 Belarussian Parents' and Teachers' League (BPTL)
is a non-profit, social organization that was formed
in 1998 to promote a civil society in Belarus.
Growing out of the Step by Step program operated
by the Belarussian Soros Foundation, BPTL is focused
on strengthening civic grassroots activities for
parents and other concerned citizens. This work
is accomplished by mobilizing the core tenets of
the Step by Step program—creating democratic
school that encourage active parent and community
collaboration and promote individualized, child-centered
practices. The mission of the BPTL is to affect
systemic change in educational institutions and
other spheres of civil society so that citizens
are able to think creatively and analyze their
political, social, and cultural environment effectively.
There are three broad sets of activities that
this non-governmental organization (NGO) engages
in:
- Educational Programs: 17900 teachers
of children from birth through 12 years old have
been trained in the Step by Step methodologies. 1550 children
with special needs are served in inclusive classrooms
in 280 schools across Belarus. 28 teachers
and teaching assistants working with Roma children
have been trained, and 86 of the children
are receiving child-centered curriculum.
- Civil society Programs: 965 parents
have participated in a variety of workshops and
trainings designed to build their skills in working
collaboratively with teachers and school administrators. 415 other
community residents from 20 cities/communities
have attended workshops on advocacy. And 3475 youth
from 11 universities/colleges have participated
in volunteer community projects, including serving
as teaching assistants in Step by Step classrooms.
- Publishing Programs: 6 methodologies
and training manuals have been translated into
Belarussian for parents, teachers and administrators.
A newsletter has also been developed and distributed
as a way to exchange information among the 1,595 active,
full-time members of the BPTL.
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