MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT

Since 2015 the Coalition of Learning Centres Sabah has been holding regular 2-day teacher training programs for teachers of marginalized communities in Sabah.

At that time, we decided to make a loose group together to assist all our teachers to improve their teaching knowledge and ability and so we began the Coalition of Learning Centres Sabah.

In 2020 we are so grateful to Yayasan Hasanah for an allocation of funds to help our teachers so that more can attend the training programme.  Teachers come from all over Sabah for example,  Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kalabakan, Beluran, Sandakan, Beaufort, Tenom, Keningau, and along the West Coast mainly Papar,Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu and its districts.

The training is held so that teachers teaching marginalised children are better equipped to deal with specific issues facing these children, gain better pedagogy and classroom techniques that suit these children and so that they themselves can improve knowledge and skills and personal development all certainly assisting their improvement as teachers.

FACILITATORS

This particular training our facilitators included:

1.   Jared Abdul Rahman and Sarah Wasli trainers for the Theory of Change.  They encouraged our teachers to be the change they want. They need to have courage to understand the strategies necessary to help these special children trek to their future.

2.   Puan Sri Maimon encouraging the teachers to look for the learning our children will need for their future and helping teachers look away from the model so many traditional teachers use.  Pn Sri was provoking teachers to look to the environment and also towards the 21^st century learning skills so that the children will acquire the skills necessary for their future.  She emphasized the need for children to discovery and learning for themselves with the teacher acting as a coach or facilitator.

3.  Dato’ Dr Hartini Zainudin got to the heart of the issue or marginalized children having had much experience in Yayasan Chow Kit with refugees etc.  She asked the teachers to think about the individual children and talk to them personally while encouraging them to think about a realistic future.   There was discussion on child abuse, bullying, child’s rights, exploitation and the vulnerability of children.

4.  Devi Cox and the Liku Liku team focused on relaxing mind techniques and creative therapy.  This was designed for the teachers themselves and also for teachers to be able to teach and do these therapies with the students.

(Devi (3^rd from left) and her team running the workshop on creative therapy)

5.  The second day began with Helen Morgan explaining about the usefulness of the Spelling Bee and also Maths games. A good way of teaching math tables (sifir) was modelled making the learning of these so much easier and fun for children. Helen also talked a little about Laugh therapy and encouraged teachers with their children to practice this every day to set a positive mood.

6.  Jerry and Clare followed with an exuberant session of games for children and how to teach language and in fact all learning materials through games. Jerry focused on child-centred activities while giving many useful tips for classroom management as well.

7.  The final session was Sylvia Howe and Susan Bansin, two experienced dramatists.  They illustrated how teachers could make use of local legends and stories and turn them into drama activities which the children will surely enjoy.  Underlying this presentation was how to improve the teaching of English to our children.

(Sylvia encouraging our dramatists to use all their emotions and language expression)

Notable Visitors joining us were Dr Elaine Kong (UNICEF rep Sabah); Puan Jameyah from Kuala Lumpur who is a Jungle school expert; Datin Wong who is the head of the Malaysian Toy Library.