group with most points in the end, wins.

Game #4: Beep

This game can be used in math for patterns and to create a group dynamic. All of the students need to work together and concentrate. Don’t make it too difficult as some students will struggle and may feel bad if they mess up a few times.

Objectives: Practice simple and compound multiplication. Practice counting by fractions, decimals, etc. Create a group dynamic. Clam the class down.

Instructions: Everyone stands up. A pattern is decided i.e. multiples of 5. Counting passes around the circle. For example: 1st person says 1, 2nd person says 2 etc.

however the 5th person needs to say ‘Beep’ instead of 5, also person 10, 15 etc. if they don’t or if someone isn’t paying attention and they say the wrong number, the whole thing needs to start again.

For it to work well, all of the students need to concentrate and work together. It works especially well if a time reward is offered before it begins. For example: when

we get to number 50, the class can go; even if it’s a bit early!

Reason #3: Games can help students to develop critical thinking skills.

Games #5: Open mind

This game can be used for any subject area, including science, math and social sciences. It works well as a whole

class activity in which students work in teams, but can also work well with individual students.

Objectives

Help to develop students’ thinking skills because there is not just one ‘right’ answer, but many

alternatives.

Students practise their skills when checking other students’ answers.

Instruction:

The teacher splits the class into two groups (boys/girls works very well) and asks them to sit together on

either side of the room, near to the board.

Each group gets one marker/piece of chalk. (Each group member will take a turn in participating; they

will hold the marker/chalk when it’s their turn).

There is a time limitation, for example 3 minutes.

The teacher writes an answer to a question on the board i.e. =25 and students need to write the questions,

i.e. “12.5 x 2”, “50/2”,”20+5”.”40-15”. There are many possibilities that students can choose.

The group with most questions wins.

Alternatives:

Ask for groups to compete to come up with as many possible examples as possible (the winner has the

most correct examples) or to use a specific skill i.e. using algebra, multiplication etc. provide as many

possible questions as possible.

Reason #4: Use games as transitions between different topics or energize your students when they feel tired

Game #6: Silent Ball

This game is good if you want your students to be quiet. It does not take long and is suitable for all subjects.

Objectives:

Calm your students down.

Make them focus again before you move on to a new topic.

Instruction

All students stand up in the classroom, if possible in a circle.

No one is allowed to speak. If someone speaks, he/she is out and has to sit down.

If someone drops the ball or throws poorly, he/she is out as well and has to sit down.

Students pass the ball, silently. Teacher watches over the game.

Then the teacher starts to introduce some extra instructions: “You need to throw boy, girl, boy girl.”

“Throw quickly.” “Throw/catch one handed.” etc.

The last person left is the winner!

Game #7: The teacher says

Objectives:

Get your students energized and focused again.

Make your classroom fun.

Instructions:

Everyone stands up

One player is “the teacher” and leads the game. Only he/she speaks.

The game leader begins a sentence with: “The teacher says…”

The game leader gives instructions that the participants have to follow. For example: “The

teacher said, put your hands on your head”. To start use the next five instructions only. (When

you play more often, add more instructions.)

Put your hands on your head.

Put your hands on your hips.

Jump up and down.

Stand on one foot.

Touch your nose.

The players know they should only follow introductions when the game leader says “The

teacher says” before giving the instruction.

When someone follows an order that does not begin with “The teacher says”, he or she is out

of the game and must sit down. For example: ”Put your hands on your head”, students who put

their hands on their head are out because the game leader did not say :”The teachers says: ‘put

your hands on your head!’” (Note: Being out of the game is a consequence and must be

enforced by the teacher.)

Game #8: Same but different

This energizer is also a good icebreaker. You can use it in the beginning of the new school year so

students can get to know each other better. They can see that they have things in common but are yet

different. Playing this creates a good class atmosphere.

Objectives:

Get your students energized and focused again.

Make your classroom fun.

Instructions:

Have everyone stand up in a circle One participant (or you can begin with a facilitator in middle) stands in the middle and makes

a statement about something they ‘have, have done or can do.’ For example: “I have 4 brothers” or “I am from Dili.”

Everybody who also ‘has, has done or can do’ leaves their spot in the circle and moves to an open spot of someone else who has moved.

RULE: you cannot move to a spot directly beside you! Participants who ‘don’t have, have not done, or can’t do’ stay in their spot There should be one more person then the number of spots (facilitator participates). This

person stands in the middle and says another statement.

Tips for playing games in the classroom

1. Establish clear guidelines

It is very important that you explain the game you are going to play clearly and that you give your students clear expectations. Explain all expectations in a calm manner and be patient. Highlight: “It is very important that everyone follows the rules. Otherwise the game doesn’t work.”

Some examples: Answer silently or quietly in groups.

Hold up board with your answer.

Wait for the teacher’s feedback/instructions.

Respect materials.

If students don’t follow:

give one reminder of the expectations

give one warning

student is out of the game

If you dismiss a student from the game, do it in a nice way. If you shout, threaten or beat

your students they won’t enjoy the game it is no effective teaching tool anymore.

2. Questions

Many teachers find it difficult in the beginning to formulate questions during the game. However, this gets easier with time. And we can guarantee you that within a short period of time you will ask questions very quickly.

Ask questions that require a short answer. During a quick game it is important that you ask questions that can be answered quickly (using just a few words).

Make sure your questions are relevant. For instance, if you use the game “The last person wins” to prepare your students for the exam it is important to cover all relevant topics, not to check their general education.

Ask some questions that are rather easy and some that are more difficult. If all of your questions are difficult, the students won’t feel encouraged to play or to get involved. It is always best to start a game with questions that everyone can answer, and then move on to the more difficult questions.

It is important that your students try to answer all the questions you ask. It doesn’t matter if they do not know the right answer. The aim playing games is to get your students active and to make them participate. Praise them for right answers and good efforts in order to motivate them.

Session #6: Comprehension Questions, Brainstorming and Group Work

In this session we will have a look at comprehension questions, brainstorming and group work. Comprehension questions and brainstorming will help to promote critical thinking while also improving students’ reading comprehension, skim reading and summarizing skills. Group work additionally develops their social skills. All of these skills are essential for success in both school and beyond.

What are comprehension questions?

Comprehension questions check students’ ability to recall, understand and demonstrate something they have learned.

Never involve ‘Yes/No’ questions or ask “Do you understand?”

Effective example: “What continent is Timor-Leste in?”— “In Asia.”

Not very effective: “Is Timor-Leste in Asia?” — “Yes.”

They require students to think about and mentally organise their learning before formulating an appropriate answer.

The question will itself contain information about the topic being questioned.

Effective example: “How does water become a gas?” instead of “Is that right?” (Hint: The information in this sentence is: water is a gas, and becomes a gas through a process.)

Responses will always include relevant information, but should not take a long time to explain.

Effective example: “Name one country who remained neutral in World War 2” — “Portugal.”

Not very effective: “Name all countries involved in World War II and explain their reasons for fighting in that war”, which would take a long time to answer.

Comprehension questions help:

Teachers understand their students’ progress and plan lessons accordingly. Maintain students’ attention because students are actively participating in their

own learning. Students to test and apply their knowledge.

Tips for effective use of comprehension questions

Ask questions regularly – try to include quick questions or chances for participation every minute or two during your teaching.

Ask short questions that have a very quick response, rather than complex, large questions that require long answers.

Ask a variety of questions that test the students’ concentration and knowledge (eg: ‘How many categories are there in the food pyramid?’)get the students to apply their knowledge (eg. ‘What kinds of food do you think are included in the ‘dairy’ category?’) allow students to share information about themselves and their opinions (eg. ‘Which category do you like eating from the most and why?’).

Introduction: ‘Super Template’ for generating good questions.

The Super Template is a good instrument for teachers to formulate effective comprehension questions.

Example:Topic Facts/most important details

in dot point only.Comprehension Questions (create questions using information from the second column.)

Timor-Leste In SE Asia

Tropical climate

Portuguese colony for 500 years

Tetun and Portuguese official languages

In which region of the world is Timor-Leste located?

What sort of climate does Timor-Leste have?

What country colonised Timor-Leste? For how many years?

What are the two official languages of Timor-Leste?

Activity: Mini-Whiteboards:

Mini-white boards are a way to use the Super Template to ask comprehension questions and get

quick student responses throughout a lesson.

Mini whiteboards are cheap and easy to make: they are plastic sleeves with a piece of clean white

paper inserted. Board markers can be used to write on the plastic, and writing can then be easily

erased, just like a whiteboard!

Objective:

Increase student participation in the lesson

Gauge student understanding and offer correction (teacher), praise students for right answers

Instructions:

Each student or group gets their own mini whiteboard and marker.

The teacher (facilitator) asks a question, and the students write down their answer on their

whiteboards and hold them up so the teacher can see them.

The teacher can offer quick feedback such as “correct”, “not quite”, “try again”, etc. Students

that have not got the correct answer can quickly erase their answer and try again, holding

their board up to get new feedback from the teacher.

Once the teacher is satisfied that most people have the right answer, they can move onto the

next question.

This activity can be played as a game individually or in groups, with the fastest student or

group to get the right answer winning a point.

Introduction Brainstorming

Brainstorming Is a problem-solving technique for both individuals and groups of people Generates a high number of diverse ideas quickly Encourages creativity and critical thinking Is democratic and improves the atmosphere and energy of a group; generally

resulting in the generation of more and more varied ideas.

Brainstorming is a useful tool for teachers and can be used for:

Generating thinking and analysis of topics and motivating students because all students will be participating.

Helping students prepare for presentations/projects Helping students work together to solve a problem or respond to a question Assessments before and after teaching a topic Exam preparation and revision for students

Brainstorming can be used for all subjects. Next, we will use it to collect and explore ideas about fruits and vegetables.

Think, Pair, Share

Objective:

Collect and explore ideas.

Instructions:

Everyone has 2 minutes to write down as many types of fruit and vegetables as they can. Everyone pairs-up with the person next to him/her to compare or discuss their lists. They

have 4 minutes. Every group of two needs to join with the nearest other group of two and share all four lists.

They make one new list containing all ideas, ensuring they don’t duplicate answers. They have 6 minutes.

Each group counts how many items they have on their list (no duplication). The group with the most will win!

Teacher: Ask all groups to stand up. Instruct groups to stay standing if they have at least 10 items on their list. Then, if they have at least 20 they can stay standing. Then, if they have 30 etc. (this continues until you have one winner left.) This group will quickly read through their list.

Brainstorming competition

Objective:

Use as energizer to get everyone excited and physically active.

The speed and competition also make it fun and make people want to participate and work

together.

Instructions:

Split participants into groups using the counting-off method (give every person the number

1, 2, or 3, and then they sit together with everyone else who has that number). Ideally, there

should only be 5 or 6 people in each group. If there are lots of participants, you can create 2

or 3 groups of 5, and have everyone else just watch.

Draw a line down the middle of the board.

Both groups have 3 minutes to get as many answers as they can on the board.

Groups must stand in a line behind the mark indicated by the facilitator.

One at a time, group members can run to the board, write one country name on their side of

the board, and return to the back of the line. Only when the returning member crosses the

mark can the next member run to the board.

At the end of the 3 minutes, the facilitator yells “Stop!”. A member from each group will

check the other group’s answers. If there are duplicated names, remove one. If there is a

mistake or a name you don’t think is right, circle it and the facilitators will adjudicate

(decide). The group with the most correct answers wins.

Activity: Know-Question-Learn (KQL)

Objective:

Track learning by showing participants knowledge of topic before and after lesson.

Instructions:

Put up flip chart sheet with 3 categories: K, Q, L

Explain, “This flip chart is to track our learning today. The topic is: Brainstorming.”

Fill out chart.

a. K- What we know… (2 min)

Students write down what they know about brainstorming on post-it notes

Put post-it notes up on chart

Teacher reads off some of post-it notes

b. Q- Questions we have… (3 min)

Students list any questions they have on post-it notes

Teacher can also write-up questions they will be answering

c. L- Things we’ve learned…

Do this part at the end of the lesson!!

Students write-down on post-it notes

Teacher read off some of post-it notesAnswer the questions formulated before together in the class

Activity: Solution chart

Objective:

Use brainstorming in order to solve a problem

Use brainstorming in order to prepare for a discussion in class

Instructions:

Split class into three groups (30 sec)

Present a problem to class. Ex. There is a Dengue Fever outbreak in Dili; There is

a shortage of bottled water being delivered to Atauro, There is an increase in

violent acts happening in taxis against women so women are not using taxis

anymore and taxi drivers are making less money (1 min)

Assign each group a different view on the same topic and a different role in solving

the problem (30 sec)

Give each group time to discuss and write down solutions (5-10 min)

Have groups present to class (3 min per group)

Fill out the Solution Chart with the participants’ responses

Categorizing and Grouping:

Grouping is the process of identifying groups of words or ideas that fit together into one large topic or category. Categorizing means identifying the topic of a group of words. Grouping and categorizing are a good way to organize new information.

Why is grouping important?

Grouping words allows us to do two main things:

1. We can organize information we already know in a way that is easy to remember.

2. We can make a format out of the way we grouped previous knowledge together that makes it easy for us to organize new information.

Categorizing is an important skill to have because it allows us to learn and remember information better.

Activity #1 Mind Maps: Remember information easily

Information without category

Information with category

How is it easier to remember information? When they are listed as single words or when they are organized in categories or mini-topics?

Game: Which category?

Objective:

Students learn to organize their ideas by using categories.

Instructions:

Split class into two team

Choose one student

Say two words of the same category

Participant has 10 second to identify topic that connect to the two words

If the student guesses right his/her team gets one point

The team with most points in the end wins

Activity #2: Mind Map

Objective:

Organize ideas and information using categories.

Instructions:

The teacher hangs up a flip chart of a mind map. The mind map consists of three

levels:

Topic

Subtopic

Characteristics/ Main Points

Some parts are filled in, some are blank.

Students make suggestions about what could fit in the blank parts and write their

answers on mini white-boards.

The teacher writes down the right answers on the flip chart (there might be more

than one appropriate answer).

Activity #3: How to make categories

This activity helps to divide topics into subtopics and subtopics into characteristics/ concrete information. The following steps explain how.

1. Make a graphic as below: Topic- Subtopics- Characteristic/ Information

2. Fill in the graphic Choose a topic Think of subtopics (there are endless possibilities how to categorize, try it

out!) Write down information for each subtopic

3. Example: Topic: food Subtopics:

fruitsvegetablescookedrawhealthy unhealthy, etc.

Information:mango, papaya, pineapple, …carrot, tomato, spinach, …rice, soup, eggplant, …salad, banana, cucumber, …sweet potato, tempeh, papaya leaves, …burger, chocolate, cake, …

Activity #4: Adding new information

Grouping information makes it easier for us to remember. And it helps us to put new information into context. Putting information into categories supports your students’ learning because they can absorb and remember them more easily.

1. Design a mind map following the steps above using: Topic Subtopic Characteristic/ information

Only use two or three subcategories with max. one or two characteristics/information that relate to them.

2. Show the mind map to your students. Give them words and ask them to categorize them.

“To which subtopic does this word belong to?”

3. Ask your students to come up with additional information that relate to the subtopics.

Group Work

Group work is an incredible tool to use in the classroom. Its best trait is its versatility. Group work can be used with big or small classes, for short or long periods of time, and in any subject area. The possibilities are endless!

Group work is indispensible in the classroom!

Students will learn more because: It makes tasks more fun, meaning students will want to be involved and will

consequently learn more. Students can learn from each other. Group work enables them to hear a range of ideas

quite quickly because each member of the group has something unique to contribute. Also, students can often be excellent teachers of their peers because they can explain things in ways they can understand and relate to.

Students have to work together to achieve a goal, helping them to develop their social skills, which are vital for use in the future.

It allows students to take information in, process it and then form their own ideas, understandings and opinions; making the learning process stronger.

It is a less threatening environment for them to share their ideas in small groups rather than with the whole class, which is especially important for shy and quiet students.

Teachers can step back from the role of lecturer and instead step into a support role. There is less pressure on the teacher because you will spend only some of your time presenting, while the remainder will be spent supporting, encouraging and managing groups.

Guidelines for using group work: 

You need to have very clear instructions and expectations when using group work. It is essential that you:

Explain how the groups will be formed, how many students will be in each, and the place they will use.

Give clear time limits eg. “You will have 5 minutes starting now.” Give a clear explanation of the task and the expected product at the end, eg. “You

will need to discuss: ‘The voting age should be 15 years old’. Decide if you agree or disagree and provide three reasons why. I will ask 3 groups to present their answers to the class afterwards.”

Give clear expectations on the behaviour that you want to see, eg. “I will be looking for groups that are organised, start the task straight away and are able to think of 3 very convincing and detailed reasons”.

Provide incentives, eg. “The group with the most convincing argument will be allowed to leave 2 minutes earlier than the rest of the class”. OR: “The group working the best will get to work outside”

Always ask “Are there any questions?” before the task begins. It is much faster and easier to deliver the information to everyone rather than each group individually.

Monitor the groups by walking around the classroom and prompting the groups with questions, eg. “What’s your best argument so far?” or “Have you thought about.....?” This can also be a good way to get misbehaving groups to re-focus.

A couple of things to think about if group work is new for you:

It will also be new for students and it may take a few practices for them to use it really effectively. Don’t worry if group work doesn’t function perfectly the first few times you use it.

Your classroom will be much noisier than usual because everyone will be talking. This is ok, if the groups are talking about the task. If they are not, stop the class and remind students what behaviour you want to be seeing.

Group work is not an excuse for students to yell or be silly. The same rules apply as in any other class.

If you are concerned about the impact of noise on adjacent classrooms it is a good idea to set volume boundaries before the group task begins. Remember, it is always good to give instructions which focus on the positive behaviour that you want to see. For example: ‘The class next to us is working quietly and we don’t want to disturb their concentration, so I would really like to see groups talking at this volume’ *(Teacher role models desired volume). Alternatively, you could take your groups to work outside, away from other classes.

Like any skill, you need to practice participatory activities constantly. This will be difficult, but

when the teachers and students used to it, it will be benefit and make our work easier.

Techniques to split students into groups

There are endless possibilities for how to split students into groups; with different techniques working better or worse depending on factors such as the classroom space, the number of students, and the task itself. Here are some examples:

Partner up with the person next to you By rows: eg. “Everyone in this row is now one group” Birthdates, eg. “All of the people born in July, sit over here, all of the people

born in December, sit over there” Student choice: “You have 30 seconds to sit down in a group of four or five, or I

will put you into a group” (in this example it’s important to give a time limit or students will take a long time deciding)

Student choice with conditions: More balanced groups may result from “You have 30 seconds to be sitting down in a group of four or five with at least 2 boys and 2 girls”

One of the best and easiest ways to organise is ‘Think, pair, share’. Randomly choose student names from attendance sheet eg. First 5 names become one group, second 5 names become second group, etc. (This method can be used to ensure that frequently misbehaving students are placed in separate groups and that the most capable students are spread through the groups as good role models to, and helpers of, other students).

Checklist for Group Work:Have you:

□ Clearly organised the students into groups?

□ Explained the task clearly and provided a description of the behaviour and work standard that you hope to see?

□ Set a time-frame for completing the group work task, for example: 5 minutes?

□ Allocated roles for individuals (if necessary)?

□ Asked if there are any questions before the students begin?

□ Walked around and monitored/assisted the groups?

□ Given a clear signal to end the group work and concluded the lesson?

Activity: ‘Buzz Groups’ ‘Buzz Groups’ are short, focused discussion and problem-solving sessions in which students work together in small groups. They are an excellent alternative to a ‘lecture’-style lesson in which you speak and students listen and/or write, because they provide students with the opportunity to hear others’ ideas and share their own; thus helping to develop their critical thinking skills and their understanding of an idea/issue/problem. They also rejuvenate the class because students can move from their seats and engage with others; finally, they teach students to work together to solve problems, developing their team-work and social skills along the way.

Instructions:

Introduce the lesson content and explain what students have to do. Don’t forget to give clear time limits:

“I am handing out some information about ‘languages in Timor’. You will have 5 minutes to read this information quietly by yourself. After this, we will work in ‘Buzz Groups’ to complete a special task together. Make sure you read this carefully so that you are prepared and ready to help out your group”.

Monitor the group and be flexible with time limits: if they all look like they are finished early you can ask “Do you need more time?” If after 5 minutes everyone is still reading then you should ask this also.

Split students into groups:“Time is up! I will now give you 1 minute to put yourself into a group of 4 or 5. Make a good choice and choose people that you know you will work well with. When you have your group of 4 or 5, please sit down. If you are not in a group, stay standing and I will place you in a group after 1 minute is finished”.

Clearly explain the group task, including the expected outcome, and set time limits: “You have all just read some information about ‘Languages in Timor’. The discussion question for your groups is ‘Portuguese is the best choice of language in Timorese schools’. You will have 8 minutes to decide if your group agrees or disagrees and think of at least 3 detailed reasons why. I will call on some groups to share their conclusions with the class after this”.

Monitor group work: While the group is discussing/ problem solving, the teacher will need to move between the groups and check on them, help if needed or ask useful questions to keep them on track. End the group work and bring the class back together to share the outcome and end the lesson:

“Time is up! A representative from each group (or selected groups) will need to stand up and present what they have discussed in 1 minute”. (This last part is optional and not essential at all times).

Session #7: Evaluation and Assessment

An important part of teaching is understanding and evaluating your students’ knowledge. Evaluation gives insights into what students do well and what they need to further improve.Evaluations also provide us with information about how our lesson and teaching methods are going. Moreover, evaluation allows your students to reflect on their understanding of the lesson content. Is everything clear? Do they have unanswered questions? Evaluation does not only happen at the end of the lesson, but during the lesson or even all day long at school. 

There are four important points you should keep in mind when evaluating your students and/or yourself:

Establish a clear learning objective Good assessment starts with the objectives. Display the learning objectives in the class so there will be no confusion about what you expect them to learn. You can only measure the students’ progress if you know what you want to them to learn or to achieve.

Use various evaluation methods in your classThere are various ways in which you can evaluate your students. For instance, you can evaluate your students’ progress using a quiz, writing exercises, group presentations and during discussions.The easiest way though to evaluate your students is by asking comprehension questions. If you ask comprehension questions throughout your lessons you will find out what your students already understand and what is still unclear. It also makes clear which students need extra support. Always ask various questions to check your students’ concentration and knowledge. This lets the students use what they have learned and gives them the opportunity to express their thoughts and share their opinions.

Parents informed about children’s progress When you have a meeting with your students’ parents, always point out positive things about their work. It is important that parents hear about what their children achieve at school. Write a letter about your students’ progress and give it to your students so they can take it home or make an appointment with the parents so you can inform them about what their children learn. You can also organize an event at school involving the families.

Evaluate yourself in order to improve your teachingEvaluating students’ understanding also gives you information about how effective your lessons are. Evaluating yourself will help you to develop, improve and learn as a teacher and will make your lessons better.

Session #8: Inclusivity and Child Protection

What is child protection?

Since they are particularly vulnerable and not yet mature, children need protection from adults in their daily life. Supporting children does not only mean responding to their physical needs but also to their emotional needs. Children do not have enough life experience to know how to respond appropriately to problems. It is not easy to approach children who face problems, but it is our obligation to try to help them.

First: We have to value children, their wellbeing should be our priority in life.

Second: We need to inform them about their rights and responsibilities.

Third: We need to be good friends for them and become a role model so they can feel safe and comfortable to talk to us when the have problem.

Fourth: We need to communicate well with them so they don’t feel lonely.

Principles for child protection

Children’s rights have to be respected. Security and a good life are the most important principles. When there is a

conflict between parents’ and children’s interests, the children’s well-being is the most important.

Children have the right to have an infancy free from abuse. Parents should become an ideal source of protection for children’s right. Children and young people should have the opportunity appropriate for their age

or maturity to participate in decision making that impact their lives (at school, at home, in the community).

Do not share a child’s identity that is in danger. Sharing information about children is only ok if it’s done in order to assist them.

When children cannot live with their family any longer, they need to be provided with a different environment that meets all their needs including medical, education, physical and emotional.

In the following sections we will have a look at factors that threaten children’s well-being. We will learn signs indicating that children are in danger and strategies to help them.

What is trauma?

The word trauma comes from the Greek word “wound”. It can refer to a physical injury as well as to an emotional injury.

A psychological trauma is the individual response of a person to a present or past event/situation in which this person lost his/her ability to understand or respond to what is happening. The situation is so intense that the affected person feels it threatens his/her life, physical safety or mental sanity is under threat. This feeling of immediate danger continues even after the situation is over.

Each person has different experiences with trauma and different ways to recuperate from it. Some people recuperate independently or with only little help in a short period of time, some people need much more time to recuperate and professional support and assistance.

What causes trauma?

Trauma can be caused by natural disasters and emergency situations such as inundation, earthquakes or famine. Or it can be caused by human made disasters such as car accidents, domestic violence, child abuse or war.

Psychological effects are usually more severe when trauma is caused by humans, when people are exposed to traumatic experiences more than once, when this happens during childhood and is committed by caretakers or persons of trust, and when these experiences are very unexpected.

How to treat children from trauma?

In order for a child to recuperate well from trauma, he/she needs to:

have a good relationship with his/her parents or caretakers get the chance to ask questions or participate in ceremonies relating to their

sadness (such as mourning rituals, funeral, etc) get assistance from people they know and trust

What is child abuse?

Physical, sexual or emotional violence as well as negligence are all forms of child abuse that can have impacts on a child’s physical, mental and emotional development. Child abuse is often committed in a context of power, authority and trust and by people who are According to statistics the perpetrators are often close relatives, family friends or other persons of trust.In the following we will have a closer look at the different forms of child abuse, their signs and impact.

1. Types of physical abuse, its signs and impacts

Sometimes physical abuse is visible in the form of wounds, bruises or swollen body parts, sometimes it is invisible because the injuries are internal. It is important to know that even if there are no physical signs of violence left, the violence is still considered as child abuse. It prevents children living an infancy free of fear and pain and needs to be stopped immediately!

Examples of physical abuse are: Beating Kicking Pulling children’s ears or hair Forcing a child to sit or kneel in the sun

Signs of danger for physical abuse: Children are afraid or aggressive They want to destroy things or themselves They do not want to speak and participate in activities They have swollen body parts or wounds, especially in their face, on their legs,

thighs or stomach

2. Types of emotional abuse, its signs and impact:

It is often thought that words do not harm children. However, when children are told frequently that they are useless or no good, they start believing it. This has serious effects on their behavior as children and later when they become adults.

Example of emotional abuse; Shouting Threating Insulting Asking someone else to beat the child

Sign of danger from emotional abuse: Children don’t speak at appropriately for their age, difficulties to learn new things

(particularly words and languages) Stutter Frequently have stomach ache or head ache Feel intimidated or stressed, don’t want to participate in activities Talk negatively about themselves

3. Type of sexual abuse, its sign and impact

Sexual abuse means the involvement of a child in sexual activities by adults. In some cases also by other children.

Examples of sexual abuse: Any kind of sexual intercourse with a child Touching a child’s genital organs Asking a child to touch an adult’ genital organs Showing an adult’s genitals or pornography (sexual images) to children Forcing a child to watch or listen to sexual intercourse

Signs of danger of sexual abuse Children feel frightened and cry often They vomit, don’t want to eat, have difficulties to urinate They cannot sleep, have nightmares, wet their beds They don’t grow They feel shy, guilty

4. Types of negligence, its signs and impact

Negligence is when parents or caretakers do not provide a minimum level of care, even though they have the capacity to do it.

Examples of negligence Children are left alone Children are not taken to the hospital when they are sick Children don’t get food or drinks when they are hungry or thirsty Lack of hygiene: children are not washed, dressed in clean clothes

Sign of danger from negligence:

Children do not go to school or come to school late Children play in insecure places They are tired and sleep at school, have difficulties learning Their bodily development is not well

What are the effects of child abuse?

Emotional and psychological problems: fear, incapability to trust, lack of self-confidence, feeling depressed, difficulties having relationships, aggression, hyperactivity, feeling uncomfortable

Social problems: committing small scale crimes, consumption of drugs Physical problem: unhealthy body, limited body functions, weak development or

or functioning of cognitive abilities, most severe case is death

Effects of child abuse:

Deterioration in school performance They dream to be saved or to become heroes

Mood swings, inconsistent behaviour for example: random aggressiveness or impatience versus avoiding conflict

Physical symptom without apparent medical reason Staying away from playing and social activities Disturbing the classroom

Effects that we can observe in teenagers who are older:

Engage early in sexual activities Consume drugs Don’t respect family rules and school rules, skip school Physical and mental development is slower Interpersonal difficulties Interested in risky actions Mainly self-sufficient, reject to get help

If you observe one of the effects listed above it is not yet a clear sign that your student suffers from abuse. However, you should take it seriously if you notice that one of your student’s behavior changed drastically and investigate why.

How can we identify child abuse?

Children have difficulties articulating their problems. This makes it harder to know when they need help. Sometimes their way of behavior tells us what they cannot tell us with words. Children might become aggressive or sad for no obvious reason, they might avoid playing with other kids, they be distracted at school or disturb the lesson (see above). It is important not to punish children for misbehavior or to force them to participate in certain activities. We rather need to approach them and try to find out what is going on with them. The reasons for inappropriate behavior or behavior changes can be very serious.

These are other signs we can observe that might indicate child abuse: Children show anxiety or nervousness when someone approaches them, for

example they scratch their body, speak very fast and avoid looking at the other person’s eyes.

Children start forgetting a lot of things. Children hide their face or hands. When children do not want to go to a specific place or spend time with a specific

person. When children are shaky or feel sick without any reason. When children talk to themselves or laugh alone. When children beat themselves or talk very negatively about themselves.

It is important to keep in mind that these signs alone are not always indicators for abuse. It is important to look at behaviour changes. For instance, a child with a rather calm or restrained character does not necessarily have to worry us. However, a child with a very cheerful and outgoing character who suddenly avoids socializing with other children and becomes very quiet might have some serious problems.

What do laws in Timor-Leste say about child abuse?

The following table summarizes laws in Timor-Leste that relate to different forms of abuse.

Action Relevant Laws

Physical AbuseLaw Against Domestic Violence Art. .(a) Penal Code Art. 155; 156; 16 Convention on Children Right Art. 19; 8.Universal Declaration on Human Right 5

Sexual AbuseLaw Against Domestic Violence Art. .(b) Penal Code Art. 171; 17; 173; 176; 177; 178 Convention on Children Right Art. 19; 3

Psychological AbuseLaw Against Domestic Violence Art. . (c)

NegligencePenal Code Art. 1 3 Law Against Domestic Violence Art. 9

ExplorationLaw Against Domestic Violence Art. . (d) Penal Code

Economic155 (b)

Obligation to report abusive casePreamble Law Against Domestic Violence

How do we respond to abuse and trauma?

Communication with traumatized children

Get authorization from the child. It should be the child’s decision to talk to us, never force a child to tell what has happened to him/her.

Recognize their courage to talk about their story.

Listen to what they want to say, do not make assumptions, do not decide what they can/cannot say.

Trust them, don’t judge their story telling. The children may be traumatized and only tell parts of what they have gone through. Name the crimes they have been experiencing, say for example: “This is like domestic violence” or “This is sexual violence”.

Assure protection to children from the people who abuse them. Are they safe at home or at school? Do they have to be protected from themselves because they have suicidal thoughts?

Normal reaction make children believe that their answers/emotional reactions to the event (abuse or trauma) are normal, understandable, acceptable.

Check if they need someone to accompany them before or while they talk to the police or other people.

Find out if they need medical assessment or treatment. Speak softly It is important to listen rather than talking, the ability to ‘listen

actively’ is crucial.

Confidentiality

Everything a child tells us about what has happened to him/her and about his identity is absolutely confidential. Thus, do not share these information with other people (including the family of the child). Only if we ask the child and he/she authorizes us to share information, we can do it. Never assume that the child has given his/her authorization! Only when children are in danger, their protection is not secured where they live or they might harm themselves, we need to look for assistance- even if the children did not authorize us to do so. Below is a list of agencies that provide social support.

Where we can get more help?

1. Physical Protection

VPU (Vulnerable Persons’ Unit)-always contact firsto Dili Tel: 77265721

Police-commonly they do not pick up the call, better go directly to the police station

o Tel: 112 OPLs-Officer for Child Protection

o Each district has one OPL. You can get their number from the Ministry of Social Solidarity

Ministry of Social Solidarity

o Tel: 3311266, 3322938, 77274156 (24 hours)

IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that getting legal assistance can be a long process and you don’t get results over night. Be patient!

Note: The VPU is trained to respond to different cases of abuse and domestic violence. DO NOT GO to the community police. If you are worried about your safety as witness or victim, meet the VPU personally instead of calling them.

2. Legal Assistance ALFeLa-Legal assistance for women and Children (free)

Coodinator: Merita Correira: merita@jsmp.minihub.orgo Dili: 77244304/3310282

Location: Villa Verde, Dili, near the Cathedralo Suai: 7739 1979o Baucau: 77157156/77389737o Oecusse: 77803860

ALFeLa offers free legal advice and support for women and children who are victims of abuse and violence, and help them to access the formal judicial system. ALFeLa works in all 13 districts in Timor-Leste. Its head quarter is in Dili, but it has branches in Baucau, Oecusse and Suai.

3. Medical Assistance (including psychological support) PRADET Fatin Hakmatek (has hospitals in the following

districts)o Dili: 77254597/3321562o Oecusse: 77031991o Suai: 78000907o Maliana: 78088591

Contact Number for Sexual Abuse Caseo Tel: 77254597 (24 hours)

Dili Hospitalo Tel: 3311000, 3311008

If there’s an emergency, go directly to the hospital before you go to PRADET. If it is not an emergency, go directly to PRADET. PRADET can collect forensic evidence (medical evidence) that can be used for legal cases and can support victims when they get medical treatment. However, it is important to take victims there within 72 hours.

4. Social Assistance DNRS-National Division for Social Reinsertion

o Department for Child ProtectionTel: Mr. Florencio 77345430

o Department for Vulnerable WomenTel: Ms. Joana 77339883

NGO Ba Futuruo Address: Rai Kotu, Comoro, Dilio Tel: 3322437

5. Economic and Shelter Assistance

These services enable victims to process their case and eliminate obstacles, for example: if a victim is economically dependent on the people who abuse her/him.

Ministry for Social Solidarity (MSS) PRADET Fatin Hakmatek (has hospital in the following

districts):o Dili: 77254597 / 3321562o Oecusse : 77031991o Suai: 78000907o Maliana: 78088591

Casa Vidao Tel: 77319833 / 77352345

Forum Youth Communicationso Tel: 77375989, 77536335

OPLs (Contact to MSS) Fokupers

o Tel: 3321534 (24 Hours)

Helping children who are victims of abuse or negligence is not only morally right but also our legal obligation

Article 39 from CRC says that:“Should establish all appropriate mechanisms to promote physical and physiological recuperation and social reintegration for victim of children from negligence, exploration, abuse, torture or form of actions that are cruel, inhuman or degradable treatment or punition. The recuperation should be done in an environment that promotes health, respect and dignity of children.”

Preamble of Law Against Domestic Violence says: “Protection to vulnerable people not only exist in the family. Prevent action of domestic violence and facilitate assistance to victims become as an obligation for the entire citizen.

Conclusion

Teachers and caretakers have a great impact on children’s lives and play an important role in protecting children and assuring a good development. They are protectors and promoters of children’s rights and can provide essential assistance when children need help and support. Additionally, because they spend a lot of time with children they have great potential to notice symptoms of trauma and abuse. They have opportunities to encourage children to talk to them about their problems and they can help them to get assistance and offer support during the recuperation process. Creating a safe environment for children and listening to them actively is a very important step towards recuperation. If children are severely traumatized teachers and caretakers can put them in contact with professionals who can offer psychological, medical and legal advice.