During this quarter, I have been conducted 4 ECD level 4 training The ECD level 4 students are very interactive and participating fully in these sessions. They are the kind of students who does not hesitate to ask when they are not sure about something. Thus far these students have acquired different skills such as reflective writing, critical reading, presentation and teamwork. These skills developed through engagement in different tasks during contact sessions.
Some of the strategies we adopted to assist the practitioners to improve their quality of delivery included making resources out of waste materials e.g. puzzles from cereal boxes. This strategy is particularly important for our schools that frequently claim they are unable to deliver their programmes because they lack resources. By making the resources from recyclable materials the teachers are not only giving the learners the message to preserve the planet but are being empowered to meet their needs as teachers and learners. CSD is fortunate to have a recycling depot ‘Eyethu’ where we are constantly trying out new ideas for our teachers.
Another strategy of training that was adopted was to require the practitioners to report back and present to their colleagues. This encourages them to gain confidence in their presentation skills and to invite open discussion. As we know that we learn better when we collaborate, group discussion is an effective strategy. Our level 4 students were both responsive and excited to share their viewpoints with one another.
The ECD level 4 course have undergone mid-way verification with success. This was a huge milestone for me as well as for the students. Although this was successful I have learnt a lot from this experience and the most lesson of all was good organisation. This entails learning programme file with all relevant and up to date records. I will use this experience going forward with the course and to prepare for the final verification.
