Curiós - Teacher training platform

Teacher training by Curiós: when innovation means simple, effective and scalable.

Teachers in Brazil are trained for theory, not practice. The lack of effective teaching strategies leads to increased stress for teachers and poor student learning. Our methodology at Curiós leverages technology to support teachers in creating a more positive environment, focused on learning, with socioemotional skills, active methodologies, and sharing of best practices, in a scalable solution.

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Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated April 2023

Web presence

2019

Established

450 2024

1

Countries

Teachers

Target group

By working with the public school system, we aim to reach underserved communities and focus on underperforming districts. Since we are not focused on curriculum, but on actions and behaviors, we empower teachers with resources to become more effective educators and teach students how to learn and be excited about learning. If we transform one teacher, we will be transforming hundreds of students.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

The format of classes, with teachers explaining on the blackboard and students copying in their notebooks, needs to change. The 2.2 million educators in Brazil are ill equipped to engage students and school districts struggle to create effective professional development sessions. The Curiós methodology and toolkit empowers educators to change their practice and become part of a learning community.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

Curiós developed a methodology that leverages technology to increase the reach of techniques that help teachers create a positive classroom environment, focused on learning. With our user-friendly training tracks in our online platform, we empower the trainer as a knowledge multiplier, bringing research-based strategies in social-emotional development, classroom management, students engagement, and fostering sharing of best practices.

Our pilot in 2019 showed a decrease in teacher frustration (those who “never felt frustrated” went from 31% to 57%), an increase in student respect (those who “always feel respected by their students” went from 43% to 69%) and an increase in their ability to complete what they planned (those who “always complete what they plan” went from 28% to 38%). Results were even better if we only consider teachers who completed 75% of all activities or more: 29% to 59% (never frustrated), 41% to 78% (always respected) and 32% to 41% (always complete activities).

How has it been spreading?

After the pandemic we’re able to once more implement our Training Tracks, collecting data on the quality of processes and teachers self-reported assessments on results. We received financial support from Imaginable Futures and the Lemann Foundation for Project Alliance. Within this project, we are: piloting our solution, developing and testing the MVP for our platform and evidence-based evaluations both for teachers (where they send evidence of application of our strategies in the classroom, with images, videos, lesson plans and documents) and for students (standardized test). We have trained ~500 teachers with this solution. As next steps, we will measure our impact using a toolkit developed with LEAP, reaching school districts with a revised solution that attends their formative needs.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Our work is scalable, as we train the trainers within the public school district in a municipality to replicate the content in person. To adopt our solution in a different context, you should contact our team at contato@somoscurios.com.br to express your interest. To begin implementation, we run a diagnosis of the school district and begin mobilizing teachers to participate in the project.

Implementation steps

Alignment with the secretariat team

First of all, we need to engage the secretariat team in putting the solution in practice. They will be the ones that we keep in touch with to communicate with participants and share materials. At this moment we collect data and help them organize the timeline of the project, as well as when the project will be put into practice in each school.

Kick-off meeting

We set up a meeting with all school leaders to present the solution and explain to them how it works. This is also the moment we communicate to them about the new training they will be joining, focused on their knowledge on leadership, management and wellbeing in their school community.

Leadership Journey

For 6 or 12 weeks (depending on their availability), school leaders join us in synchronous 90-minutes or 3 hour meetings to discuss relevant themes as managers. This is an introduction to the actual project, but fundamental to its proper development, once this is the moment all pedagogical coordinators (in-school trainers) become truly aware of their responsibilities and become a part of our learning community.

Transition Journey

To prepare trainers for the next step, we provide them with a trial with our methodology, taught in a very practical way, in 2 or 4 sessions. The theme of this track is chosen according to the district's needs, such as Student Evaluations or Socioemotional Learning. After each session with us, trainers access the platform to view and study the materials of the session they have just undergone. They will later facilitate the same session, using our guide, with the teachers in their schools.

PD Sessions / Teachers’ track

Finally, pedagogical coordinators are ready to work with our methodology in full, leading their school’s professional development sessions. Here, teachers are continuously trained in pedagogical practices that change their interactions with students, better managing their classrooms and being attentive to their students’ social-emotional learning. They do it the same way they did previously: they access the platform, receive and study the materials, to later apply it with their teachers.

Classroom applications

Every two weeks, trainers lead professional development sessions with the teachers, where they learn specific techniques and pedagogical strategies. During the sessions, they practice with their peers, to prepare them for real classroom applications. The next step is to apply what they have learned in the classroom, building a new relationship with their students, with a more thoughtful and intentional environment.

Submitting evidence

The last and final step is for teachers to submit the evidence that they have changed their classroom practices to become more attentive to students’ socioemotional needs, creating a structure and a routine that intentionally fosters a positive environment. The log into the platform and upload the documents that show this change in practice (with images, videos, lesson plans and documents).