Education Without Borders: ORIGO Partners with Teachers2Teachers in Nepal

EARTH CITY, Mo., July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Elementary math publisher ORIGO Education partnered with non-profit organization Teachers2Teachers Global (T2T) last month in Nepal to empower local teachers and their students.

James Burnett, founder and CEO of ORIGO, was joined by Kristin Johnson from Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C in Plainfield, Illinois, to teach in and around the capital, Kathmandu, for seven days.

“We were expecting about 200 K–12 teachers at the main conference, but there were more than 300, many of whom had driven for hours to attend,” said Burnett. “There were some language barriers, but they appreciated every moment of learning.”

The Nepal project was an extension of ORIGO’s mission to be the daily source of mathematics understanding for three million students and their teachers globally by 2022.

“ORIGO works alongside teachers to transform research and theory into constructive classroom practices that make learning mathematics meaningful and enjoyable,” said Burnett. “Traveling to Nepal was an excellent opportunity to observe classes and present workshops and demo lessons for teachers. We went there to teach, but what we learned was invaluable.”

Johnson agreed. “We were there to collaborate and partner with local teachers to enhance teaching and learning. I’ll take this experience back home with me to make working with the students and teachers I serve even stronger,” she said.

Johnson, who is Troy’s Director of Curriculum and Assessment, described the experience as a “life-changing event.”

“As I watched one of the teachers instruct his students, a wave of emotion came over me as I felt the pride he had for his profession and the impact he was having on his students,” said Johnson.

The ORIGO-T2T delegation toured the math department’s lab where they were shown models and wooden manipulatives teachers had handmade for students.

Johnson continued, “Between the workshops, time within the schools, and the relationships we built, I can only hope we were the small stone that started a ripple of change for the teachers and students of Nepal.”

“To collaborate with other educators worldwide helps enhance the work we’re doing and keeps student learning central,” said Burnett. “We were excited to have partnered with T2T and to have shared the experience with Kristin. Teacher collaboration, which we truly internationalized in Nepal, is a vital part of what we do.”

ORIGO is now considering future opportunities with T2T.

About ORIGO Education
ORIGO Education was established in 1995 with the vision of making a positive contribution to children’s education. ORIGO publishes and covers all facets of Pre-K to Grade 6 mathematics education from traditional print products to digital interactive resources and professional learning. For more information, please visit origousdev.wpengine.com

About Teachers2Teachers Global
Teachers2Teachers Global is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower teachers and their students worldwide. Committed to connecting talented educators from different countries, its aim is to foster partnerships and provide learning opportunities for teachers to create culturally relevant education solutions for their own classrooms.