Teacher training in Uttarakhand

HELP‘s teacher trainer, Barbara Porter, has just completed a three day teacher training seminar for nearly 30 rural teachers from 14 schools and 4 interior districts of Kumaon in Uttrakhand in North India. This training is likely to improve the learning skills of nearly 7000 children.

These photos have been taken by the Serve and Share Association (SASA) with whom we collaborate to run these seminars. SASA organised the event and recruited the participants, while we covered their expenses, and provided Barbara Porter’s professional services. (Barbara was one of our early volunteer teachers, so has had first hand experience of the teaching contexts faced by the seminar participants).

Teachers in the remote rural areas where HELP works are very isolated and their schools are poorly resourced. They do not often get the opportunity to attend practical training workshops that are specially focused on the situations and challenges that they face. Barbara concentrated on giving teachers practical activities and ideas to use with their large mixed ability classes and introducing teachers to games and activities that they can easily incorporate into the course book curriculum that they have to follow.

Barbara writes: “It is a pleasure to work with such teachers. They are so eager to have new ideas and approaches, willing to participate fully in all the sessions. These workshops are a lot of fun as well as rewarding for all.”

The participants enjoyed their sessions too.

Here are a few of the more general comments from the feedback forms:

 “We enjoyed every moment and we really benefited from the classes. I wish more such programmes are held.”

 “I am very thankful to my trainers. I have learnt a lot of new techniques and methods of teaching in the class.”

 “Thank you!!! The method you demonstrated were very effective.”

 

 

 

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HELP is rare for an organisation offering volunteer teaching in that it puts the needs of the local people before the desires of the western person wanting ‘the experience’.
Alastair SkeffingtonSaraswatimata Yumahangma English School