English teachers - "The training is over..... already?"



The last day of the Meynaa School English teachers' professional development workshops, I asked the teachers to reflect back on all the various strategies I'd taught them.




First I had the teachers brainstorm their own individual list of all the different instructional and classroom management strategies I'd taught during the training.

Next I had the students pair up and share with each other their list



Following the pair-share activity, where teachers looked over each other's list of strategies, we developed a collective list on the white board. 

I asked them to star the 3 they could do tomorrow, the two the could do next month and the one they'd do next year.

I asked them to commit to which one instructional strategy they would implement immediately when classes resumed following the end of the term exams, and which instructional strategy they  would implement within the next month.

 

Taking the process one more step, now that teachers had committed to implementing one new instructional strategy, I asked them to develop a mini lesson plan, using that strategy, and presenting it to the group.



Anil decided he wanted to introduce the reading comprehension strategy where students number the paragraphs, double box the title, then they identify the subject of the sentence "who"  with a box, the "what" is underlined, the "when" with (...), etc.



George wanted to begin with giving his students "Explicite Instructions."  In other words, being very clear and specific.



Chinchu would like to begin using the praise with specifics strategy.  This is where the teacher praises a student, and tells them specifically why they are being praised.  i.e.  "I'm very happy with the way your raised your hand today and asked permission to sharpen your pencil.  Good job!"



Aravindan explained how he would incorporate a bell work or start of class activity.





The lead teacher, Ahamed, presented how he'd use graphic organizers.



"If the last five days of these professional development workshops was an animal, what animal would it be and why?"

This was my final reflective question to the English teachers.  As soon as I asked the question, the ear-to-ear smiles were immediate!





"A dolphine because it is so intelligent."
"A baby elephant because it can grow big."
"A rabbit because it hops around."
"A cat because it is so sneaky!"
"A horse because of the beautiful view when riding it."