IBREA, in collaboration with Global Cyber University, held the Brain Education Field Trip in El Salvador from November 2 to 6, 2024.
The program included a visit to Distrito Italia School and a Brain Education workshop organized by the Ministry of Education of El Salvador.
Distrito Italia School was the first institution to participate in the Brain Education pilot project launched by the International Brain Education Association (IBREA) in 2011, with the support of the El Salvadoran Ministry of Education. Located in a high-crime area, the school faced significant challenges with crime and students’ academic attitudes. However, through the ongoing Brain Education program, the school has positively transformed both its environment and the surrounding community.
Today, under the leadership of the IBREA Foundation and with the support of the El Salvadoran government, teacher training and Brain Education projects continue to expand. These initiatives have reached more than 1,500 schools, representing 25 percent of the country’s public schools.
The visiting group observed Brain Education classes and met with the principal and teachers at Distrito Italia School. Principal Glynis Rajo, who served as the homeroom teacher for the first pilot class in 2011, shared the remarkable transformations she has witnessed in her students since the program’s introduction.
“Some started to see things from a different point of view. They showed more interest and began thinking more deeply about their life projects. They received Brain Education and developed their capacity to overcome obstacles,” she said.
On November 5, the El Salvadoran Ministry of Education invited IBREA El Salvador for a Brain Education Workshop. The event was attended by over 100 Ministry of Education employees and featured a welcome speech by the Ministry’s director, Janet Lopez. The workshop also included an introduction to Global Cyber University by its Vice President, Dr. Nah Ok Kim, a presentation on Brain Education teaching practices in Korean schools by Jung Im Choi, and an experiential session on Brain Education led by IBREA Foundation Executive Director Isabel Guzman.
On the final day of the trip, the group visited the Ministry of Education in Usulután Province to meet with teachers applying Brain Education methods in their schools. Usulután is the most active region in El Salvador for Brain Education initiatives. During the visit, participants had the opportunity to learn about Korea’s national sport, Ki-gong, which is integrated into Brain Education and taught to students in Korean school sports clubs.
