Author Archives: Teachers' Resource Centre

At the end of every working year TRC holds its AGM, in which all the stakeholders are apprised of that years achievements. This year was an exception though, as apart from the customary hum that accompanies the AGM there was a special significance to the whole event. This AGM ushered in the coming of age of TRC. Yes, we”ve been here for 21 years and we mean to celebrate this in a suitab;e manner. We”ll fill you all in on the celebratory plans soon. The eighty or so participants (TRC Stakeholders) showed their enthusiasm and interest by promising to provide assistance wherever they could, to help make TRC”s twenty-one year celebrations a success.

This AGM also marked the successful end of the First academic year of the TRC”s Institute of Early Childhood Education (IECE). To complete this academic cycle, TRC-IECE awarded the graduating Year One students with their Certificates. Graduating students, their family members, and spme employers commended TRC”s dedication and commitment.

The TRC-IECE Administration, Faculty and Students from the Second batch of the IECE assembled recently at the orientation ceremony for the Year II students of the IECE. TRC Director, Seema Malik, and Academic Coordinator IECE, Mahenaz Mahmud, welcomed the students.

Students were introduced to the faculty and to what they were expected to do in the academic year that starts on 6 February, 2007.

The hour long session ended with an informal chat over tea and biscuits.

On 19 January 2007, TRC conducted a 3-hour workshop, titled “Seekhnay kaa Amal”, at the Holy Shepherd Grammar School for their teachers.

Covering aspects such as How Learning Takes Place, Understanding the Needs of Children (and what adults can do to fulfill those needs), the workshop helped participants explore their own role in the classroom.

Participating teachers, excited by many of the the new ideas, expressed keenness to implement them in their classrooms.

On 6 January 2007, TRC conducted a 3-hour workshop for the primary Links Primary School at their premises.

The workshop was designed to raise teachers’ awareness of the importance of managing time effectively and understand the different styles of managing time.

Teachers assessed their own time management abilities and developed personal time plans. Discussions carried out were interactive with the group contributing enthuiastically.

The TRC team went to Thatta to conduct a 15- hour workshop for 26 pre-primary and primary teachers of the Model Tarbiat School from 26-28 December 2006.

Titled “Bachay Kaisay Seekhtay Hain”, the 3-day workshop covered numerous aspects of learning, child growth and development.

Issues faced by teachers while developing classroom activities related to the learning content were also the subject of discussions. The group, supportyed by TRC trainers, developed strategies for preparing an active learning environment where children could engage in active, hands on and exploratory activities.

The teachers consisted of Primary and Katchi teachers. Varied tips and suggestions were provided accordingly.

“Ohhh! It has direct relevance to the class,” said a teacher, as soon as the TV was switched off at the end of the screening of 12 Angry Men, on Nov 25, at the TRC premises. The film, a black and white, small-screen, 1957 production, shot in just 21 days, held everyone’s attention, despite 89 of it’s 92-minute length being shot in one room and around one table.

Attended by a lively group, 12 angry Men led to discussions covering prejudice, bias, generation gap and more. The tea-break also found people discussing the merits of acting, direction, and photography in this powerful film.

Schools that participated in this session are considering a special showing of ‘Cheaters‘ with teachers, some teenage students, and parents because of some of the issues raised in the film.

With everyone at schools busy with exams and preparations over the next few weeks, followed by holidays, it was decided to hold the next Film Club session in January.

Meanwhile, don’t forget that one of Karachi’s most awaited annual events, the KaraFilm Festival, is running from Dec 7th to Dec 17th. To those of you who attend, we request keeping our Film Club in mind and sending us suggestions for any films that suit our purpose.

Approximately 200, 3-5 year old children come to the ECE Centre six days a week to get a head start to learning. The teachers, trained by TRC implement the National ECE Curriculum, designed by TRC and adopted by the Ministry of Education in 2002.

On 14 November 2006, Osama Qadri visited the ECE Centre, which had been chosen as a venue for raising awareness about polio. He was totally amazed … “How is all this happening?” he asked. The children were engaged in various learning areas: the Home Corner, the Math Corner, the Science Corner and the Art Corner. He was so impressed as children responded to his questions about what they were doing, but for them it was “all in a day’s work.”

Mr. Qadri inaugurated the polio eradiction scheme by giving polio drops to the children. Before he left, he offered to have the building white washed and to send two reams of paper every month for the children to paint on. We hope he keeps his promise!

The TRC Film Club session on Saturday, November 4, was held at the PECHS Girls’ High School. The school had specifically requested a showing of Cheaters, the film that had launched these activities. Around 40 teachers were present.

The direct relevance of the film’s subject matter – something that all teachers have encountered (and some confess to having engaged in) – and the presence of a group of teachers who were familiar with each other made the post-viewing session highly interactive. Among the issues that came up during diiscussions were the question of examinations and grading, alternative forms of assessment, competition and its place in schools & society, and the role of the parents in molding the character of the child.

It is certain that many of the issues will continue to be discussed for days in the common room and beyond.

Please contact us for details if you wish to have a special showing at your school.

Hope to see many of you on November 25th, for 12 Angry Men.

The Chairperson of The Education Committee (Primary) C.D.G.K, Ms. Shameem Akhtar, has been an enthusiastic supporter of TRC’s ECE programme.

To widen understanding she arranged a session of  “An overview of ECE” for ADO’s and DOE in her office. ECE resource material prepared by TRC was placed on display during the sessions.

Participants acknowledged the efforts and importance made in the field of early childhood education and were keen to promote it in their schools and towns.

As a result of this session, conducted by the TRC, further requests were made for conducting the ECE-NC 50 hour trainings in their towns. The committee chairperson requested TRC for further training of at least 200 ECE teachers in implementing the Early Childhood Education National Curriculum (ECE-NC).

TRC is currently organizing funds to carry out this training by August 2007.