New Books for Gaza Children Encourage Reading
Seated on a child-sized chair in her Gaza classroom, teacher Maisoun Abedmoeti says her priority is to make story time fun for children. And, she wants to share her tools and know-how to accomplish that with parents who then can help their children learn to read. Maisoun teaches a preschool in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, where a group of teachers took ANERA’s preschool teacher training session on teaching children to read. She says it was both a motivating and an engaging experience.
“It has fueled me with positive energy,” Maisoun smiles. “Life in Gaza has made us lose that sense of inner optimism and the training helped me dig deep inside myself and restore it.” Reading, she says, puts her in a different mood. “We can dive into a world that is rich with endless imagination.”
Maisoun is thrilled with ANERA’s gift of colorful book bags that are filled with story books, coloring books and crayons. There are also useful brochures for parents and teachers that contain valuable tips on how to maximize the resources on hand.
She says reading was a powerful tool to help her own five children overcome their fears during the 2014 Gaza war. And, she found their love of reading and their connection to the stories they read have continued months after the conflict ended. “I hope all children can continue to read at preschools and homes.”
Source: www.anera.org