Document Type

Conference Paper

Department

Professional Development Centre, Karachi

Abstract

Professional development is a continuous improvement process, on job training and support needed to improve teaching, it encompasses the processes that educators engage in to initially prepare themselves, continuously update themselves, and review and reflect on their own performance. The experiences suggest that continuing professional development is needed to reinforce learning and support educational change process. This paper encompass on strengthening the professional development for teachers at Union Council Tehsil Resource Center (UC-TRCs). Teacher Mentors, developed by AKU-IED, STEP Project initiated the Cluster-based Mentoring Programme (CBMP) and also providing teachers follow-up support through Schools visits. Teachers professionally support each other, which bring some positive change in classroom teaching practice. They were provided opportunity to learn about and enhance their pedagogical skills in working with different approaches to professional development. It is critical for teachers to have ongoing and regular opportunities to learn from each other. The best professional development is ongoing, experiential, collaborative, and connected to and derived from working with students and understanding their culture. UCTRCs working as a hub for teachers’ professional development at Tehsil level in selected Districts of Sindh and Balochistan. This paper highlighted some of the experiences of District Killa-Saifullah in Balochistan. Professional Development opportunities provided for primary and elementary School’s teachers (male & female) at UC-TRCs level, specifically focused to enhance the subject-based pedagogical content knowledge, skills, integrating the gender perspectives in their work, with special emphasis on mentoring skills. These professional development activities provided support to mentors and cluster schools’ teachers, which show a change in their classroom practices. These initiatives help to enhance the mentors’ capacity to work with their cluster school teachers for improving their performance and impacting student learning.

Publication (Name of Journal)

In Search of Relevance and Sustainability of Educational Change : An International Conference at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development, November 1-3, 2012

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