Training design

The Training Guide is based on several assumptions. First, the Training of Teacher Trainers program has been designed and written for a homogeneous audience; Peace Corps Volunteers, all of whom have had experience as teachers. You as the trainer will have to make adjustments in both individual sessions and the training design if:

- Host country nationals are present.
- Pre-service and in-service Volunteers are both present.
- Volunteers who are conducting formal and informal teacher training programs are both present.
- The group is larger or smaller than the 16 to 24 participants for which this program is designed.

Second, as the training program is based on Teacher Training: A Reference Manual, it is assumed that every participant will have a copy of the Reference Manual with him/her at the training.

Third, because the training program is designed to be used wherever Peace Corps Volunteers are serving as teacher trainers, it is important that it be adapted. You should use culturally relevant examples whenever possible, and consider the materials listed in each session as recommendations. You will obviously be restricted to whatever supplies are available, so be creative.

Fourth, the program is intensive and designed to be implemented by a minimum of two trainers; three trainers are recommended. Break times and meal times are not included in the program.

Finally, it is assumed that any training program will include opening and closing ceremonies, and recreational and evening events. These should be planned in-country by both the training participants and the program staff.

Training Techniques

To assist the trainer, each session is written in great detail. Notes on how each technique is presented in the context of this training program are provided. Further details on how to implement these techniques are outlined in Chapter 1 of the Reference Manual under Training Techniques. Certain techniques which are used more frequently than others are highlighted below.

Lecturettes: Some sessions contain short lecture-style presentations of key content points. Recommendations for what the trainer should say directly to the participants are provided in bold print; all directions and notes concerning what actually happens in the training session are in regular print. Do not feel bound to this. If you feel that the lecture notes do not fit your style, adapt them and say what feels most comfortable. However, be sure to cover each of the key content points that are presented in the original lecturette.

Small groups: Many of the activities are designed to be done in small groups. Be sure that the membership of these groups is constantly changing. This can be done in a variety of ways. The easiest is by counting off. If there should be four groups, the participants count off around the room from one to four, then all the number one’s are one group, the number two’s another, etc. Try to use a variety of ways to form your small groups, such as drawing names from a hat. The point to remember is that, because there are so many exercises using small group formations, using the same process to form groups each time can become tedious.

Brainstorming: Another method that is used frequently throughout this program is brainstorming. Brainstorming is a useful technique because it not only involves everyone in the group, but generates a variety of ideas and new ways of looking at an issue as well. When conducting a brainstorm session, remember:

- Ideas are accepted without question - there is no right or wrong.

- Individual responses are not discussed until the brainstorming session is complete, except for clarification.

- The trainer writes exactly what was stated, except when condensing very long responses. Responses should be recorded, not reinterpreted by the trainer.

You should also take care that the brainstorming session includes all the participants, not only the most vocal. One method of doing this is to first have each participant write several responses on a piece of paper. The trainer then goes around the room, having all the participants read what they wrote, encouraging additional, spontaneous responses.

Lastly, since this is a Training of Trainers program, it is crucial that you practice what you preach. Sessions must be well prepared and utilize a variety of techniques. Encourage the participants to step back and look at the program itself through daily formative evaluations. Be open and willing to have your training style or techniques evaluated.

What follows now are the individual training session plans. Training is an exciting and rewarding adventure. Enjoy the program!

TRAINING TEACHER TRAINERS