The Think Equal programme has been created by global thought leaders in the fields of education, psychology, human rights and neuroscience, and comprises three age-appropriate levels, each containing 22 to 24 original narrative picture books, 90 lesson plans and accompanying resources. It has been designed and scaffolded based upon evidence gathered over the past six decades about what constitutes high-quality, powerful intervention with lifetime effects.
The Curriculum Framework
The Curriculum Framework outlines the pedagogical theories that underpin the Think Equal Programme, its theory of change, and the core components of the programme. Included in it are the core tenets, which are the foundations upon which the programme is built: the belief in the child as an autonomous, empowered being; the active, constructive learning environment; positive, factual language; the concept of Ubuntu; the process of narrative; and social cognition. The document also outlines the six ‘I Am’ precepts, and the 36 topic areas through which children participating in the programme will develop. These topic areas are: I Have A Strong Sense of Who I Am; I Am Able to Look After Myself; I Am Able to Look After Others; I Am Able to Communicate; I Am Able to Contribute and Create; I Am A Critical Thinker.
School Programme
The school programme is designed to be taught over 30 weeks of the school year. Each week of learning begins with a narrative picture book, followed by 3 x 30-minute lesson plans, with resources, per week.
Level 1
LEVEL 1 comprises 22 narrative books and accompanying activities for children aged 3-4. The level also includes material curated in partnership with the Center for Healthy Minds from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which focuses on kindness and mindfulness.
Level 2
LEVEL 2 comprises 24 narrative books and accompanying activities for children aged 4-5. The level also includes material curated in partnership with SEE Learning from Emory University, which focuses on attention to the breath, body and trauma-informed teaching.
Level 3
LEVEL 3 comprises 24 narrative books and accompanying activities for children aged 5-6. The level also includes material curated in partnership with SEE Learning from Emory University, which focuses on attention to the breath, body and trauma-informed teaching.
EQlicious Home Kit
Our EQlicious programme is designed for parents to engage with their children at home. It is based upon the same narrative picture books as in the classroom programme but with 5 x 10-minute activities with accompanying resources per week. The EQlicious kit is digitally-based and includes animated videos as well as PDFs of the books. They are designed to complement classroom learning, as well as provide learning to children when not at school.
Refugee Settings
A 30-week programme curated and adapted for refugee and IDP settings (internally displaced persons) comprising 5 x 30 minute lessons per week with 30 narrative picture books and resources.
Teacher Training Modules
Think Equal has a number of training modules designed for diverse settings: the online self-directed training platform (5 hours comprising 20 minute modules); a Zoom training with a Think Equal Master Trainer; and where no online connectivity is possible an in-person training.
Think Equal has also partnered with a number of teacher-training providers, who complement our training with additional modules, aimed at the teacher’s personal development, wellbeing and resilience
