This year, Children of Kibera has jump started a campaign to end corporal punishment in schools and to draw attention to child abuse that occurs in the home and the school. Our campaign, "End Violence Against Children! Protect Our Children From Violence in Schools and the Home," began with our teacher trainings at Red Rose. 
The purpose of the trainings was to introduce the psychological effects of corporal punishment on children and offer the teachers practical alternative methods of classroom discipline and management. Repeatedly in the weekend seminar, teachers brought up the fact that many students suffer from abuse in the home and often learn to respond to aversive disciplinary techniques. Facilitators Joscelyn Truitt and Jackie Espana respectfully offered a new perspective on classroom discipline and described some long and short term effects of corporal punishment. Abuse and violence greatly affect students’ performance in school, emotional health, and chances of pursuing higher education. The Children of Kibera Foundation operates on the theory that providing chances to access quality education offers a road out of life-long poverty and oppression. 
The two day seminar, which will be followed up in a couple weeks, began with a discussion. Teachers offered their issues with discipline in the classroom, so facilitators could best address their concerns. The basis of the facilitator's teachings on alternative forms of discipline was respecting the child and using positive reinforcement. Monitoring the classroom, focusing students in before teaching, being discreet when counseling a child who may want attention, using positive humanistic "I" messages, are all examples of practical skills the teachers learned. Teachers were provided a thick packet of research, citing findings of the short term results, but long term negative effects of corporal punishment, and the long-term benefits of positive reinforcement on a child's learning, self confidence, and communication skills. 
Teachers were left with the opportunity to make the teachings their own and reflect on what they had learned. We are hopeful that teachers will adapt the lessons to their classrooms and be an example for the rest of Kibera!
The purpose of the trainings was to introduce the psychological effects of corporal punishment on children and offer the teachers practical alternative methods of classroom discipline and management. Repeatedly in the weekend seminar, teachers brought up the fact that many students suffer from abuse in the home and often learn to respond to aversive disciplinary techniques. Facilitators Joscelyn Truitt and Jackie Espana respectfully offered a new perspective on classroom discipline and described some long and short term effects of corporal punishment. Abuse and violence greatly affect students’ performance in school, emotional health, and chances of pursuing higher education. The Children of Kibera Foundation operates on the theory that providing chances to access quality education offers a road out of life-long poverty and oppression. The two day seminar, which will be followed up in a couple weeks, began with a discussion. Teachers offered their issues with discipline in the classroom, so facilitators could best address their concerns. The basis of the facilitator's teachings on alternative forms of discipline was respecting the child and using positive reinforcement. Monitoring the classroom, focusing students in before teaching, being discreet when counseling a child who may want attention, using positive humanistic "I" messages, are all examples of practical skills the teachers learned. Teachers were provided a thick packet of research, citing findings of the short term results, but long term negative effects of corporal punishment, and the long-term benefits of positive reinforcement on a child's learning, self confidence, and communication skills. Teachers were left with the opportunity to make the teachings their own and reflect on what they had learned. We are hopeful that teachers will adapt the lessons to their classrooms and be an example for the rest of Kibera!Next to follow is our "End Violence Against Children" poster contest! Local Kiberan primary school students, secondary school students, and administrators will have a chance to change Kibera through their anti-violence campaign posters. The Children of Kibera Foundation will feature the winners of the contest and present their prizes at the annual creative arts festival, appropriately themed "End Violence Against Children!" The creative arts festival, to take place in October 2010, will include participants from the same local Kiberan schools to perform acts relating to the theme. Look out for posters in mid July!
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