Building the capacity of the teachers

To improve student achievement, teachers must be supported in developing their expertise through research-based, classroom-tested best practices. Overleaf Books LLP collaborated with the International Center for Leadership in Education to impact professional learning for all teachers. For the past twelve years, Annual Status of Educational Report (ASER) findings have consistently pointed to the fact that many children in elementary school need urgent support for acquiring foundational skills like reading and basic arithmetic. According to the 2017 report, the current status of foundational skills for youth in the age group 14-18 has not improved. About 25% of this age group still cannot read basic text fluently in their own language. More than half struggle with division (3 digit by 1 digit) problems. Only 43% are able to do such problems correctly. The ability to do division – a task that is usually done in ASER, can be thought of as a proxy for the ability to do basic arithmetic operations.

Why is this so? CII – KPMG report titled ‘Improving learning outcomes by raising in-class teacher effectiveness’ highlights that while we have achieved a near 100 percent enrolment at the primary level, improvement in learning outcomes has not kept pace with increase in enrolment ratios. In fact, outcomes have fallen over the past decade. There are numerous factors which have contributed to this decline in learning outcomes – outdated curriculum and pedagogy, inadequate infrastructure facilities, low teacher quality and effectiveness, lack of accounting and monitoring mechanisms, skewed pupil-teacher ratio, and poor quality of classroom instruction.

So, it is of utmost importance that teachers are adequately trained to deliver rigourous learning outcomes. Many publishers conduct teacher training programmes to equip teachers with best teaching practices. Yet, a lot needs to be done. A new programme has been designed by International Centre for Leadership in Education to improve student achievement. Here’s more on that:

The solution…

Through the Foundational Teacher Training Portfolio, The International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) experts provide professional learning that is targeted, engaging and focused on actionable strategies that improve and sustain instructional excellence. The portfolio addresses challenges that many schools face, such as managing teacher turnover, supporting new teachers and ensuring all teachers have a strong foundation for success.

Developed to foster rigorous, relevant and engaging student learning, these solutions are grounded in the research-based philosophy of the Rigor/Relevance Framework. The idea is to provide students with Quadrant D learning opportunities —ones that center on higher-order thinking to solve complex, real-world problems.

This professional learning experience is intended for school leaders and will take a deep dive look at roles, strategies and proven instructional practices. It is critical for the ongoing success of the entire school to consider all aspects of the system, it isn’t just about the teacher. School leaders, owners, and all key stakeholders must have an integral part in the success for all students.

The programmes…

The Fundamental Teacher Training Portfolio consists of five courses: Fundamental Teacher Preparation and Planning; Classroom Management: Building Relationships; Formative Assessment; Differentiation: Instruction for All Learners; and Blended Learning Practices. Each course can be delivered in two ways: one full day in-person session or three two-hour live webinars.

To begin with, ICLE started with Rigorous Learning for All Students Instructional Effectiveness course. “As many as four such programmes have been conducted in various cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai. The programme included workshops on different topics like Organizational Leadership, Instructional Leadership and Teaching and as many as 300 teachers attended these programmes,” tells Sesh Seshadri, Overleaf Books LLP/ International Centre for Leadership in Education.

The attendees benefited from high-profile speakers like Amy Derethik and Kamal Fakhreddine. Amy has spent the last 20 years committed to the educational marketplace and as a leader in educational innovation. After 13 years in middle school and high school education, Amy accepted the role of lead educational consultant for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing’s Learning Technology Division. Amy now serves as the International Director of Professional Learning, Pre-sales Solutions and is thrilled to expand her passion for education in the international market. She is a committed educator and actively seeks alternative educational solutions that create a comprehensive sustainable model for success.

While, Kamal is an experienced educator who believes that education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. In his current role, Kamal supports leaders and teachers, helping them through the rigour and adaptability of quality learning resources and digital technologies to help students develop andachieve both academic excellence and personal success in their educational world and beyond.

About ICLE…

ICLE comprises of hundreds of school leaders and a team of forward-thinking and innovative thought leaders. It has an extraordinary global network of tools, resources, and relationships that drive school improvement initiatives. HMH Global Solution Specialists provide tailored training around critical and relevant educational issues. They are the education experts who have ‘walked the walk’ within the classroom and have seen firsthand what success looks like.