School-in-a-Box

Program Description

Kids coping with crisis crave normalcy. We all do. Attending classes gives these children the chance to forget the devastation and focus on learning. Even in the middle of a disaster, UNICEF can get temporary classes up and running in 72 hours. UNICEF customizes School-in-a-Box kits for local languages and selects basic educational supplies that can be used anywhere in the world. Each School-in-a-Box meets the needs of 1 teacher and 40 students, enabling classes to carry on for 3 months. Each kit costs $209.11.

Contents and Guidelines For Use

The School-in-a-Box Kit contains supplies and materials for a teacher and up to 80 students,

if taught in double-shift classes of 40. The contents of the kit are not culturally specific so

that they can be used anywhere in the world. The components of the kit are described

below.

Purpose

The primary objective of the School-in-a-Box is to help re-establish learning as the first step

towards the restoration of normal schooling following an emergency. However, it can also be

used in development situations where a country suddenly faces an influx of students (e.g. if

school fees are abolished at once).

Important remark: The School-in-a-Box contains the basic materials needed in all

situations. They must be complemented by teacher training and support, a teacher’s guide

and books and other didactic material based on a curriculum relevant to the child's future

education (in refugee situations this might be the curriculum of the country of origin). Each

country office is responsible for developing its own teacher's guide, in consultation with

national/local education authorities, and for translating the guide into the appropriate local

languages

Reception and Administration of the School-in-a-Box

The kit, together with the Guidelines for teachers in the local language, should normally be

distributed to teachers at a teacher-training workshop. Each teacher is the custodian of the

School-in-a-Box and is responsible for its safekeeping. This is because the items contained

in the kit will last longer if cared for properly. The teacher will distribute to the students the

items they need to complete their assignments, i.e., slates, slate pencils, pencils, exercise

books, etc, as well as additional items as needed.

Contents and Use of the School-in-a-Box

The School-in-a-Box contains two types of materials, those for the teacher and those for the

students. The students may take some of the materials home to do homework or work on

projects assigned by the teacher. Other materials, although intended for student use, will be

used only in the classroom and are thus distributed by the teacher as and when required.

• Metal Box with Padlock

  • To ensure the safe storage of all items, the kit is stored in a metal box with two coded padlocks. At the beginning of every day, the teacher unlocks the box and distributes the materials needed for the day’s lessons and at the end of every day, reclaims the materials from the students, puts them back into the box and locks it.

• Blackboard Paint

  • The inside lid of the metal box can be painted with blackboard paint, thus making the lid of the box a blackboard. The blackboard paint can also be used on a smooth surface, e.g. wood or on a wall as a rough surface uses more chalk. The lid of the tin of blackboard paint must be closed firmly, to prevent the paint from drying out.

• Brush for Painting Blackboard

  • The brush is intended for use with the blackboard paint. To extend its life, it must be carefully cleaned after use. The paint supplied with the kit is water-based and the brush can be cleaned in water after use. If oil-based paint is purchased locally, the brush must be cleaned with paraffin after use to prevent it from becoming brittle and being destroyed.

• Posters, plasticized paper, set of three, double- sided

  • The posters can be written on, using water-based non-permanent marker pens provided in the Box, then wiped clean and re-used as appropriate. Adhesive tape is provided for attaching the posters to a flat surface.

  • Poster 1: Alphabet and lines

  • Front: the Letters of the Roman alphabet in upper and lower case, with space below in which the teacher can write the local alphabet.

  • Reverse side: dark blue horizontal lines, height 6 cm, on which the teacher/pupils can write.

  • Poster 2: Numbers 0-100 and squares

  • Front: the numbers from 0-100, with space below in which to write the numbers in the local script.

  • Reverse side: a grid of 100 dark blue squares, in which the teacher/pupils can write/draw.

  • Poster 3: Times table and world map, physical

  • Front: the multiplication tables from 1 x 1 to 12 x 12, in squared format.

  • Reverse side: the world physical, showing continents, seas, rivers, mountains, but no political borders or place names. The teacher can write on the map in the local language.

• Tape-Measure

• The tape-measure can be used to mark heights on a pole or a wall, so that pupils can measure their height in centimeters. The tape can also be used for teaching measurements and marking off an area.

• Wooden Cubes

• The cubes are painted in assorted colors and can be used for teaching arithmetic.

• Clock, teaching, wood

• The clock face fits in a wooden base so that the clock can stand up on a flat surface. It is of tough construction for classroom handling, with easy–see numerals, large and small wooden hands that can be moved by the pupils. In countries which do not use Arabic numerals (1-12) it will be necessary to cover the numerals with a sticker, on which to write the local numeral system

• Scissors, safety, school (blunt end)

• The scissors are fitted with a protective cover made of hard plastic, which cannot be removed accidentally. They should be stored in the box and distributed as and when required for the children’s use, when engaged in paper craft projects and other related work. Children should be guided when doing craft activities that require cutting, as it is a good method for improving their coordination and promoting their creativity. The scissors are only to be used for cutting paper or cloth.

• Slates and slate pencils

• Slates have proven to be one of the most appropriate, practical and cost-effective writing materials for younger students. They can be used, together with the slate pencils for daily classroom work and can be cleaned and re-used, saving the more expensive exercise books for the work that the teacher and the child really want to keep.

• Exercise Books, cyan blue covers, branded with the UNICEF logo

• Each student should receive one book. The teacher must instruct the students on how to maximize the use of all the pages and not waste paper. The ruled exercise books are printed without margins, so that they can be used by children whose language is written from left to right, or from right to left.

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