Author Archives: Teachers' Resource Centre

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on whether television builds or diminishes children’s minds, and cast your vote by the end of January 2016. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our December 2015 poll was about whether schools should focus on teaching real life skills:

Schools should focus on teaching real life skills, because students are not likely to use their knowledge of subjects such as literature or trigonometry anywhere practically.

• I agree. Schools should focus more on teaching practical skills, such as applying for and getting a job, operating a bank account and social skills, instead of on subjects such as Art and History. (70%, 32 Votes)

• I disagree. Life skills can be learnt at home and all subjects taught in schools are important. For instance, history teaches important lessons from the past and art encourages personal expression. (30%, 14 Votes)

A large majority of the respondents (70%) feel that schools should focus more on teaching life skills that will be useful for students when they enter practical life. They feel it is more important for children to learn to operate a bank account or apply for a job, than to study subjects such as Art which do not seem to have much practical value. A minority (30%) feel that life skills should be learnt at home and that all subjects that are traditionally taught in schools are important.

Ilm o Amal

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Under its ‘Thinking Classroom’ project, TRC has been supporting teachers in using diverse strategies to teach content in creative ways that stimulate critical thinking skills in children in classrooms across Pakistan. In this month’s Ilm o Amal, written by Alizeh Zainab Razvi and TRC staff, the writers explore the concept of critical thinking and look at ways that adults can support young children in developing this skill.

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dear All,

Teachers’ Resource Centre is initiating a series of talks from January 2016 that will focus on issues around educational pedagogy, understanding the IB system, successful interventions in school management, special needs and inclusive education.

These talks will be delivered by speakers with an educational background, enriched by valuable experience in their relevant field. The talk will be followed by a question-answer session to enhance the value of the discussion for all the participants.

The details of the first talk of these series are as follows:

Date: Saturday, 9 January 2016

Timings: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Venue: Teachers’ Resource Centre

Who should attend? All those who manage children or anyone else who is interested.

Speaker’s Profile: Professor Panos Vostanis is currently a Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Leicester in the UK, and Consultant at the Leicestershire child mental health service. He has longstanding clinical experience with vulnerable children, young people and families, i.e. in care, homeless, adopted, refugees, and young offenders.

In his academic capacity, Panos has completed research on the assessment of mental health needs, evaluation of treatment and services for traumatized children, including those living in war zones. He is currently involved in several projects with NGOs and child trauma centres in Asia and Africa.

Charges: Rs. 1000

Last date for registration with payment: 05 January 2016

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dates: 28, 29 & 30 January 2016 | Time: 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. & 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), is an approach to teaching grounded in the research on how young children develop and learn. Its framework is designed to promote young children’s optimal learning and development. This workshop will help learners understand what research says about development, learning, and effective practices in ECE and how DAP articulates the principles that should guide our decision making when working with children between 0-8 years.

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dates: 25, 26 & 27 January 2016 | Time: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Teachers are not just a tool to learning. There is much more to the story of becoming a successful professional than just classroom teaching. Teachers are individuals who must inspire, motivate and drive students all the way to success. They need to feel confident to raise their opinions when asked for and not be intimidated by colleagues and others more confident around them. This workshop will enable teachers to take their first step towards not only becoming a source of motivation for their students but also a valuable employee for the organisation.

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dates: 23rd January 2016 | Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

To ensure the holistic development of children and maintain their complete physical, mental and social well-being, schools need to integrate a physical fitness programme into the physical education sports curriculum. Through this workshop, participants will explore the key components of fitness and learn how to develop a holistic Physical fitness program to maximize students’ achievements.

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dates: 20th, 21st & 22nd January 2016 | Time: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

An active learner is one who is engaged throughout an activity as an active partner and sees his or her ideas and contributions valued. Research has proved that a sense of ownership and personal involvement is the key to successful learning. This workshop will enable teachers to explore strategies that can create an active learning classroom and develop autonomous learners.

TRC News

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on whether schools should focus on teaching real life skills, and cast your vote by the end of December 2015. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our November 2015 poll was about whether children should be praised frequently or not:

Children should not be praised frequently, because doing so can make them fearful that they won’t be able to live up to your standards and prove detrimental in the long run.

• I agree. Praising often can trigger fear of performance in children, causing them to avoid crucial learning experiences. (61%, 27 Votes)

• I disagree. Noticing and praising good behaviour in a child serves as positive reinforcement and helps them feel confident about meeting challenges. (39%, 17 votes)

The majority of our respondents (61%) feel that children should not be praised often. They believe that praising children puts pressure on them, causing them to avoid learning for fear that they won’t be able to live up to expectations. On the other hand, a minority of respondents (39%) believe that praising leads to positive reinforcement and increases children’s confidence.

Ilm o Amal

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Assessment should be a diagnostic tool of learning, yet it often ends up becoming a means to control learning. In this month’s Ilm o Amal, Rubina Naqvi looks at different methods of assessment and explores the qualities an accurate and fair system of assessment should have.

Workshops

Written by Teachers' Resource Centre

Dates: 28th, 29th & 30th December 2015 | Time: 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

This workshop will highlight the importance of developing thinking skills and ways to promote them in the classroom.