WHAT SHOULD TEACHERS LOOK FORWORD TO IN A TRAINING PROGRAM?

1988- I was invited to conduct a training program for the teachers of a chain of schools under a Management and the program was being held at a hill station near Nainital. After the initial inauguration, I was scheduled to take three sessions during the day – one focusing on curriculum, the second addressing pedagogy and the third relating to assessment. As a resource person I was fully aware that it was a challenging task to sustain the attention of the teachers during the entire day. I had planned for multiple strategies to deal with this challenge. Soon after the inaugural session was over, during the tea break I overheard two senior teachers talking to each other. One of them said “What is going to happen? Nothing. The system will remain the same thing. We are going to listen to the same old concepts what we heard in our B Ed programs. We all know.” The other responded with a smile and said, “We have no option but to attend whether we learn anything or not.”

The conversation indeed disturbed me and provoked me to handle the program in an entirely different manner. Well, at the end of the show the same teachers came to me stating that ‘this was an awesome program. We never expected this.” I just smiled. I was happy that they were the reason for provoking me to think differently.

How should the teachers approach any training program? Here are a few suggestions:

1.?????? Do not approach the program with a preconceived notion.

Often it so happens that the teachers have had some painful experiences, some disappointments, some disagreements with the Resource persons in their earlier programs. These tend to remain green in their memories and they have every expectation that the same things would happen in every program. This is another facet of their ‘learned helplessness.’ ?Reaching out to a program with an open mind, with possibilities for further learning, opportunities for growth is important. Pre-conceived negative sentiments tend to create an iron curtain between the individual and their learning.

2.?????? Do not underestimate the competence of the Resource person.

On a few occasions, trainees tend to think that the Resource persons may not deliver what they need, because the RPs are young, they have lesser experience than themselves, they have not got exposed to the systems as others. There could be other reasons too. This mindset is primitive and self-destructive. Though years of experience may add value to the RPs delivery, there is no guarantee that it would always be so. A number of young resource persons come with energy, aspiration, creativity, newer perceptions, more impactful solutions to problems and solutions. They have effective communication strategies and can hold the attention for a longer time. They are willing to engage with the participant more intensely. Hence any effort to underrate them may not be a correct approach.

3.?????? Do not attend the program as an obligation for your organization.

I have personally seen that a number of teachers attend the training programs because they have been directed or instructed by the Management or the Head of the institutions. They consider their attendance as an obligation to their institution. These approaches show self-denial to growth and show poverty of a positive approach to life. They should thank the stars for this opportunity and consider this a gift or a blessing to be a part of the learning opportunity.

4.?????? Do not attend a program with an air of arrogance.

A few teachers who have higher qualifications, who have received encomiums or awards for their work, who are in some middle level leadership positions tend to exhibit an air of arrogance. Their experience, the position they hold, and a self-awarded title of superiority bestows them to a status which is just mythical and suspicious. They tend to interfere, disprove, discredit the Resource person rather than communicate a disagreement. Sometimes, institutional rivalries or differing profile of the institutions provoke the trainees to put the resource persons in tight spots. “This will not work in our schools,” “We are already implementing,” “we have better practices” and similar statements during the programs create an iron wall between them and the possibilities for learning. Oftentimes their body language during the program exhibits their static mental profile. One needs to remember that there is a lot of learning opportunity from others, however big or small they are. “Learning” is a process, and one can isolate the process from the people, if necessary.

What should teachers look for in a training program?

1.?????? Look for multiple perceptions at display.

During a training program, the presentations of the Resource persons and discussions arising out of their presentation might indicate different perceptions to the concepts being dealt with. This is indeed a great learning opportunity to anyone. They may seed innovative ideas for consideration. Keep your eyes and ears open to such learning opportunities. This could help you to use similar techniques in your own classroom to help learners understand concepts better. Further, they may help in handling differentiated learning strategies in the classroom.

2.?????? Look for pedagogical innovations.

I have witnessed on several occasions, the pedagogical approaches adopted by the Resource Persons are quite gravitating, impressive, thought provoking, experiential and provocative. One should look for such skills of the presenter and reflect over them to examine how the same can be adopted by them in their classrooms. I often call this as a ‘butterfly’ approach, as the trainers move through several programs in various places; and carry the experiences of one place to another as their own gift. This helps a thousand flowers (ideas!)? bloom with fragrance!

3.?????? Look for the types of resources used by them.

Learning happens through multiple strategies and with the use of multiple types of resources. Understanding the way different resources are used during the program helps to contextualize the same or similar resources for use either in the classroom or in our own contexts. It helps to expand our own knowledge, refresh our own approaches, add value to our own engagements outside the training programs. Many resources are culturally, geographically, socially contextual, and hence the use of these resources in contexts helps one to understand the choice and power of the resources.

4.?????? Look for the extended learning opportunities.

Extended learning is essential in the current learning dynamics. As such extended learning helps not only in expanding our knowledge universe, but to have deeper learning and impactful insights from the relevant knowledge cloud. These inputs are indeed worthy gifts that you receive from any presenter. Given the expanse of learning universe, the speed of new knowledge that evolves day in and day out, Resource persons provide opportunities to connect the trainees with their own learnings, readings, and experiences. It is said “Listening to an erudite person is worth reading a hundred books.” Learning from such people may help in repositioning and re-engineering the way we deliver our own programs.

5.?????? Look for inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches they adopt in handling their concepts.

I have personally grown by learning from several inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary references, narratives, anecdotes that Resource Persons have brought to the discussion table. They tend to open our own experiences and help us to articulate our presentations on similar lines. Learnings from them will help to eliminate our own fear of trespassing into other knowledge domains with which we are not familiar. Further they help us to understand both the convergence and divergence of knowledge in each area.

6.?????? Look for their Relationship Management patterns.

Relationship management with the audience is a vital aspect of any training program. Watch carefully for their language style, choice of words, body language, interactive methods, questioning skills, answering efficacies, theatrical approaches, intents to impress and the sense of humour. These might help to open innovative ideas for you to be used in your own engagements.

7.?????? Look for the limitations they experience.

Not all resource persons have competencies you or anyone else may expect. Everyone tends to operate within their own circle of competencies. A few of them develop certain dependencies of delivering their presentation. In the absence of such facilitations, they feel inadequate, stressed, and display a sense of linearity in their approach. Watch out for such symptoms which might help you to plan how to overcome similar challenges in your own universe.

8.?????? Look for their crisis management skills.

Oftentimes, Resource persons tend to get disintegrated on the failure of technology, failure of electricity or for other reasons that provoke to disturb their preparedness. Their level of comfort with the environment, the people who organize, their personal emotions during the day do impact the quality of the program. It is indeed good to learn from such experiences so that you can navigate through such situations with confidence, conviction, comfort, and courage.

9.?????? Acknowledge them totally for who they are:

It is important to understand the trainers and resource persons are as human as we are; that they have their own working profiles and competencies which are unique. It is unfair to superimpose our designs and requirements over them. They are not present to meet our personal needs and requirements. It is quite possible that you may not agree with their views, opinions, data, interpretations, and other communications. It is always good to acknowledge them with humility and politely. They may be brought to their attention in a polite manner during the program or later in such a way that their ego is neither hurt nor destroyed. Being generous to one who parts with their own knowledge is an expression of gratitude.

10.? ?Take time to converse with them on your concerns.

It is a good practice to take time with them and hold a conversation. Such personal dialogues provide opportunities for further learning as they provide much needed explanations and narratives to concepts, statements, experiences they have highlighted during the program. It helps a bridge to share subjective experiences and reflect on them with a third eye.