BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF TEACHERS THROUGH MULTIPLE VISITS,
Five visits were planned at the government school in Pithauli in order to build on lessons and follow up with teachers. During the first two visits, we demonstrated various lessons that included but was not limited to the visual arts.

For our third visit to Pithauli, Srijanalaya collaborated with the Kathmandu- based theater group Actors’ Studio and put up a children’s theater production for the community members, using a Tharu folktale and the regional context as a framework for the narrative. The production was attended by students from neighboring schools as well as various different community members. An educational booklet focusing on the main ideas of the play was distributed to students. During these shows, Santu Devi student work from our previous visits was also exhibited. This aspect of the Art Works program was designed in order to bring in various art forms together in a theatrical production, to inspire students and teachers to participate in arts appreciation, as well as to value and preserve local cultural traditions.

We planned the fourth visit towards the beginning of the school year and demonstrated lessons that had to do more with classroom culture and community-building. As we had done during other visits, we also sat with teachers and held meetings to answer questions and helped them plan follow-up lessons.