DIL News 2008 - Winter

Teacher Development Center Opens in Islamabad

DIL established a Teacher Development Center in Islamabad in January 2008. This newly established center will be equipped with a library, a training room, a computer lab and a studio to record educational CDs and DVDs. To date, three master trainers have been hired to train teachers in English, Mathematics, Science, Urdu and Pedagogy. The objective of the center is to improve the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills and simultaneously develop a curriculum for DIL schools.

This center was developed because of the importance of implementing an in-house training program that addressed the specific regional needs of our teachers. Many rural teachers require rigorous instructional training before they can begin teaching.

Trainers at the new center will conduct an intensive pre-service training program for all new teachers. This training will be supplemented by training manuals and audio and visual materials that assist the teachers in improving their teaching methodologies. The trainees will initially be directed and mentored by mentor teachers and then will receive classroom support on an ongoing basis.

As with all of our programs, DIL continuously monitors and evaluates the Center. Program staff will review and evaluate the trainings, including the impact on the teachers and the impact on the students. These findings will help us fine-tune and tailor our program to fit the unique training needs of our teachers.

The Center is the latest accomplishment in our ongoing efforts to provide students with the finest education in Pakistan. It is partially funded by a generous grant from the U.S. Department of State.

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