ESEL Program Facilitator and Advisor of the Entrepreneur Club

– Guiding and educating teachers, children, and youth in the blended learning program-

Bayandelger soum’s general secondary school in Sukhbaatar province is well-known for producing some of the region’s top graduates. One of the teachers dedicated to bridging the gap between students’ skills and the market is Sh.Bolor-Erdene, who serves as both a school teacher and a facilitator for the ESEL classroom and blended learning programs.

Having taught technology at the school for 23 years, Sh.Bolor-Erdene believes that children and youth in remote rural areas can seize opportunities and grow, despite the challenges posed by geographical isolation. While teachers’ guidance and support are vital in helping students unlock their potential, rural areas often lack key resources such as materials, communication infrastructure, and financial or psychological knowledge which creates significant barriers to development.

In 2020, Save the Children launched the ‘Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia’ project in Bayandelger soum, Sukhbaatar province, offering a valuable opportunity to address previously overlooked needs.

Sh. Bolor-Erdene was excited that the project’s goals aligned with her own aspirations, so she applied to become a ESEL teacher/ counselor. After successfully passing the selection process, she was hired. As a result, Bolor-Erdene took on the role of ESEL teacher/ counselor, guiding students, building their capacity, and teaching them how to write project proposals.

At the same time, she enhanced her skills by attending a trainer course for the classroom and online blended learning program organized by Save the Children in Ulaanbaatar. With this additional training, she began guiding young herders and parents who were staying at home with their children to join the program.

As a teacher for the blended learning program, Bolor-Erdene’s role expanded beyond the school to include the soum governor’s office, unemployed youth aged 14-25, and local citizens. She also worked closely with the bagh governors to conduct research on the target groups and share information about the program with them.

The ‘Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia’ project developed an innovative curriculum, collaborates with local secondary schools and Lifelong Learning Centers, supports the practical application of knowledge gained from the training, and funds subgrant proposals developed by children and youth.

Bolor-Erdene explains, “Introducing and promoting new approaches and activities to children, youth, and the community is never easy. My goal is to lead by example through my own participation and approach, then inspire the community through the children.

In October 2023, she became a blended learning teacher/ counselor. By November, she had formed a class of 20 young people and began teaching. The training followed the same curriculum and duration as traditional courses, but it was designed to take place outside the classroom. Each student, along with the teacher, was provided with a tablet, data, and the necessary resources to access lessons, even in remote areas without network coverage.

Unlike school students, adults reviewed their lessons on their tablets and submitted their assignments. Their quick thinking and strong teamwork made it easier for both teachers and students to complete the lessons, write project proposals, and successfully implement them.

Despite her busy schedule conducting training, managing subgrants, exchanging information with partners, developing work plans, providing updates to target groups, and receiving guidance and support from Save the Children to localize the program she was able to continue her primary work.

Since becoming the first ESEL teacher/ counselor in her soum, Bolor-Erdene has successfully trained 48 children and youth. She facilitated the learning of 24 students in the final year of the project.  Among her graduating students, 15 formed four teams, and their project proposals ‘Little Helper,’ ‘Leather Goods,’ ‘Home Crafts,’ and ‘Eco Soap’ were selected in the subgrant competition. Additionally, Bolor-Erdene serves as a teacher and counselor for the Entrepreneurship Club established at the school, helping to spread entrepreneurial ideas throughout the community.

As a facilitator for the ESEL program, she observed students’ communication styles, attitudes, and individual differences, applying teaching methods tailored to each person’s needs. Encouraging each student to be open and proactive ultimately paid off. The use of the ESEL training methodology in technical sessions was found to increase students’ trust in their teachers and significantly boost their motivation to learn.

Sh.Bolor-Erdene shared, “Before joining the project, I was solely focused on teaching my classes. Being part of this initiative has allowed me to grow personally. My graduates have become more open and developed strong communication skills. I’m proud to see them take initiative, recognize the value of the project, and benefit from it.

I’ve participated in projects as a trainer before, but this is the first project where I’ve worked with children of such varying ages. Being involved has sparked a continuous search for new ideas—not just among the students, but within myself as well. The benefits and culture of the project are gradually becoming embedded in our school.”