Since 2012, Kenya Connect and teacher volunteers from the U.S. have offered professional development workshops for teachers at partner schools. A major focus has been on literacy and guiding teachers on how to encourage reading. Kenya has not had a culture of reading and most teachers have not had access to using richly illustrated picture books or early reader chapter books to encourage reading.
With an emphasis on the high stake National Exams, teachers have also not felt the freedom to use other materials in the classroom. U.S. Educators have provided guidance, information and lesson plans on how to incorporate reading inside and outside the classroom using books that are culturally relevant or with universal appeal like Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Kenya Connect has also provided training to teachers using the Kenyan Government issued tablets. These content-rich tablets include e-books. We are encouraging teachers to allow students to read using these tablets and we are expanding e-books through borrowing Rachel Plus devices from the LRC that also have a wide-range of e-books.