China Tomorrow Education Foundation | Planet Aid | HPP China
Teachers of Tomorrow Support Program (50 teachers):
Qiaojia County, Yunnan Province
Annual progress report
July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024
(Switzerland) Yunnan Representative Office (HPP China)
July 9, 2024
I. Project Overview
In order to support the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education in fully promoting the "One Village, One Preschool" construction and comprehensively improve the quality of preschool education and provide high-quality preschool education for children in remote rural areas, HPP China has raised funds from various sources to support the operation of rural preschool classes in Qiaojia County. Teachers in rural preschool classes are mostly temporary teachers with a low salary, a lack of corresponding social security and poor stability. To enhance the stability of preschool teachers, ensure smooth operation of the preschool classes, and provide social security, HPP China began working with the Qiaojia County Education and Sports Bureau in 2022 to implement the Teachers of Tomorrow Support Program (50 teachers) in Qiaojia County, Yunnan Province, with funding from the China Tomorrow Education Foundation (CTEF) via Planet Aid, Inc. The project grants allowances for temporary preschool teachers and supports their purchase of medical insurance and accident insurance. Meanwhile, cash rewards will be granted to excellent preschool teachers to improve the enthusiasm and stability of their work.
II. Project Progress
During the period from July 2023 to June 2024, the project primarily carried out the following activities:
Holding the Teacher Year-end Conclusion Meeting
On July 12, 2023, the project office organized the preschool teachers to hold a year-end conclusion meeting for the 2022-2023 school year in the First Kindergarten of Qiaojia County. 45 project preschool teachers attended the meeting. The teachers summarized and reviewed the teaching work for the school year and shared their experiences in teaching and management of preschool classes. Teachers also introduced their own learning improvement plans for the coming year. For example, Ms. Y Wang, a teacher from the Cheping Preschool Class, shared her idea of getting teacher qualification certificates within the next year and her study and preparation for it, encouraging other teachers to study actively and pursue self-improvement.
In addition to sharing and mutual learning, the year-end meeting also featured a group building activity encompassing handing flour, fighting for water, blowing balloons, skipping rope, performing the Yi characteristic dance, "action king," and so on. These games, which roused the teachers’ interest and enthusiasm, cultivated their team spirit and cooperation ability so that they could be well-prepared for the new school year.
Team building game - who has the fastest reaction?
Project staff officer Areme Lazuo teaches the teachers to perform the Yi characteristic dance
Awarding prizes to the winners in the team building games
Proposing a toast for greater progress in the new year at the end of the conclusion meeting
2. Supporting the Purchase of Accident Insurance and Medical Insurance for 50
Temporary Preschool Teachers
In 2023, the project continued to support temporary teachers to purchase medical insurance and accident insurance. According to current national policies, the project cannot directly purchase accident and medical insurance for temporary teachers, so it instead facilitated the temporary teachers to purchase insurances themselves by granting allowances to the teachers.
The project collected the information of 50 temporary teachers across 45 preschool classes (some preschool classes have 2 teachers), and granted allowances to the teachers, who bought medical insurance and accident insurance themselves. The standard allowance is RMB 350 per person per year for medical insurance, and RMB 150 per person per year for accident insurance (Some teachers enjoyed a favorable price as registered impoverished individuals, and the project granted allowances to them based on the actual price at payment). The teachers provided the electronic receipt of insurance purchase to the project to confirm the completion of the insurance purchase, and the allowances were granted via the WeChat application and bank transfer. All 50 temporary teachers completed the purchase of medical insurance and accident insurance in November 2023. The medical insurance period is from January 1 to December 31, 2024, and the accident insurance period is from November 2023 to November 2024.
3. Organize Teacher Experience-sharing Workshops
On October 15 2023 and January 17, 2024, the project organized teacher experience-sharing workshops. At the workshops, a project staff member introduced the measures of supporting teachers to obtain the Teacher Qualification Certificate, Kindergarten Principal’s Certificate, and Nursery Teacher Certificate and provided incentives for teachers to attain an academic qualification promotion. The teachers were encouraged to actively take certificate exams and improve their academic qualifications.
At the workshop held in October 2023, Z Wang, an excellent teacher from the Affiliated Kindergarten of Kunming University, was invited to carry out special training on the design and organization of outdoor activities for children and the creation of morning exercise activities. Additionally, the project staff member also conducted training for preschool teachers on teaching plan writing and the use of teaching management tools for projects.
At the workshop held in January 2024, Ms. Y Wang, a teacher from Cheping Preschool Class, Dazhai Town, introduced her certificate examination preparation experience. Teacher Wang expressed her pleasure about the incentives provided for preschool teachers’ attainment of certificates. She noted that while the salary for temporary teachers was low and obtaining certificates can be challenging, the support from the project helped address some of these issues and allowed them to focus on learning and prepare for exams. This not only benefited teachers’ own professional growth but also enhanced their ability to be responsible for both children and themselves. Through sharing, the teachers actively discussed and exchanged their experiences, expressing their commitment to studying diligently, improving their skills, and striving to obtain certificates as soon as possible.
The workshops were of great help to improve the professional knowledge and teaching ability of teachers, especially temporary teachers. Through the workshops, the teachers were able to systematically learn about preschool education and make a clearer plan for their career development.
Group photo of preschool teachers and trainers attending the workshop in October 2023
The project staff member introduces subsidies for certification attainment and encourages teachers to obtain certificates
4. Offering Encouragement and Rewards to Teachers
In order to encourage teachers to learn actively and improve teaching quality, the project has formulated a reward scheme to support teachers to upgrade their academic qualifications and obtain teacher qualification certificates: (1) Mandarin Proficiency Test Certificate: RMB 300. (2) Child-care Worker Certificate: RMB 500. (3) Preschool Teacher Qualification Certificate: RMB 1,200; Primary School Teacher Qualification Certificate: RMB 800. (4) Kindergarten Principal’s Certificate: RMB 1,500. (5) Reward for upgrading academic qualifications: RMB 1,500. In 2023, three preschool teachers obtained teacher qualification certificates. C Lin, a teacher from Dazhai Town’s Guancun Preschool Class and FQ Zhao, a teacher from Songping Preschool Class, obtained the Preschool Teacher Qualification Certificate. Y Wang, a teacher from Cheping Preschool Class, obtained the Primary School Teacher Qualification Certificate. The project office extended its congratulations to their achievements, gave them cash rewards in this workshop, and encouraged other teachers to keep learning.
Teacher Lin from Dazhai Town’s Guancun Preschool Class felt extremely happy about getting the certificate and reward. She said that she had the idea of taking the teacher qualification examination before but did not take action. In July 22, after learning about the project’s support for certificate attainment, Teacher Lin made up her mind to actively learn and prepared for the exam. Now she has received both the certificate and the reward of RMB 1,200 from the project. This was a recognition of her efforts this year and also an encouragement, which enabled her to redouble her efforts and keep moving forward.
The project gives rewards to three teachers who have obtained teacher qualification certificates
Teacher C Lin from Dazhai Town’s Guancun Preschool Class shares her certificate examination preparation experience
5. Teachers’ Capability Evaluation
In June 2024, the project team utilized the “Evaluation Questionnaire for Teachers” developed by the support team to evaluate preschool teachers. The evaluation covered nine aspects, including teacher character, teaching environment, curriculum design and implementation, children’s communication skills, daily routines, home-school communication, and teacher attendance. The comparison of test results indicated that there was a significant improvement in teachers’ overall capabilities. After the teachers were evaluated, project staff member would inquire about the preschool teachers’ specific training needs and categorize the challenges teachers faced or were encountering in teaching. Based on this information, the staff would arrange more appropriate future teacher training content, aiming to support teachers in enhancing their skills and improving their teaching quality.
A project staff member evaluates a teacher
Teachers from Dazhai Town’s Guancun Preschool Class participate in an evaluation
Teacher self-evaluation form
III. Project Story
Encounter a New Side of Me
My name is Y Wang, a temporary teacher from Cheping Preschool Class in Dazhai Town, Qiaojia County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. When I first entered the field of preschool education, I had a vague understanding of it, initially thinking that it was all about taking good care of children. Under the support of the HPP China Preschools of the Future project, I received professional training which let me learned that preschool education was far more complex than I had imagined. Through pre-job training, monthly training, and holiday training, I diligently studied the “Guide to Learning and Development of Children Aged 3-6”. Hence, I have gradually gained substantial theoretical knowledge and practical skills related to teacher capability improvement and gamification in teaching.
As the project advanced, I was exposed to a wealth of fresh knowledge. During this period, I learned that the project placed great emphasis on leveraging teachers’ capabilities. To encourage teachers to actively pursue higher academic qualifications and obtain certificates, the project provides relevant learning materials for all participants and offers rewards for obtaining teacher qualification certificates. Hearing these incentives, I felt excited because temporary teachers have low salaries, which create obstacles for obtaining certificates. However, the project’s support addressed some of these issues, allowing me to focus on my learning and exam preparation and further improving my capabilities. This support significantly boosted my motivation to learn. Moreover, the project staff provided me with materials about qualification examinations, and I also purchased relevant books to study diligently, equip myself with knowledge, and try to obtain the certificates. My goal is to become a qualified preschool teacher.
The project not only offers assistance to teachers’ professional development but also provides accident insurance and medical insurance for teachers. As a temporary teacher, I feel greatly reassured and encouraged, and I am deeply grateful for the project’s backing and motivation. With this support, I have gained increased confidence and am committed to devoting myself to this career. This year, I successfully obtained both the Primary School Teacher Qualification Certificate and the Preschool Teacher Qualification Certificate, alongside the project’s examination attainment rewards and certificates.
Although I did not major in preschool education, I will strive to learn about this field and continuously enhance myself to introduce innovative educational concepts to the preschool class. I believe that my efforts and dedication will bring a positive impact on the growth and development of every child. I am sincerely grateful to the project for providing me with this valuable platform for learning and growth. The support and motivation I have received reveal a new side of me.
The teacher in the middle is Wang Yan
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