The AIMS-MasterCard Foundation Mathematics Teacher Training Program (TTP) held its 2nd workshop of 50 IN-SERVICE Mathematics Teachers from the 22nd of January to the 27th of January 2018. These fifty (50) teachers, (11) females and (39) male are of the Anglophone sub-educational system and were trained on how to teach in a more engaging and practical way in a bid to ameliorate their pedagogy and increase secondary school students’ interest in mathematics.
This training session was a little bit different from the first training as a day was added for observation of lessons in the classrooms. All sessions in the workshop were facilitated by the TTP-trained Master Trainers, who began with sessions on leadership, values, and motivation that are foundational attitudes in the teaching profession. As leaders, the teachers have a sense of duty towards their students and should respect and exude the ethics that tag the teaching profession.
With the tone set on being a good teacher, the next 3 training sessions touched on how to become excellent teachers and the tools to use to enrich their lessons in order to pique their students’ interest.
With all the knowledge gained during the first three days of the training, the fourth day was reserved for lesson delivery to their peers in preparation for an actual lesson delivery in a real classroom setting on the fifth day at the Government Bilingual Practicing High school, Yaoundé.
On the second day of training, the Minister of Secondary Education, Mr. Ernest Bibehe, paid a surprise visit to the participants and encouraged them to be resilient and work harder than ever before to see improvement in Mathematics results.
On Friday the 26th of January 2018, during one of the training sessions, one of AIMS TTP’s partners, Mrs. Janet Fofang, Director of Girls in Tech and Proprietress of the Tassah Academy, came in with her crew to encourage the trainees on how to further apply their knowledge using the Imade 3D printer as an example. In this presentation made by one of the guests, Ms. Nkiri Grateful, the trainees became cognizant of the application of mathematical geometric concepts (Cartesian planes) in the construction of a 3D printer and how these concepts are applied in modelling and printing of 3D objects.
Ms Nkiri equally presented the various parts of the jelly box IMADE 3D printer and their functionalities in relation to some physics concepts.
Furthermore, the President and founder of the WAAW foundation (Working to Advance STEM Education for African Women), Dr. Unoma Okorafor, called in via skype to talk to the participants about teacher exchange programs that are available for them and especially that which her foundation offers. The participants appreciated her call and were even more motivated to be agents of change.
In addition, the online platforms for eLearning and the Community of Practice (CoP) to be used for the next phase of their training were introduced and explained. Consequentially, the teachers registered themselves on the CoP and familiarized themselves with it to prepare for the new era of sharing and assistance.
The overall outcome of the training was rated excellent as the overall ambiance, unity, participation was at an all-time high as there were highlights like: teachers dancing in the heart of training, teachers taking the responsibility of creating their Mathematics teachers associations and another by the name of Diane Ratri, blessing everyone with Whitney Houston worthy vocals as she effortlessly delivered the Fugees’ hit song “Killing me softly” at the closing ceremony.
To close the training workshop, the teachers were presented AIMS-TTP training certificates signed by the Minister of Higher Education and the Minister of Secondary education, together with Geometrical Instruments to boost them up as agents of developmental growth in Cameroon ready for change.
Participants could not hold back their appreciation for the training. Below are some of the testimonies
Mr. Ndekelengwe wrote “MY APPRECIATION TO AIMS CAMEROON.
Please, help me to say a very big “thank you” to AIMS Cameroon. I truly feel blessed after my training at AIMS. The education I received at AIMS during my training to become a better Mathematics teacher, gave me the confidence to have the life I always envisioned. AIMS is a smart institution of people with lots to offer. I can’t wait to see the next chapter of my teaching ability. I will forever carry AIMS in my heart with great pride. “MATHEMATICS FOR LIFE“.
Fuhkah Lawrence wrote, “AIMS AIMS AIMS a million times. Experience is the best teacher. You’ve transformed human mentalities to realities. We’ll always remember you AIMS”
With testimonies like these from the participants, we are assured that a revolution has begun and change is imminent
This training is a reconfirmation of the AIMS-NEI mission to propel Africa’s brightest students to their ultimate potential by giving them top notch training in mathematics. We believe that equipping mathematics teachers with the appropriate tools will fine tune their pedagogy, thus making more students interested in mathematics at an early stage and grooming them into the much needed problem solvers of our continent.
To see more of the training in stills, please click here for more.