By Crissa Nelson
Teachers from 11 primary schools in Sierra Leone saw the classroom from their student’s perspective at an all day Transformation Education workshop lead by six retired teachers from the United Kingdom. Friday 15 January, 84 teachers gathered to learn new tools for engaging their students in hands on, experiential learning. According to the laughter and songs heard spilling out from the three classroom rotations—the teachers learned first hand how engaging, interactive teaching can lead to fun, retainable learning.
“This is a vibrant and motivating team. They have a wealth of knowledge and they want us to share in it,” Mr. Samba Conteh said. “I am blessed that Transformation Education has made it possible for my own school to benefit from making such a vibrant team available to this country.” Mr. Conteh is the Head Teacher at Modern Elementary School and was excited to learn leadership skills for how to assess his school and teachers and encourage improvements from a rotation specifically for head teachers.
Transformation Education (TE), directed by Gwen Smith, hosted this team of teachers from Mission Direct, engaging them in opportunities to work in the classrooms and with the teachers of the 11 pilot schools TE works with. Throughout their two-week visit, the team has conducted workshops everyday on diverse subject matter within individual schools. The workshop on Friday engaged all the Head Teachers and many classroom teachers in a workshop focused on specific teaching methods and administrative assessment.
“I learned about different techniques of teaching because learning is divided into three groups, audio input, visual input and aesthetic input. So to engage the children, I will tell them a story, ask them questions about it and then have them dramatize it,” Hawa V. Kamara, teacher of class six at Baptist Primary School, said.
TE works consistently in 11 public and private schools in Freetown to teach and implement a Classroom Discipline Plan (CDP) and Biblical Based Curriculum (BBC) to help teachers manage their classrooms and encourage character building learning.
“After the very first workshop I implemented the CDP in my class,” Mrs. Kamara said. “I have seen a great difference in terms of behavior. They ask permission, raise their hands, clap for each other…and the children learn more.”
“Transformation Education has really yielded good dividends in my school. With the CDP discipline has really taken shape. The children know what is expected of them,” Mr. Conteh said. “The BBC character traits are [also] very good for the children. For example, caring. The children are told about it for a whole week and by the end of the week you can see their behavior changing for the better.”
“If actually implemented, this will impact the whole education system of Sierra Leone,” he said.
TE works closely with Ministry of Education staff, Mr. Albert Karimu, who praises Transformation Education’s impact on education in Sierra Leone. “TE is very, very essential,” he said. “I am visiting schools to monitor and see if what we are teaching is being implemented, [what I have seen] is very good. There is transformation.”
Mr. Karimu recognizes and welcomes the value of outside perspectives and techniques brought by the team.
“I have been with the team all this week and it has been very successful. Most of their teaching is practical and interactive so I think the teachers will be able to take it back to their schools and implement the interactive style,” Mr. Karimu said.
Kadiatu Tarawaley, teacher of class five at Samaria Primary School, is excited to bring back what she has learned to her classroom. “These are very experienced women exchanging their methods and experience so we can apply it to our classrooms,” she said.
“[The team] really passed on their own experience to us and now I am going to pass it on [to my teachers],” Head Teacher of Mother Ester’s School, Abigail Juana said. “Transformation Education has done a good job for me and my school. It is wonderful to have TE in this country, from us others schools will be able to learn.”
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