One third of schoolchildren in Chile miss one month or more of classes during the school year, resulting in chronic absenteeism that affects both their learning and their psychosocial development. The Ministry of Education has launched the #EveryDayCounts campaign to make this problem visible and motivate families and students to attend classes. In kindergarten education, the situation is even more critical. It is estimated that over 65% of prekindergarten and kindergarten children have chronic absenteeism every year.

The Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network (UBC) is made up of around 90 municipal schools from 12 municipalities in the O'Higgins Region that work collaboratively to improve the learning of kindergarten children. A central focus of their work is to reduce chronic absenteeism, since it is essential for children to attend classes so that they can learn and develop properly.

Each school in this network implements a series of strategies provided by the Foundation that have been tested in different contexts, including general strategies for all children in the class and specific strategies for those children with repeated absences, in order to reverse their situation. These strategies are tested in their classrooms, measure the results and share those that systematically prove to be effective.

Within the specific strategies, a key strategy has been the formation of Attendance Committees, with the participation of the school principal, classroom team and parents. This committee detects children at risk of chronic absenteeism, identifies the causes of absenteeism and proposes actions to restore the situation of these children, following up to measure their effectiveness.

Among the general strategies, the children's favorite is the visit of Super Attendance, a superhero who comes to the school and explains to them the importance of attending classes to acquire learning, promoting his motto: "You have to be there to win! Attending classes is to earn learning".

With all this work, the UBC Improvement Network schools achieved in 2018 to decrease chronic absenteeism to 35% and for this year they set even more ambitious goals.

"From Fundación Educacional Oportunidad we call on the legislature to not only support this bill and achieve the necessary consensus to be enacted into law, but also to increase and equalize resources with public schools, in order to move towards quality education for all children in our country, without distinction of any kind". 

Mr. Director, 

Based on the report recently broadcast by Mega's Ahora Noticias, which shows the reality experienced by kindergartens administered by municipalities or foundations via transfer of funds (VTF), we call on the legislature to ensure that the draft Law on Equity in Kindergarten Education has transversal support and is promptly enacted into law, a necessary step to begin to level the playing field and narrow the gaps between the different institutions that provide early education in our country.

The amount of public funding that a kindergarten receives, and therefore the opportunities that we provide to the children who attend that establishment, should not depend on who administers it (Junji, Integra, or VTF). For those children, there is no difference whatsoever, and neither should there be for the State.

Fundación Educacional Oportunidad calls on the legislature to not only support this bill and achieve the necessary consensus to be enacted into law, but also to increase and equalize resources with public schools, in order to move towards a quality education for all children in our country, without distinction of any kind.  

Marcela Marzolo M.

Executive Director

Oportunidad Educational Foundation

The municipal schools of Coinco El Rulo, Chillehue, Copequén and Huallilén, in the region of Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, which participate in the We Learn Net program, received a backpack that includes a set of resources that invites them to review in a playful way the reading of stories in that language at home. The materials they take home also include sheets, audios, activity sheets, among others.

With the objective of involving the students' families in the English teaching-learning process, the We Learn Net program of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, together with the Coinco Municipal Education Administrative Department, delivered "Traveling Backpacks" to four schools of the commune in the region of Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins.

This educational resource will allow first and second grade students from El Rulo, Chillehue, Copequén and Huallilén schools to take home texts to read with their parents. The objective is for families to recognize the value of using a foreign language and to incorporate it into everyday situations at home.

The "Mochilas Viajeras" (Traveling Backpacks) delivered in Coinco include the books "It's Christmas, "Happy birthday Lucy!", "Are they crazy or is it me?" and "Home alone" (Home alone), which will allow the children to learn words related to means of transportation, toys, food and household objects.

To support parents, especially in pronunciation, the audio of the story in English is sent to their phones and other elements such as cards, instruction and activity sheets are also available.

STORYTELLING

The delivery of the learning kit to the schools of Coinco took place on May 15, and on the occasion teachers, parents and the management team of the schools were trained on how to tell these stories.

It was the author of the books and director of Bukku Education publishing house, María Francisca Kelly, who, through a storytelling session in English, showed how the books should be read to 60 students from the community.

The coordinator of the We Learn program of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, Andrés Manque, pointed out that the "Mochilas Viajeras" "had good results in the schools we work with in the Elqui Valley (Coquimbo region) and we decided to implement the strategy in Coinco, because we are convinced that students should receive English classes from an early age and if this is done in a playful way and incorporating the family, learning will be of higher quality".

At the first Learning Session of the year of the Improvement Network of the Good Start program, 90 schools in the O'Higgins Region shared successful strategies and improvement plans and deepened their commitment to continue working collaboratively to improve the quality of early education.

This Tuesday, May 7, management teams, educators and kindergarten technicians, as well as the school principals of 90 municipal schools in the O'Higgins Region gathered to participate in the first Learning Session of the year of the Improvement Network of the Un Buen Comienzo (UBC) program of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad.

The session brought together nearly 300 people who make up this network, which was created in March 2018 and made up of committed establishments and communes that had successfully completed two years of implementation of the Un Buen Comienzo teacher professional development program.

During the event, they had the opportunity to learn about the results of the work carried out last year, present and socialize their improvement plans and share successful experiences of the UBC program.

The president of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, Claudia Peirano, highlighted the importance of the O'Higgins Improvement Network Un Buen Comienzo. "It is the only network in Chile focused on improving kindergarten education. There are hundreds of people committed to a better future for the region's children," she said.

The Foundation's executive director, Marcela Marzolo, added that "we are very pleased with the excellent attendance at this session and for beginning this second year of work with the Network. The balance of the day is extremely positive. We all leave full of energy and with high expectations of what will be the work in the communes and schools in pursuit of the learning of children at the initial level.  

Likewise, the director of the Villa Convento Viejo de Chimbarongo School, Marisela Urra, valued the session, since "for me this is a very profitable instance, it is the moment where we can analyze what we have done during the years in which we have been part of the UBC program and also to restructure and organize what we are going to do in the rest of the year".  

SEAL OF DISTINCTION

In order to distinguish those educational establishments that are part of the network, Fundación Educacional Oportunidad presented each school with a plaque that will be the seal that identifies them as experts in early education and outstanding for their active participation in the Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network.

Last week, Fundación Educacional Oportunidad had the privilege of presenting its innovative way of working using the methodology of continuous improvement and networking at the sixth annual Summit on Improvement in Education organized by the Carnegie Foundation in San Francisco, USA.

The Carnegie Foundation is a leading educational research and policy center for educational improvement in the United States. Since 2008, the organization has been promoting the use of scientific methods of educational improvement and fostering the formation and growth of networked communities. In the last ten years, thousands of leaders, principals, teachers, policy makers, researchers and administrators around the world have begun to use this methodology.

In 2017, through the creation of the "Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement" category, the Carnegie Foundation recognizes initiatives that can be replicated by schools around the world, providing clear and powerful examples of the application of improvement principles, methods and tools to solve educational problems worldwide.

In 2018, Fundación Educacional Oportunidad was recognized as "Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement", along with 5 other U.S. organizations, which join 7 U.S. institutions awarded in 2017, being Fundación Educacional Oportunidad the only organization outside the United States to obtain this highly relevant international recognition.

Since 2011, Fundación Educacional Oportunidad has implemented the methodology of continuous improvement and networking in its professional development program for teachers and directors "Un Buen Comienzo", which seeks to contribute to improving the quality of early education, supporting schools in improving pedagogical and leadership practices so that children can achieve better socioemotional and language development.

The recognition obtained is due to the Foundation's experience in the use of the methodology of continuous improvement and networking in the Chilean educational context and the positive impact of this innovation in school improvement, where the Foundation is changing early education in Chile with the first network of schools working with a focus on kindergarten education.

Marcela Marzolo, executive director of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, stated: "we are very proud to be part of the Spotlight institutions, as it has allowed us to share our experience of almost 8 years with others who are just starting to work with continuous improvement and at the same time it opens great learning opportunities for us from our relationship with others who are also innovating with continuous improvement and networking".

Acción Colectiva por la Educación will present 16 approaches at the seminar "Moving towards a better education. Proposals from civil society".

A total of 16 proposals to improve our country's education system will be presented by Acción Colectiva por la Educación Collective Action for Educationa group made up of 18 leading organizations dedicated to education in Chile, will present a total of 16 proposals to improve our country's education system. The details of these proposals will be presented at the seminar "Moving towards a better education. Proposals from civil society", which will be held on Thursday, April 25 from 8:30 a.m. at the former Senate Congress Building, located at Morandé 441, Santiago.

The organizations that make up Acción Colectiva por la Educación contribute with their vast field experience and knowledge to build a quality, equitable and inclusive education system. For a year, its members have been working on evidence-based proposals that are technically and economically viable. These proposals have focused on four thematic areas: (i) early education, (ii) inclusive education, (iii) pedagogical practices and innovation, and (iv) management teams.

In early childhood education, the proposals are aimed at (1) reducing the technical coefficient and class size to bring us closer to the average of developed countries; (2) advancing in having recognized non-teaching hours for early childhood educators; (3) attracting early childhood educators to the classroom; and (4) strengthening the initial and in-service training of early childhood educators and technicians.

In inclusive education, the proposals have to do with (1) the creation of an observatory on educational inequity; (2) an integrated system for early identification of educational inequities (MINEDU-MDS-MINSAL); (3) the creation of a system for providing support and monitoring priority students; (4) curricular flexibility to address diversity; and (5) the strengthening of professional training for specialists, teachers and managers.

In pedagogical practices and innovation, proposals include (1) the creation of a platform for effective educational practices; (2) the creation of a national observatory of educational innovations; and (3) a system for scaling up effective educational practices.

In the area of management teams, it is proposed to (1) improve the system of competitive examinations for hiring management teams; (2) create a professional development system for management teams; (3) design and implement an efficient intermediate level (municipality or local education service) focused on strengthening the pedagogical role of management teams; and (4) strengthen the decision-making powers and autonomy of management teams.

Based on these proposals, Acción Colectiva seeks to open a multidisciplinary and democratic dialogue with the country's main stakeholders in charge of making public policy decisions in this area: representatives of the Ministry of Education, parliamentarians, researchers and key actors in the sector, such as teachers and civil society, in order to materialize initiatives aimed at improving the Chilean education system.

Acción Colectiva por la Educación is made up of organizations with recognized experience in education: Ashoka, Centro de Investigación Avanzada en Educación (CIAE) of the Universidad de Chile; Corporación Vida Buena, Educación 2020, Elige Educar, Enseña Chile, Fundación Chile, Fundación Crecer con Todos, Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, Fundación Mis Talentos, Fundación Origen, Fundación Portas, Fundación Súmate, Movimiento Aula, Puentes Educativos, SUMMA, Tu Clase, Tu País and Vicaría para la Educación (Archbishopric of Santiago).

After an intense day of work, early childhood educators and technicians, principals and UTP heads of municipal schools and DAEM heads from 6 municipalities formed on Thursday, April 4, a learning partnership to contribute together to improving the quality of early education in our country.

In March of this year, the classroom and management teams of 55 classrooms in 40 schools in six municipalities in the Metropolitan and O'Higgins regions joined Fundación Educacional Oportunidad's professional development program for teachers and managers, Un Buen Comienzo, which supports schools in improving teaching and leadership practices so that children can achieve better socioemotional and language development.

The program is developed intensively for two years in each establishment, during which time the entire educational community participates in instances that allow them to share, reflect and provide feedback on their experiences and results in the classroom through collaborative processes. In this way, the teams learn from each other, recognize good pedagogical and leadership practices, adjusting or eliminating those that do not provide the expected results.

Perla Chávez, director of Un Buen Comienzo, was very happy after finishing this first learning session of the year: "We found a highly motivated group, with high expectations in the program and in what they can learn. Today we have formed a new learning collaboration, whose main focus is to deliver quality learning to their children, with the evidence that in order to improve it is necessary to learn new strategies and work collaboratively. This session leaves us with the conviction that it is possible to generate transcendent changes in early education and that with motivation, will and collaborative work, children can learn more and better".

At the end of the two years of program implementation, the teams will be able to join the Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network, which is currently made up of 56 schools in 12 municipalities in the O'Higgins Region.

This was indicated by the teachers of the We Learn program who attended the first Learning Session of the year of the English Improvement Network, where they shared successful experiences, reviewed progress and delved into the particular characteristics of the students in the area.

The children of the Elqui Valley are characterized by being very attached to traditions; with a great capacity for wonder and openness to learn through experimentation and interaction with nature, games, singing or dancing; they are simple, affectionate and inclusive. These were some of the characteristics with which teachers and management teams defined their students.

"The children have a purity that is not found elsewhere in Chile. Being far away is a disadvantage and also an advantage, since it keeps them in a cultural bubble that enriches them more every day. One is surprised that they go out and play and are not glued to the phone," said Victor Santander, a young English teacher who joined the We Learn program this year.

The analysis was carried out in the framework of the first Learning Session 2019 of the Improvement Network of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, where teachers and directors of 14 municipal schools of Vicuña and Paihuano delved into the learning of children in 3rd and 4th grade, all this to finally generate innovative ideas in the teaching of English. Some of these ideas were: passing assistance by asking a question in English, exchange of students between schools in the valley, students recording their voices and then studying, among others.

Deyanira Neira from the Héctor Manuel Hernández rural school in Quebrada de Paihuano, proposed the idea of "creating a publicity campaign to inform the school and the entire community about the program, so that the students' work can be posted at bus stops and businesses and communicated on local radio. The idea is for English to go beyond the subjects and be inserted in the town".

The activity was attended by the DAEM Chiefs of Vicuña and Paihuano and the Seremi of Education of the Coquimbo Region, Claudio Oyarzún. The regional authority pointed out that: "it is fantastic that a foundation is concerned from an early age with the mastery of the English language, aligned with government policies, training teachers and principals in leadership, especially reaching schools that do not always have the resources".

The learning sessions are instances where teachers and principals analyze data at the classroom, school and Improvement Network levels and share the learning and successful experiences achieved by their peers through the Continuous Improvement methodology. "It is highly positive because we learn about the successes and failures of other schools and teachers, we strengthen the work with our teachers and even share it with those who do not attend," commented Jorge Guerrero, principal of the Juan Torres Martínez school in Diaguitas.

More than 30 attendees, including English teachers, management teams, community teams and English-speaking professionals, shared a day of work on the teaching of English from the early years, exchanging experiences and learning, analyzing achievements and proposing innovative ideas.

Fundación Educacional Oportunidad's program, carried out under an agreement with the Subsecretaría de Educación Parvularia, seeks to contribute to improving the quality of early education (prekindergarten and kindergarten) in 20 schools of the Puerto Cordillera Local Service in the Coquimbo Region, with strategies that have been successfully implemented in nearly 200 public schools in the O'Higgins and Metropolitan Regions.

One of the objectives of the "Learning for a Good Start" program, which will be implemented this year in twenty schools of the Puerto Cordillera Local Service, is to increase the technical competencies of the different actors, promoting continuous improvement in order to contribute to improving the quality of early education.

About 130 professionals from Coquimbo and Andacollo, including kindergarten educators and technicians, management teams and local service professionals, will receive the strategies from Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, through a program developed in conjunction with the Undersecretary of Kindergarten Education.

The first training was received this week by educators and kindergarten technicians on strategies to combat non-attendance, a key aspect in terms of prevention and promotion of rights. . For Jaqueline Vega, kindergarten technician at the Luis Cruz Martínez school in Andacollo, it was a very good training and she hopes to implement it in her school, noting that "I am a technician and we are rarely invited to trainings designed for us, since in many cases they are for basic education and do not apply to the context of early education".

Meanwhile, Victoria Salazar, an educator at the Peñuelas school, highlights the training for using innovative resources, such as Súper Asistencia and the Sinforoso virus, and emphasizes networking. "We need to be trained and have codes among us, I have been working for six years in Coquimbo and I know few educators and these are the instances for early education to improve", says the educator.

The program will last one year and is expected to leave competencies installed in the territory, as a way to strengthen autonomy and the implementation of pedagogical and leadership practices for school improvement.

"Training the educators of these 20 schools allows us to deliver quality in early education, especially in NT1 and NT2, which will benefit from this program, and where emphasis is given to language, effective interactions and something as important as attendance. This agreement is a very innovative instance", says Yanina Erazo, Provincial Chief of Education.

Fundación Educacional Oportunidad has been working in the region since 2006 with its early English teaching program We Learn in the Elqui Valley and this year, in conjunction with the Undersecretary of Kindergarten Education, will implement "Learning for a good start", This program is based on the experience of 11 years of work in nearly 200 schools in the O'Higgins and Metropolitan regions with the UBC teacher professional development program, which has been identified as one of the 44 cases based on evidence from the OECD study on early education and last year was recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as an outstanding experience for the use of continuous improvement in education.  

It will benefit nearly 600 children from NT1 (pre-kindergarten) to second grade of four municipal schools in the commune with three hours of English per week and its objective is to promote quality learning of this foreign language from the first years of age. 

The pilot program that the Undersecretary of Early Childhood Education, PIAP and Fundación Educacional Oportunidad will implement for two years in the Magallanes Region was officially launched with training for English teachers in the curriculum and evaluation for the NT1 to 2nd grade levels of the We Learn program; training for management teams in classroom monitoring and observation strategies; and meetings with the team of the Municipal Corporation of Natales (Cormunat).

The early English teaching program will benefit nearly 600 children from NT1 (pre-kindergarten) to second grade of four municipal schools in the commune with three hours of English per week and its objective is to promote quality learning of this foreign language from the first years of age. 

The schools participating in We Learn in Puerto Natales are Baudilia Avendaño de Yousuff, Coronel Santiago Bueras, Capitán Juan Ladrillero and Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins.

"For the Foundation this is a very important milestone, as it allows us to transfer what we have learned over the past 13 years with We Learn in the Elqui Valley to another tourist town like Puerto Natales, which needs to promote this language. We are very excited about this pilot program," said Marcela Marzolo, executive director of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad.

The government and the Foundation will carry out periodic evaluations to monitor the children's progress and, at the end of the two-year pilot period, measure the program's impact.