Training Effective Afghan Teachers

Dear Friends,

 Thank you so much for your support of the Afghan Institute of Learning’s teacher training program.

Much like teachers all over the world, Afghan teachers often enter the classroom with a good understanding of their subject area, but struggle when planning lessons, developing assessments and with classroom management. AIL offers these teachers the chance to take part in detailed teacher training workshops that help teachers develop the skills they need in order to be the best teachers they can be.

In late February, one of the AIL offices held a technique seminar for 45 teachers. The seminar covered topics including both long and short term planning, introduction to psychology, developing assessments, classroom management, teaching techniques, and leadership. One veteran teacher said,  “I am a teacher at a Learning Center, and I have never used a teaching plan or other related things. I thought that I was teaching in a good way because my math was excellent, but here I learned that there are more effective methods of teaching the class. I have never participated in any methodology seminars before, and I have learned so many things like daily, weekly, and monthly planning, as well as many other issues. I am planning to implement all that I have learned in my classes from now on. I will now plan to have clear teaching plans using all that I learned here.”

Another teacher said, “I had always thought that I should be helping someone, or serving my community and thought that because I am a teacher I couldn’t do that. This seminar changed my idea and taught me that teaching is one of the best ways to serve people, especially when you are a good teacher who respects the students. I have decided to be a very useful person in society though my teaching job. The issues that I learned here are going to help me be such a better teacher.”

So far, in 2015, you have helped AIL educate 272 teachers (232 women) in workshops ranging from short hour long meetings on one specific topic, to technique seminars like the one described above. We estimate that these 272 teachers have impacted the lives of over 8,000 students so far this year!  Thank you for seeing the value in AIL’s teacher training program, and for your generous support.