Training teachers to promote caring schools!

89 teachers from leading schools in Hyderabad participated in the two-day Quality Circle Time Workshop organized by The Teacher Foundation at Meridian School, Hyderabad on 15 November 2010 and 16 November 2010. The two-day session led by Jenny Mosley, the reputed UK-based education consultant and best selling author, was a thrilling as well as great learning experience.

How do we maintain a positive atmosphere in our school, based on a sense of community and shared values? How do we have a high degree of consensus about the standards of behaviour among staff, pupils and parent? How do we deal with 'bad' behaviour? How do we work as a team to develop whole school approaches to promote good behaviour in our school? How do we promote mutual respect, self-discipline and social responsibility among our students and staff? How can we effectively communicate with our parents?  Jenny Mosley's Quality Circle Time Model helps schools find answers to these and many more questions that schools have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. The Teacher Foundation trains Indian teachers to use Quality Circle Time Model and helps to make our schools caring places. The QCT workshop in Hyderabad with Jenny Mosley, who has pioneered the Whole School Quality Circle Time Model in thousands of schools in the UK and world over, was another giant leap in that direction.

The two-day session on QCT in Hyderabad began with Maya Menon, Founder Director of The Teacher Foundation briefing the participating educators about QCT and how it can bring in positive differences in teaching and learning that will influence the learner behaviour and learning styles. Jenny took over with her apt examples and practical  logic, helping teachers experience how they can enable pupils of all ages, at their own level, to reflect on aspects of their lives and how to help them learn to listen to others, to be tolerant of other viewpoints and to respect fellow learners. One of the participating teachers said, “I could never imagine that a teacher can bring in such levels of energetic enthusiasm in classrooms and technically plant positive behaviours among the learners”.

Children of Grade III and VIII joined as participants and Jenny conducted 'Circle Time' with them, exemplifying how effectively learners can gain multiple skills and multiple  values through QCT. The workshop concluded on 16 November 2010 with a presentation by Prakash Nedungadi, Director Development-The Teacher Foundation, on the 'Range of  Services' The Teacher Foundation offers to schools.  The participating educators expressed that they found a great value in the workshop and some of the schools have promised to work towards implementing QCT in their schools.  

Posted by Rama Devi Mavuri, Centre Coordinator, TTF Hyderabad