{"id":1318,"date":"2013-04-27T11:22:34","date_gmt":"2013-04-27T11:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1318"},"modified":"2013-08-28T16:49:24","modified_gmt":"2013-08-28T16:49:24","slug":"bikolos-nur-academy-reflections-on-the-beginning-pathways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1318","title":{"rendered":"Bikolos Nur Academy: Reflections on the Beginning Pathways"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
click on the picture to enlarge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Bereket Aweke<\/em><\/p>\n

Read the Bikolos PDF file of students, teachers, school director reflections<\/a><\/em>
\nStudents and Teachers at\u00a0Bikolos Nur Academy recently shared their reflections on the beginning pathways of implementing Thinking Maps as part of the Thinking Schools Ethiopia (TSE) whole school initiative. Thinking Schools Ethiopia (Eminence Social Entrepreneurs) Facilitators Bereket Aweke and Atsede Tsehayou conducted these interviews during the regular on-site professional development with the\u00a0Bikolos Nur Academy staff. The on-site professional development supports the implementation including collegial coaching, demonstration lessons with students and building the capacity of the whole school staff.<\/p>\n

The reflections below include students, teachers and administrators. These interviews are a regular part of the TSE process to document and assess the implementation of the Thinking Schools approach.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Bikolos Nur Academy Students<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I really think that Thinking maps make a big difference in my life because before I really didn\u2019t read my books much because it takes too much time to understand, but now I am interested to open my exercise books make Thinking Maps to actually study and know what I am reading. We can be independent and learn by ourselves, because Thinking Maps are our teachers. They make everything easy so that we can read and remember \u2014 it makes you visualize things. Thinking Maps capture our thinking in our mind.
\nHannan Abdulfetah, Grade 9 Student<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Thinking Maps have helped me a lot in studying. Next year I am taking national exam. I am preparing my summaries using Thinking Maps because it is taking a shorter time with Thinking Maps. It is more effective because by looking at the circles and the other maps, I can remember what is inside and that makes it easier for me to study.
\nAbdurahemen Kassim, Grade 9 Student<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We are using the maps very effectively and the class is now more student centered with everybody participating. The eight Thinking Maps are so helpful because we can do our work easily \u2014 for example our book is a huge book so it is tiresome and consumes much time. But you can use a piece of paper and draw maps and easily analyze the things about the subject in few minutes. When we do Thinking Maps in group work everybody is participating on it, so it is going to be fun and interesting.
\nHussien Abdulnessir, Grade 9 Student<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Thinking Maps are very easy to use and to remember. Before when we work in groups there was not much argument but now we can easily visualize things and remember what you see in pictures in the mind. These maps are like pictures and have different designs and very easy to remember.
\nSabontu Ali, Grade 9 Student<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n
Bikolos Nur Academy Faculty<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I really want to thank the thinkers who give us Thinking Maps and make us think to ourselves and for our students. Thinking maps are very helpful. I have spent many years teaching chemistry and I have been trying many methods to visualize chemistry to students. The thinking maps made everything clear in these 2-3 weeks after the training.
\nAdefres Zerihun, Vice Director and Chemistry Teacher<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Thinking Maps makes our life easier and help us impart lessons which were difficult to comprehend. The students have accepted Thinking Maps in a very special way and related to the maps. I hope the Thinking Maps will go on so that we can give them what they deserve and we can get from you what we deserve.
\nHuda Seid, Vice Director and English Teacher<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Starting with the Thinking Schools training, I understood that the training and the Thinking Maps is participatory. We were at the training on a Friday and started implementing Thinking Maps on Monday. The training has helped me a lot because before I had hard time delivering my subject to my students. But after learning the Thinking Maps and introducing the eight Thinking Maps to my students, my subject is understood more easily. We are always told about student centered teaching but it is with Thinking Maps I could involve all types of learners in my class. This is also the policy of our country and if we regularly implement them and get reference materials, we can even do better. Both the staff and the students have loved it and we thank you.
\nMohammed Awol, Social Sciences Teacher<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I have used all the Thinking Maps except the Bridge Map in my grade 3 lessons. I am very excited. My students love the Thinking Maps and are internalizing the maps. The Thinking Maps are helping us to identify the level of the students. For example, some students remain in the circle map and others apply the other maps achieving higher order thinking in Blooms Taxonomy. So generally I am very happy as the Thinking Maps assists us in effective teaching methodology and students. Recent results have shown slight increment of growth from last quarter over a period of three weeks.
\nUsman Mohammed, Grade 3 Science Teacher<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Thinking Schools Ethiopia is very interesting starting from the training. The Thinking Maps makes our minds visualize information. In this short time students are referring to and using the Thinking Maps more than the previous methods. All students are more active than the previously because they can easily understand the topics and remember what they are learning.
\nZewdu Hailu, Vice Director and Physics Teacher<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Bereket Aweke Read the Bikolos PDF file of students, teachers, school director reflections Students and Teachers at\u00a0Bikolos Nur Academy recently shared their reflections on the beginning pathways of implementing Thinking Maps as part of the Thinking Schools Ethiopia (TSE) whole school initiative. Thinking Schools Ethiopia (Eminence Social Entrepreneurs) Facilitators Bereket Aweke and Atsede Tsehayou… Continue reading Bikolos Nur Academy: Reflections on the Beginning Pathways<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","gallery-content-unit","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7oKjh-lg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1292,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1292","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":0},"title":"Bikolos Nur Academy: A Journey Started","author":"admin","date":"April 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"By Bereket Aweke Read the Bikolos PDF file of students, teachers, school director reflections Bikolos Nur Academy became the first private school in Ethiopia to start the journey of becoming a Thinking School. The academy, with around 700 students and 54 teachers, took four days of visioning Growing Thinking Schools\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Bikols-primery-Sec.-compound.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1349,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1349","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":1},"title":"Bikolos Nur Academy Director Reflects on Thinking Journey","author":"admin","date":"June 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"By Bereket Aweke Read the Bikolos PDF file of students, teachers, school director reflections As the school owner and managing director of Bikolos Nur Academy in Addis Ababa, I am always interested in giving quality education for the children and youth, so I was always looking for a way to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/fatuma-ahmed-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1570,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1570","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":2},"title":"Bikolos Nur Academy – Transformational Design – Whole School Change","author":"admin","date":"August 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Download the reflective poster (pdf file) of Bikolos Nur Academy,\u00a0Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as seen below. Hannan: I really think that Thinking maps make a big difference in my life because before I really didn\u2019t read my books much because it takes too much time to understand, but now I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Bikolos-apr13-teachers-students2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":43,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=43","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":3},"title":"A Visit to Falcon Academy","author":"admin","date":"March 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"posted by Bereket AwekeOn March 11, 2011 I (Bereket Aweke) visited Falcon Academy, a school with two Branches in Addis Ababa and more than 2500 students from Pre K \u2013 College Preparatory. The school is one of the many schools who took part\u00a0in the October, 2010 professional development training. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/falcon-academy3-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":55,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=55","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":4},"title":"A Visit to Falcon Academy – Students","author":"admin","date":"March 17, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"posted by Bereket AwekeOn March 11, 2011 I visited Falcon Academy, a school with two Branches in Addis Ababa and more than 2500 students from Pre K \u2013 College Preparatory. The school is one of the many schools who took part\u00a0in the October, 2010 professional development training. The following video\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/falcon-academy2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1577,"url":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/?p=1577","url_meta":{"origin":1318,"position":5},"title":"Student Exercise Books – Thinking Maps","author":"admin","date":"December 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The above example of a student exercise book in an Ethiopian school includes students using Thinking Maps (visual tools) to organize their thinking, understand their thinking and for transferring to writing. In Ethiopia, Exercise Books are an important link of the student\u2019s work at\u00a0school and sharing of their work with\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/student-exercise-book31-1024x788.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1318"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1329,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1318\/revisions\/1329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.thinkingschoolsethiopia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}