Tireless Effort, Dedication, and Teamwork Leads to Success

T.Tsolmon has been working as a teacher/ counselor for the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project, which has been implemented in Khovd, Zavkhan, Uvurkhangai, Sukhbaatar, and Gobisumber provinces since 2020. She facilitated two ESEL training courses while working at a general secondary school in Uyench soum, Khovd province. A teacher of Mongolian language and literature, T. Tsolmon currently works at the provincial Polytechnic College, one of the target schools of the project. She began by sharing, “As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, and I am confident that my decision to become an ESEL teacher/counselor has had a positive impact on my life and the lives of my students, both now and in the future.”

Overcoming Challenges Through Studying Together  

Tsolmon recalled encountering many obstacles in the beginning. There were times when her training sessions extended to 2 hours and 30 minutes, far exceeding the originally planned 80 minutes. She often felt exhausted and discouraged, especially after teaching regular school classes before transitioning to the ESEL training. To overcome these challenges, she adapted the content of the ESEL program to better meet the specific needs and lives of the children in the soum, improving her planning and teaching methodologies. These adjustments enabled her to deliver the full training content on time and as scheduled.

This approach resulted in increased student participation, as the children began engaging more creatively and proactively in the training activities. Their active involvement gave her a great deal of encouragement and inspiration. As a result, the decision was made to conduct another round of training, and she successfully trained two additional ESEL classes, with a total of 48 students.

 

Tsolmon explained: “In addition to the project training and activities, we also strive to support the children’s participation as much as possible during regular classes. We encourage them to come up with their own ideas, ensure their active involvement at every step of the lesson, and focus on applying a student-centered teaching methodology. This not only enhances their interest but also ensures equal participation in the lessons. Trainers have significantly developed their teaching methods and skills by adopting a more advisory and guiding role.”

She further emphasized that “ESEL training is centered around children’s participation, activity, and initiative, giving them the opportunity to manage their time properly, plan, generate new ideas, and test them. This has allowed the students to discover themselves, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and work with others. These changes in their personal development have had a positive impact on their studies.”

S.Batkhurel, the principal of Uyench soum secondary school said, “Teacher Tsolmon is one of the leading young educators at our school. She is passionate about new ideas, constantly seeks to learn, and has a positive impact on both teachers and students. I am proud that she has enhanced her teaching methods and is now sharing her knowledge with the school community by becoming an ESEL teacher/ counselor.” A total of 10 teachers in Uyench soum, Khovd province, have been trained as ESEL teachers/ counselors. They collaborate to prepare their training plans, consult with one another, and share the methodologies they have learned within their schools.

Facilitating the Project: One Step Closer to the Goal

Initially, Tsolmon counselled three project teams to participate in the Pitch Competition. Unfortunately, none of the project proposals were selected due to the lack of experience and preparation from both the students and the teacher. However, she didn’t give up. Instead, she continued to support and guide three more project teams, incorporated feedback from the judges, and participated in the next Pitch Competition.

In the competition: the Boys’ team behind the “Sweet Day” project proposal which aimed to produce and sell ice cream; the Girls’ team with the “Soul Mediator” project proposal focused on delivering heartfelt messages, and the “Brain Charge” project proposal, which aimed to enhance children’s cognitive abilities and intelligence through play, all emerged as winners. They received funding and successfully implemented their projects in the soum.

Although the subgrant projects were innovative and engaging, they faced several challenges during implementation, including purchasing supplies, ordering goods, preparing financial documents, and getting their products to market. However, the children’s ability to overcome these difficulties, communicate effectively with one another, and collaborate on finding solutions improved significantly as they worked together.

As Tsolmon took on the role of project mentor, she learned how to develop financial documents and track income and expenses alongside her students. While guiding the projects and conducting training, she asked herself, “Why not generate additional income?” Inspired by this thought, Tsolmon attended a calligraphy training course in Ulaanbaatar and later conducted her own classes in the soum. She also started baking and selling cakes.

Tsolmon concluded, “Through the ESEL training and by mentoring my students’ projects, I’ve developed numerous professional and personal skills. I’ve been able to motivate myself, learn new things, and earn extra income. There have also been many positive outcomes for my family members.”

Since 2020, 92 teachers in Khovd province have been trained as ESEL teachers and counselors. As of 2024, 1,912 children across 83 classes are receiving personal skills development and entrepreneurship education through a total of six training cycles.