Capacity Building Workshop
The provision of quality education is a major component of this project. Quality education is a term which takes students teachers and society in its consideration. Friends Pakistan planned to train teachers who are the major component of educational system and to whom students are more apprehensive. For this purpose a list of important topics was finalized after a TNA and consultation of the resource person. This list comprised the topics which were thought imperative and significant to aid teachers to work efficiently and competently with. The whole training program consists of two day training events each month for ten consecutive months. For the first training event four topics were focused which are :
• Active Learning Techniques
• Supportive Feedback
• Lesson Planning
• Healing Classroom
First training session was conducted on December 24, 2009 to December 25, 2009. In this training events staff members of all three NHA centers Shinkiari, Sathangali and Balakot.
Although the basic function of the training was to enhance the skills of the teachers, it was also aimed to:
• Share the knowledge of each other through interaction via training
• Learn innovative techniques of teaching
• Realize the importance of the positive response towards students’ efforts
• Understand the effective planning of their work inside the classroom
• Exchange valuable ideas to make their classrooms hale and hearty
The details of the day long training and activities are as following:
• The training started with the name of Allah, one of the participants recited the verses from the Holy Quran, after recitation some golden words said by the Holy Prophet were shared which were stressing the importance of learning.
• Introduction of the resource person and the purpose of the training was articulated before the teachers.
• The very first session was “ Active Learning Techniques” and introduction of the participants was done in the form of an activity which was found very interesting as it helped all the participants to be aware of each other to develop understanding which can be helpful for effective learning and pleasant environment, various active learning techniques were discussed in this session participants’ opinions and ideas were very prosperous the discussion was proceeded by an activity in which they were to work on a handout to think over the characteristics of different techniques given on it.
• Second session was about “Supportive Feedback” session started with brainstorming, participants were asked that how they respond over the work of their students, numerous ideas were collected which gave approach to the importance of positive and healthy feedback and its effects, some rules for effective feedback were discussed and as assessment of their learning an activity was also done.
• Third session started with posing some questions related to planning and preparation for class in advance, it was very delighting to know that many of the participants enter into their class well prepared for the lesson, they shared their own ways of planning a lesson, at the end of this discussion formal lesson planning with all its steps was discussed in full length.
• Session Four was the session, “ Healing Classroom” the name was quite new for the teachers but slowly and gradually with the help of short questions they were drawn towards the topic and they shared a lot of ideas to make heir classroom ideal and healthy one, they were given a task to identify the students in their class with differences and also think of the technique which they can use to make them active learner of the class, many precious ideas were described by them and they learnt a lot through mutual sharing.
• At the end of the training participants’ opinion and feedback was taken, which was very encouraging and heartening that they learnt worthwhile knowledge and the day was productive.
• Participants were fully convinced about their positive behavior in the class towards their students.
• They were determined to plan their activities in advance by realizing the importance of planning.
• Many techniques taught during the sessions were quite new for them which they assured to apply in their class.
• They felt the sessions were so fruitful that such trainings be continued in future for the benefit of both the teachers and the students.
• Teaching learning skills are polished by practicing different techniques. back
