A team of eight teachers volunteering with TOUCH International Singapore, visited Sri Lanka to run a free teacher training program called ‘TeachUP’ in Kalkudah, Batticaloa, in collaboration with the Center of Hope, from 15 to 17 June 2017. TOUCH International has run TeachUP in collaboration with us twice every year since the year 2012. Each time we work with the relevant Zonal Director of Education to provide a quality training to government school teachers. While this is the eighth consecutive time we have conducted a TeachUP program, it was our first time doing so in Kalkudah.
TeachUP is a three-day training program aimed at equipping teachers who teach in less developed areas. The training engages the local teachers in hands-on activities and games while touching on topics like basic classroom management, lesson planning, and most importantly, imparting core values of a teacher, such as compassion and confidence, in every student. The program in Kalkudah was a great success, impacting 50 teachers, selected by the Zonal Director of Education as those who were relatively new and would benefit most from a teacher training program of this nature. Each participant received a certificate of completion at the end of the program. Participants not only benefited from the substance of the training and the comprehensive material that was handed out, they also enjoyed themselves thoroughly in the process, even dancing and taking part in a range of fun activities, which were all part of the program. Unsurprisingly, the program received rave reviews, not only from the participants, but also from the Zonal Director of Education.
We are delighted to have partnered with TOUCH International in conducting this teacher training program, and look forward to the next TeachUp to be held at the end of 2017.
