TDC One day workshop   - 14-16 November 2007

One day workshops facilitated by IRA consultants were held from 14-16 November 2007 as part of the mentoring program. The workshops actually represent part of the teacher mentor qualification procedure. The workshop was attended by teacher trainers (200) from the 50 project schools and Bureau for development of education advisors who were divided in 9 groups.

he main goal of the workshops was to make analysis and reflection of the current progress of the teaching practice in the schools and finding directions and suggestions for further development.

Other goals of the workshops were:

1. Do deepen the knowledge and skills of the teachers in relation to the main characteristics for effective teaching

·         Defining the goals (defining higher thinking processes of the Bloom’s taxonomy)

·         Applying wide repertoire (combinations) of teaching strategies

·         Applying principles of active learning - encouraging critical thinking, problem solving, decision making

·         Observing student’s achievement through appropriate and diverse methods of assessment - using list of analytical assessment

·         Involving students in self-assessment and peer assessment

·         Giving feedback to students in relation to achievement of learning goals.

1. To deepen knowledge and skills of teachers for role and effects of leading study groups. 

2. To deepen knowledge and skills of teachers for analytical reflection and self-assessment of the successfulness of the class and leading study group.

3. To find ways to increase the consciousness of all teachers in the school for the importance of the continuous professional development and use of various forms of professional development.

Preparations before the workshop

Before the workshops the teachers needed to prepare in order the workshop to be most effective.

1. Preparation for demonstration lesson

   • The mentors prepared lesson plan which consisted of interactive strategies. The mentors organized demonstration lesson in front of teachers and pedagogues. They gave example for best lesson.

   • The mentors prepared self reflection/evaluation of the demonstrated lesson using rubrics for self-reflection/evaluation

1. Preparation for study group 

   • Each mentor needed to lead study group with 5-8 teachers

   • They needed to choose one question/problem from the instruction that they wanted to improve

   • They worked on discovering reasons and possibilities for solutions and interventions.

   • They developed action plan of the study group and implemented the action plan 

   • They prepared self-reflection/evaluation of the study group they led using rubric for self-reflection/evaluation that SEA office prepared.

After the end of the workshop the teachers received filled evaluation forms for their lesson plans and study groups, as well as certificate for successfully completed mentor qualification procedure. Our intention is that the teacher mentors will be stimulus and support for the other teachers of the school to develop.