Transformational Teacher Training Programme

In 2012 Sabre was invited to join the technical team to support the Ghana Education Service in carrying out a needs assessment of kindergarten education provision and the consultancy team developing the government’s five-year kindergarten operational plan. The Fast-track Transformational Teacher Training project (FTTT) was piloted in 2012/13 in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and OLA College of Education in the Central Region and then expanded into the Western Region with Holy Child College of Education.

The FTTT innovatively combines in-service and pre-service training:

In-service trains practising teachers to break away from the entrenched rote-based ‘chalk and talk’ methodology where classrooms are ruled by fear of the cane, inhibiting children’s learning. The training enables teachers to deliver the Ghana Education Service’s child-centred, active and play-based pedagogy that supports the development of the five C’s (Confidence, Communication, Cooperation, Curiosity, Concentration) as the foundation of 21st Century Skills early grade literacy, numeracy and creativity, as well as positive behaviour management. To gain certification from the FTTT, teachers need to score at least 112/140 in their Teacher Monitoring Tool assessment, a benchmark agreed by project partners to reflect competency in the delivery of the play-based pedagogy and positive classroom management. Practising teachers are also trained in mentoring skills and supported to transform their classrooms into child centred environments called Model Practice Classrooms (MPCs). MPCs are classrooms staffed by trained teachers who have elevated their practice to teach the new play based pedagogy but who are also trained to mentor student teachers and so are able to host them on their practical placement.

Pre-service is supported by improving the quality of practical teaching placements for Early Childhood Education student teachers, through the creation of a network of MPCs in the vicinity of their College of Education, staffed by these trained practising teachers who then mentor the student teachers.
The following key outcomes are monitored:
1) A network of MPCs is established, demonstrating high quality practice, with teachers trained in Ghana Education Service play-based pedagogy.
2) Early Childhood Education Student Teachers are better equipped for posting as Newly Qualified Teachers.
3) Improved child learning outcomes for kindergarten pupils as a result of the new pedagogy in the Model Practice Classrooms.

We use qualitative and quantitative measures, including two kindergarten specific assessment tools:
• The Teacher Monitoring Tool identifies the target skills and characteristics that kindergarten teachers should be displaying
• The Pupil Achievement Record covers Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 and provides teachers with a check-list to track pupil development across four learning domains (psychosocial & communication, reading, writing, and maths).

Additional monitoring tools cover the head teacher’s mentoring and supervision role, and trainer skills development. Feedback questionnaires are administered at every training session. Parents are engaged through Parent Teacher Association meetings, kindergarten graduations and classroom open days