​Following much preparation with the principal and five SVN members, the remote mentoring project with the nine teachers at City Gates Academy in Manila started in September 2022. Each volunteer has been allocated one or two Filipina teachers. All the teachers have received government training which majors on using rote learning and text books. Some teachers have been at the academy for a few years, but others started in August. The principal was overwhelmed with the amount of help she needed to give each teacher to help them progress with a child-centred approach and had asked SVN for its support.
Each pairing works independently of the others, arranging half hour online meetings every week or fortnight in term time. The teachers ask for advice on classroom management and curricular subjects, the SVN members give ideas for them to think about and adapt to their needs and circumstances, then they report back how things have gone.
The principal has said that the project is going much better than she had hoped and she can see a change in the teaching and in the growing independence of the teachers in thinking for themselves how to enhance their planning. Both teachers and SVN members are very happy to be part of this project.
This is an ongoing project and there is no pressure for SVN members to continue. Anyone who would like to help with this or other remote mentoring projects, please contact the SVN project manager mrsjanecaine@hotmail.com.
Also, at some point there may be the opportunity to go to the Philippines to work face to face with a large group of teachers at training conferences arranged by the City Gates Principal.

The visit to Manila and Coron in the Philippines from 18th May to 2nd June was a blessing to us as a team, to our host, Lynette, and to the schools. These schools have been set up by Christians to give those in poverty an education. They do not have the finance to buy in training for the teachers.
The Lord enabled us be an encouragement to those to whom we ministered by overcoming our difficulties:-
1. One of our team, at the last minute, was not able to come, but another member was able to prepare the missing seminar whilst on the flight.
2. One member of the team had difficulty finding meals as vegetarianism isn’t really understood in the Philippines, but she always found something.
3. The week before we travelled, the regional Director of Education arranged a visit to Coron on the same 2 days as our conference. At first it was thought that the conference would have to be cancelled. In the end we shortened it to a day and a half on the Saturday and Sunday and moved the church service to the afternoon.
4. The teachers on Coron, though teaching in English, were much more fluent in Tagalog. It was a great help on this visit that Lynette came with us and was able to translate when the teachers looked puzzled.
5. Two of us discovered by the last day why we had had slightly upset stomachs and proved the cause by abstaining from drinking filtered water and only drinking bottled water.
We had many encouraging comments at the end of our conferences, e.g:-

TRAINING NOTES
Volunteers have prepared notes and presentations for use on projects. If you have any  material that could be put on the website please send to svnetprojects@gmail.com
PDF documents preferred, but word documents are acceptable.
 

SVN ARCHIVES
We have documentation from the first years of SVN, including copies of all the news sheets,   spreadsheets of projects and project reports. If you have an interest in creating an SVN archive please contact Janet Ince.
 

PROJECTS STAFFED
Philippines with Elim Missions May/June 2018
Jane Caine will be leading a team to the Philippines to undertake teacher training in two venues. This is a follow up visit, following a preliminary visit in February 2017.
 
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PROJECTS COMPLETED 

• Rwanda Kigali diocese June 2017 involving eight volunteers with a follow-up visit planned for May 2018 (see Opportunities)
• The Uganda Project  was completed in October 2017 and was a success.

Jane and Isabel in Coron, the Philippines.

"As a new teacher I learned a lot, especially at the seminar. I now truly know the importance of play in the early years."
"Thank you for coming here to Coron."

We are now halfway through the project and fly to Coron tomorrow. It's been such a worthwhile visit so far. Isabel & Jane.

Comments from teachers:
"Every child has imagination and when you have good resources you get the attention of the children."
"I learned a lot at the seminar especially the Godly Play. I have also learned how to be an effective teacher. Thank you for all the thoughts and ideas you shared with us."
"Thank you for the seminar. I now realise I can be more effective in my teaching."

Comment from a pastor:
"The seminar gave me a better perspective on the role of play in children's learning. The Godly play challenged me to be more creative in presenting Bible stories to children."