NZTC lecturers support Jagriti Academy teaching staff

NZTC India lecturers Akshada Chitre and Ishrat Shaikh recently spent a week in Ballia, India supporting the professional development of the Jagriti Academy teaching staff.

Jagriti Academy opened in November 2015 with the support of New Zealand Tertiary College. Hundreds of children from preschool to year 5 attend the school and they are all first generation learners.

A full week of workshops was planned for the Jagriti Academy teaching team including practical language, music, movement and play based sessions, role modelling teaching time and parent engagement ideas.

Akshada and Ishrat spent time in each classroom engaging with children and their teachers. They also connected with parents of the children in the community. It was a week of learning, teaching, support and community building as our lecturers became increasingly aware of the needs of the Ballia community and the incredible difference Jagriti Academy is making in the lives of the people of Ballia.

“A visit to the community was an overwhelming experience as we were welcomed by children and parents of the village in their houses. We interacted with parents who were looking forward to sending their children to school in the new academic year,” shared Akshada.

The Jagriti Academy teaching staff also shared their appreciation for the professional development opportunity.

“I have learnt how to better implement practical ideas in the classroom after experience this week using puppets and songs,” said Pramod Sampat.

The benefits of the week were evident in the feedback from the teachers.

“I learnt how to make every topic simple for the children. I loved all the activities you conducted during training especially the volcano practical and using play to help children understand maths,” said Satanjay Masih.

A particular highlight of the week for the lecturing team was seeing some of the nursery children able to identify parts of the body and certain letters of the alphabet in English as the week came to a close, illustrating the children’s desire to learn.

NZTC looks forward to continuing its commitment to Jagriti Academy and the Ballia community in 2017.