Opening Doors for Students in Georgia .

The teachers who have participated so far have been enthusiastic. Maia Turashvili, a Grade 1 and 2 language, math, and science teacher from the Gurjaani village primary school, found the training to be relevant and practical. “(We discussed) activities from the viewpoint of teachers as well as students, clearly showing how we should deliver the activity in our classrooms,” she said.

To help teachers like Maia put what they have learned into practice, trainers have observed classrooms across the country and provided constructive feedback. At more than 120 schools, they have also helped form “teacher learning circles” —small groups of teachers who share experiences and ideas for improving their students’ performance — to promote continual professional development.

The program also hosted a contest for reading materials developed by participating teachers, with the goal of encouraging teachers to develop supplemental reading materials. More than 100 ambitious teachers entered the contest. The winning book, “‘H’ the Hippo,” was written by a teacher in Abkhazia and promotes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Although the training program is still in its early stages, its impact is already being felt by students and teachers in classrooms across the country.

“When planning the instruction, I use the model lesson plans from the module manual,” said Maia, a few months after receiving her training. “These lesson plans provide new ways of organizing instruction…They also help me in developing materials for classroom use. My students are more actively engaged and often ask for this type of instruction and learning materials.”