Reflections on teacher training

This past week’s teacher training was busy, challenging, and mostly successful. There surely were obstacles to overcome, such as the scheduling difficulties as a result of the holiday, and some were certainly beyond our control. Overall though, the training was a success.

One major challenge that my group experienced was with the powerstrips. I was really frustrated that due to some faulty strips, just about half or more of my group was unable to participate in one of the lessons on the second day as their laptops had run out of power. We have such little time with the teachers that it was such a waste. I think it would be better to have more powerstrips than necessary rather than not enough just to ensure that we are able to capitalize on each moment we are afforded with the teachers.

Another challenge that I experienced with the training is that some of the teachers found that some programs were rather limited. One teacher in my group was very involved with the training, and showed that she was quite eager to learn more. While we were exploring Browse activity, she noted that the science books there did not have drawings or photos. How could she teach something like human anatomy without a picture? How then is this laptop more beneficial than a text book which has those pictures? Her valid points demonstrated that there may be a limit to what the laptop can do and what the teachers can get from it. It seems that this challenge is one that is relatively out of our control, and can only be addressed by highlighting the benefits of the laptop.

Another challenge was the diversity in skill level within each groups. Some teachers had no problem at all with the programs, while others were struggling to use their touch pad to move the cursor on the screen. I think it could have been really beneficial to have made an effort to give more individual attention to each teacher. For instance, staggering the lunch breaks could allow the trainers to work with smaller groups of teachers. I found that the individual time I had with some of the teachers was the most valuable, and I think the more of times when a trainer can sit with one or two teachers to explore a program, the better.

At the same time, this challenge also highlighted the success of the training, because I was able to see the more experienced teachers help the others. When a learner can also be a teacher, they can build not only skills but confidence which will be important for introducing the laptop into the classroom.

I was pleased to see how eager the teachers were to use different programs during the freetime that they had available, and such observations have led me to have a mostly positive view of the training. At this point, I think it is essential to capitalize on these days of training and ensure that this is only the beginning of a long term project. What will happen between now and the next training? Will the teachers be using the laptops? If thenext training is with the same teachers, then I think one way to ensure continued thought and exploration with the laptop would be to assign teachers the project of designing a lesson plan wth the laptop to bring to the next training. After receiving examples and practicing with trainers, I think this is certainly possible and would ensure continued practice not only with laptops, but in using them as a learning tool in the classroom.

Teacher training sample lesson

A simple lesson which could be integrated into the classroom for an English lesson would include the use of the programs memorize and etoys. One of the text books for English learning has a variety of chapters exploring different topics which then go over grammar and vocabulary. One example is a chapter about travelling.

In this sample lesson using memorize and etoys, students would use memorize to practice their grammar and etoys to write sentences using the newly learned grammatical rules and discuss the chapter topic. The goal of the lesson would be for students to master a new component of grammar and develop creativity by writing a short narrative and maybe drawing a picture or adding an image to compliment that narrative.

Memorize:
In more detail, the memorize program would be used for students to practice the grammar they are learning. For instance, in the chapter about traveling, there is a component regarding subject verb agreement. For example, “they have arrived” as opposed to “he has arrived.” Students could use memorize to pair subjects and verbs, having one card read “they” and the accompanying card read “have arrived.” If new words are introduced into their vocabulary, memorize can also be used by pairing English words with Kinyarwanda ones. This is an easy program to begin with, which will give the teachers confidence, yet it also allows the students to practice their grammar.

Etoys:
Once the students have been able to practice the grammar and vocabulary from the new unit, etoys will allow students more creativity. By creating a book in etoys, students can use the text to write a few sentences using the new content. They can write a short narrative about traveling and include small drawings or insert images to compliment their story.

These two programs are fairly simple and so serve as a good introduction for teachers still gaining confidence with the laptops. They also allow for simple rote learning of memorization of words and grammar while also allowing for creativity and exploration

Week Two: Teacher Training

After reflecting on the upcoming teachers training and the discussion from this week’s meeting, I have developed some key points that I believe the training should encompass. I will break down the main components of the training, but first it is important to articulate the goals of the training, or what we should hope the training will achieve.

As the training will consist of a short four days, and many of the teachers will be at the very beginning level of laptop use, setting small goals which can be built upon later seems the most realistic. Goals of this training include: introducing the basics of the XO laptop to the teachers, exploring how the XO can be used to complement and enhance classroom lessons rather than add a burden to class time, observing how other teachers in Rwanda have already successfully incorporated the XO into their classrooms, and developing a plan of action to continue exploring the XO in the time between the first instalment of training and the second to come in August.

To achieve these objectives, I would suggest that the four days of training in the first instalment encompass the following. Initially, there should be a presentation regarding the importance and benefits of the XO in the classroom. Why should teachers use it in the classroom? What is the XO able to do? Perhaps a helpful exercise would be to have the teachers offer the challenges they face in their classrooms. We then could brainstorm ways that the XO could be an instrument in overcoming those challenges. This would allow teachers to see the ways in which learning about and introducing the XO into their classrooms would lessen their workload and enhance their lessons rather than serve as an extra burden for them.

During this initial exercise, I also believe it would be quite beneficial for the teachers in training on the XO to hear from other teachers in Rwanda who have already successfully incorporated the laptop into their lessons. It may be helpful for teachers to hear from OLPC about the importance of laptops, but OLPC cannot demonstrate the benefits as well as the teachers who have been using them in their classrooms. I recognize that the teachers already experienced in teaching with laptops most likely will need to be at their schools teaching during this time, but if it is at all possible, I think it would be really beneficial for the experienced teachers and also the teachers in training if the experienced teachers were to be present for the training and to help the others in learning various programs throughout the four days. The teachers learning the laptops may be more receptive to their instruction rather than that from OLPC, and the teachers already using the laptops will gain more confidence as they continue to learn by teaching others laptop usage.

The next activity would include an exploration of a few key programs on the XO. First there of course would need to be some instruction on the parts of the laptop. Perhaps it would be best if the teachers could split into small groups, and each small group could focus on a few different programs. By doing so this way, different groups would have an in-depth knowledge of different programs which they could then share with each other.

Finally, as this training is solely four days long, it is important to use these days as the launching pad for further exploration, skill development, and collaboration among teachers. The last day of the training could focus on developing a plan or schedule of how the teachers would continue using the laptops before the next instalment of the training. Perhaps teachers could meet once a week and spend one hour on a particular program, develop sample lesson plans together, and serve as mutual support. If possible, it could be really beneficial for the teachers learning the laptops to be connected with the teachers experienced with them, either by meeting in person if possible, or being connected by internet or phone. This support system would be mutually beneficial for each group of teachers. Also, it could be a great experience for the teachers learning the laptops to actually observe a classroom in which the laptops are being effectively used.

In this way, this training would develop important skills within these few days, and also serve as a starting point for further training and development. Hopefully, this would prepare the teachers to take full advantage of the second instalment of the training, and allow them to confidently use the laptops in their classrooms.

Week One: Conversations with teachers

Unfortunately, last week I spent less time than anticipated with the teachers A full day and a half was canceled due to students taking exams, so that I was only in classrooms for an hour on Thursday and then on Friday. The days were a bit rushed so that on these days I did not find the time to discuss with them about how the laptops could potentially make their work easier. However, I have been able to observe the very different ways in which some teachers have been incredibly eager to use the laptops, while others have clearly demonstrated their hesitation.

On Monday of this week I was able to briefly discuss with one of the teachers who has each time been 100% prepared with the laptops distributed and a lesson prepared. I asked him how he likes working with the laptops, and he said that he does enjoy doing so. He practices the programs at home before using them with the students in his class. He believes that there are a number of programs that the laptop has that are quite valuable for his lessons, especially those in which the students can make geometrical shapes. A difficulty in using the laptops in his classes, however, is that he is able to cover only a small amount of content in the time provided, as the laptops require more time in class. One thing that he thinks would help him and other teachers is more training. He knows some of the programs really well; in his classes which I have attended, he has used the paint and etoys program and demonstrated that he is quite comfortable with those. However, he says that there are many other programs, and he does not know them well. If he were trained on these, and was able to then see how he could use them for his lessons, then he may use them. I think he also really appreciates the classroom support, as he mentioned that it is difficult to have only one teacher when so many children are using the laptops.

I also spoke a little with the second teacher who, quite oppositely, was very unprepared and hesitant to use laptops in his classroom. At first, he still continued asking me if I would create all of his projects for him and then teach them to the class, but after talking with him and by the end of class he was telling me about his ideas for next week. In his case, it seems as though his hesitation arises from a discomfort with the programs themselves. I am not sure how much training he has received on the laptop, but I feel as though with some individual instruction on some of the programs, he will feel more confident in using them. I also think that if I were to meet with him prior to each lesson and go over the program together, he would have no problem teaching with the laptops in the classroom.

Though one teacher has proven successful already and the other hesitant, it seems to me that perhaps some individual training or support could really benefit both. At least one is already sold on the importance of the laptop, so I think with more support the program in this case would certainly be sustainable. Perhaps the second teacher needs to see in his classroom how the laptops may make his work easier, and with preparation and support I think that this is possible.

Preparing for departure

I leave for the airport in under an hour (so this will have to be a short post!) and arrive in the capital Kigali on Saturday morning. In the brief moments I have remaining, I need to get this blog rolling. I’ve been asked to start it off with some general expectations and what I hope to learn and contribute during the internship. I think setting intentions is a good place to start. Here goes.

Rwanda has embraced Vision 2020- an ambitious goal of transforming the country from a developing agrarian society into a middle income knowledge-based economy by the year 2020. Needless to say, education and technology are indispensable components of a successful implementation of this vision. I would like to learn more about how One Laptop per Child (OLPC)’s partnership with the Rwandan government supports this plan. I would like to see how external organizations work with local partners and governments. And of course I am interested to experience where I fit in.

As for what I hope to contribute, I suppose that I would like to offer my time, energy, and commitment to the work I will be doing. I would like to contribute to the partnership or relationship that OLPC is building with local partners, teachers, and students, and provide whatever support is required, whether that is in developing learning projects using the laptops or assisting students with the programs.

Above all, I am excited to return to Rwanda and embrace this new experience!

See you all at the end of September!