Since 2023, our work at the Juan Misael Saracho Teacher Training School has been a journey of challenges and learning, but above all, of collaboration and transformation. From the beginning, we took on the challenge of developing a teacher training program based on critical thinking and emotional education, aimed not only at students but also at teachers, who are essential to consolidating real change in the training of future teachers.
Over time, it has been inspiring to see how more and more teachers have accepted and embraced our pedagogical approach. Today, they are beginning to integrate critical thinking and emotional education strategies into their planning, demonstrating their applicability at various levels and curricular content, including in Higher Education. This reaffirms that our approach not only enriches the training of ESFM students but also strengthens teaching practice and generates a lasting impact.
Last year, we focused on training and supporting students, while we held a single workshop with teachers on curriculum planning and pedagogical strategies. Despite this, their participation went beyond training: they actively motivated their students to get involved in our program and apply what they learned in their classes.
Since the end of February, we have been further strengthening our work through ongoing meetings with teachers responsible for preparing fifth-year students for their teaching internships. We understand that their role is key to our impact, so we have coordinated efforts to include specific evaluation criteria that assess the incorporation of pedagogical strategies in students’ planning. This work model will be replicated with other teachers in the coming months, allowing us to speak the same pedagogical language and ensure the effective implementation of our pedagogical approach.
Although there is still a long way to go, at the Alma Foundation we are proud of what we have built together with teachers. Seeing how they and their students have internalized our approach and apply it inside and outside the classroom reaffirms that we are creating real change. Because when we join forces, we multiply results, and together we are laying the foundation for a more critical, reflective, and humane education.
By:
Leydi Osorio Ramos
Tarija Coordinator
1st Coordination Meeting with Teachers
Juan Misael Saracho ESFM – Tarija