DACE STS UNIT ORGANISES A CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP FOR ACADEMIC STAFF
On Wednesday, 12th January, 2022, the Supported Teaching in Schools (STS) Unit of Dambai College of Education (DACE) organized a capacity building workshop for all academic staff. The purpose of the workshop was to keep all tutors abreast of the requirements of the STS Manual; specifically, on the embedded teaching, to enable them supervise the third-year students during their embedded teaching effectively.
At the start of the training programme, the Vice Principal, Mr. Frank Awuah, on behalf of the Principal of Dambai College of Education, entreated all members of the academic staff present to take the programme seriously; especially, the new members of staff who were participating in that kind of workshop for the first time. He explained that supervising student-teachers is a very vital responsibility for tutors. He further indicated that no matter how a tutor excels in the other areas of responsibility such as publication and classroom teaching work; if one is unable to participate in supervision of student-teachers as expected, it will be near impossible if not impossible for one to be promoted to his/her next rank. He was emphatic that those who were absent would be made to undergo the same training later.
The Principal of the College, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku, who joined the workshop later because of some equally important duty calls, gave her morale support to the academic staff present at the workshop. The Principal formally opened the workshop by first of all, welcoming the academic staff to the first staff meeting of the academic year. She hinted that apart from level 200, all other levels had commenced their first semester in January. She also admonished all staff to do an appraisal of the previous year and draw the road map for the new academic year. She further intimated that tutors need to upgrade their skills in order to sharpen their skills which would promote a good management of academic activities. She also expressed her desire for tutors, especially the new ones, to be equipped with the skills of teaching practice supervision and mentorship. She concluded by thanking all heads of units for their contributions towards the success of activities in the College.
The resource persons for the Professional Development Session were: Mr. Henry Empeh-Etseh, Mr. Achor Burukum and Mr. Austro Eric K. Gogah.
In his presentation, Mr. Empeh who is also the STS Coordinator of the College made tutors aware; especially, the new staff that the four-year Bachelor of Education Degree programme has been designed in such a way that the overall progress through the B.Ed. is carried out in the following four main stages:
- Year One: Beginning teaching
- Year Two: Developing teaching
- Year Three: Embedding teaching
- Year Four: Extending teaching
Tutors at the embedding teaching workshop were put into groups on departmental basis as various tasks on topics from their training manuals were assigned to them. Some of the topics they looked at included: the roles of the mentor, the roles of the tutor in STS, the roles of the STS committee, the roles of the STS Coordinator, list of topics under embedded teaching, the number of activities in the handbook, just to mention but a few.
The level 300 STS Manual was mainly used to facilitate the discussions. Various strategies such as presentations and group works were adopted to keep all departments involved. Key among the discussions was the exposure of the National Teaching Standard (NTS) to the student teachers which is expected to guide their behaviors in all spheres. Also, tutors were taken through the STS year three course outline where they were exposed to all the activities student teachers would be expected to perform for the semester. Tutors were also taken through the directed tasks for students and supporting tasks for mentors and tutors.
Giving his closing remarks, the Vice Principal, Mr. Frank Awuah on behalf of the College Management expressed sincere gratitude to all tutors for their co-operation throughout the training session. He also advised tutors to be proactive in supervising the students so that STS activities would be carried out diligently in the College.
SOURCE: DACE Editorial Board