Cartoon logo of Big Brother Mouse, which publishes books and runs schools in Laos
 
Big Brother Mouse
Finding good teachers has been one of our biggest challenges.
A teacher and several small children holding up hand signs
We've invented finger signs for the Lao alphabet, each sign representing a familiar word. Children love getting to use their hands for this. But first, the teachers must learn it.
Children playing with small wooden blocks
It took focused teacher training to get this scene to happen: Let children play on their own. New teachers generally don't see the point. They overwhelmingly feel it is their job to give children precise instructions.
A teacher and several small children learn numbers, with cards in front of them
Number cards, showing each number in different ways (Arabic and Lao numerals, sets of dots or animals), are one of the many educational games that we make ourselves. But first, teachers must learn to use them.
A teacher reads a picture book aloud to children
Reading books aloud is a key part of our reading programs. Kids become eager to be able to read by themselves. But good storytelling isn't instinctive. We train teachers about making eye contact, enunciating clearly, to keep kids focused.

Creating the teachers of tomorrow

In 2027 we will open our first permanent, full-time teacher training program

Since 2016, Big Brother Mouse has been building schools to improve education for Lao children. We've grown from 13 students that first year, to 4200 today, because parents, children, and education officials all agree that not only do child like our schools, but they're getting prepared to become active, contributing Lao citizens.

We've achieved this with teachers who attended rote-based schools. We've trained them in more active, engaging techniques, but changing long-established assumptions is a slow process.

Now we're planning a big new step: A high school for young people who want to become teachers. Many of them will come from our existing schools. They will already have experience with our active approach to learning. Students will:

• Study and discuss ideas about how children learn best.

• Get hands-on experience teaching with younger children, because we'll have a preschool, primary school, and middle school (ages 11-13) adjacent to it.

We've given this school a name that shows its connection with Big Brother Mouse, while also representing the goal of passing on skills to a new generation. Read more at Uncle Mouse School.

Will you make this possible?

But we an only do this with your help. A donation of US $8,000 will pay for a classroom; any amount of $2,000 or more can be designated for this purpose. Will you help? Details are on our Donations page (please see main menu above).

From us, from the future teachers who will change education in Laos, and from the children who will benefit: Thank you.

Why teach sign language?

Two small Lao children learning to say 'butterfly' in Lao sign language

People often ask why we are eager to introduce sign language to children. We have many reasons.

• If a student meets someone who uses sign language, they can communicate.

• In Laos, many children who are deaf never have an opportunity to learn sign language. Often they're dismissed as not-too-bright. A wider awareness will help change this.

• Children are eager to use their fingers and hands. And they have an instinct for learning languages. It's a natural fit at this age.

• There is evidence that learning sign language helps small children learn to read, as they begin to think about individual words.

• And children love it.

The question should be, why isn't sign language taught to young children everywhere?

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Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire.