My Arms Wide Open

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my-first-steps

                

My First Steps My Path

Education in the South African rural and urban townships is formulaic teaching by rote. Even if children move through the system, they don’t gain critical thinking skills required for them to become partners in their community’s development.

My Arms Wide Open supports children to become lifelong learners with the aim of creating a new generation of educated citizens who make a meaningful contribution to their community.

The initial focus of My First Steps, My Path is Early Childhood Development. My Arms Wide Open is working to create programs that support 1,000 daycares, crèches and after school centres across South Africa. We adapt learning to indigenous culture, critical thinking and problem solving. This type of education builds communications skills and drives imagination so that learners leverage the information and resources available to them to make informed choices.

my-first-steps-copy-img1Over the longer term, My Arms Wide Open will engage with community leaders and the government at municipal, provincial and national levels to access funding and develop meaningful curricula that meet the community needs while also meeting National School System and government requirements. By improving access to and quality of learning, we will help more students pursue higher education, which leads to greater opportunity for individuals, families and communities.

Program Focus


Curriculums considerations and direction include:

  • Indigenous cultural learning
  • Intrinsic motivation
  • Critical thinking
  • Decision making
  • Problem solving
  • Respect for self and others
  • Providing students an environment allowing for control over their learning
  • Collaboration and networking
  • Adaptability
  • Concentration - allowing children time and space to follow their own interests and passions
  • Initiative
  • Communication skills
  • Empathy
  • Self-monitoring skills for individual growth
  • Self-discipline and independence
  • Analytical skills
  • Curiosity and Imagination - through real life experiences

Partnerships & Collaborations

  • Manzimvula Ventures, Inc.
  • The Sustainability Institute
  • Vital Edge Consulting

Resources

DonateNowButtonAlso see:

  • My Business ,My Community
  • My World, My Garden - My World In a Garden™
  • My Family, My Community

 

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