JAMS founder-director, Dr. Wasonga, reports that a teacher-initiated program at JAMS is bearing fruit. The teachers proposed the idea of serving as teacher-parents, whereby each teacher has a “family” made up of 12-14 students. In this family, the teacher is the parent figure and has the responsibility of advocating for his/her children. They have regular family meetings and plan activities to keep the students engaged. Because JAMS is a boarding school (as are most Kenyan high schools), and because many JAMS students are orphans, this family program is especially helpful.

Each teacher-parent gets to know each student in the family well so they are aware when students have issues that need to be attended to. The teacher-parent also keeps close attention on their students’ performance and other needs, including strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

“May God bless you abundantly for the help you are giving me. Life with social, loving, caring, and ever-dedicated teachers is all a student like me could wish for.” –M., Class of 2024

At the same time, other teachers will share with the teacher-parent when they notice that a student is achieving particularly well, struggling with a subject, or seems to have a problem.

This program has helped improve student advisement over the last year, enabling teachers to guide students more individually and successfully in terms of career goals and which courses to take that align with the career of interest.

For students, their JAMS families provide opportunities to interact in a smaller group, build trust, and advocate for each other. They can share with the teacher-parent personal problems both in and outside of school. The JAMS teacher-student families have enhanced student connectivity to school, sense of belonging, and voice.