Third Day of Teacher Training

Stephan and Dave finished the week by tackling the topic of lesson planning. The challenge was to introduce the new Competence based curriculum lesson plan template. The other challenge was to make the lesson interactive. There was some interesting debate on the ideas within the new form and some problem solving activities. Now it is over to the Rwandan teachers to plan their own lessons for the micro teaching tomorrow.

Differentiation was the topic for today's teacher training with Noelia & Andrea.

The sessions reinforced the importance of including in a good lesson plan three learning objectives to ensure that children of all levels and abilities can access the learning taking place and achieve the learning goals. The teachers were really engaged with today's lessons & asked lots of questions. They were keen to discover what issues might affect a child's ability to learn and how to identify when a lesson may be too easy or difficult for a child, so that they are able to provide more appropriate tasks in their teaching. The interactive activities demonstrating differentiated tasks were thoroughly enjoyed by the teachers who showed creative thinking and excellent group collaboration. Most importantly, the Rwandan teachers told us they are now hoping to take what they have learnt back to their own schools and begin to differentiate in their own classrooms. They also left with a greater understanding of how important it is to provide differentiated teaching so that EVERY child in their class achieves and makes progress. 

In today's lesson Maddie and Steph D explored the concept of idea development using mind maps. They modelled a range of learner-centred activities that the teachers could apply to their subject areas, as well as how mind maps could be used for planning and assessment. Group work and discussion was encouraged as the teachers worked together to create mind maps, participating in activities that they could use in their own lessons.

Jenny and Emily opened up their creative writing and drama training season today with a game beginning with 'In Kamembe there is a road...'  Each teacher in the circle had to remember what the previous teachers had said, slowly building up a story and strengthening their memory skills at the same time. Emily read out one of Aesop's fables, the Lion and the Mouse, and the teachers then had to sequence the pictures to match the story. Hot-seating followed, with Jenny taking on the role of the Mouse and being interviewed by Emily to show how this could be an aid to understanding the fable's characters. We even had some volunteers to take on the role of the Lion! An explanation of how a story mountain could be used in planning was the next step and the teachers each had a go at practising this. The session ended with a lively game of Lion and Mouse in the glorious sunshine, laughter was certainly the order of the day!

Today's debate was on the motion "Dishonest and rich is better than honest and poor" and was chaired by Andrea. Prior to the debate it was 17 for and 17 against so it was all to play for. The speakers proposing the motion gave an impassioned argument, followed by the first female speaker in the debates who was opposing the motion and came up with the lovely argument that "If you are honest you have peace in your heart". After many points of information from the floor, we were relieved in the final vote that it was just 19 for and 23 against.

Heavy traffic on the walk home from the school

At Ngwino Nawe, the disabled children's village, a new team of painters took up the brushes to finish the murals. Alex, Beth, Ruby, Steph P and Miranda spent the day adding fine detail to the murals, and touching up walls where the paint had peeled away. Nyungwe forest was well and truly brought to Ngwino, monkeys and all. 

Steph P discovered that a machete is an extremely useful tool in the absence of sandpaper, and she became (alarmingly) attached to the machete!