By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
To cope with post-COVID-19 era, the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA) has commenced the training of teachers and instructors of DEPOWA primary and secondary schools in Abuja.
The capacity building workshop with theme ‘Post COVID-19 Blended Teaching Techniques’ is being conducted in collaboration with Ib8 Ventures.
Declaring open the three day workshop on Monday, DEPOWA President, Dr. Mrs. Omobolanle Olonisakin emphasized the importance of capacity building in every spheres of human endeavour, especially in the teaching profession.
She said that it is important to train teachers in the new normal practices of teaching students in the post Covid 19 era.
She said, “With schools all over the world restructuring and redesigning their curriculum due to Covid 19 pandemic, blended learning is becoming the new normal.
“Blended learning strives to provide students the best of both face to face and online learning experiences. Blended classrooms include face-to-face instruction techniques such as direct instruction or lecture group discussions, and small group work, while also using technology to provide in-class online learning that students can do at home provided they have access to necessary technology.
“Therefore, taking into cognizance the prevailing Covid 19 pandemic issue, the theme of the workshop ‘Post COVID 19: Customized Blended Teaching Techniques for DEPOWA School Teachers and Instructors’ is apt at this time.
“Teachers need to be conversant with relevant techniques that would enhance their thinking and teaching skills and know how to incorporate them into teaching practices. So, blending different teaching techniques together so as to inculcate into our students, the various pathways to use in solving problems individually, cooperatively and creatively is of great importance”.
She said training programme is the third session in the annals of the organization of in-service training and staff development programme for our teachers and instructors in the DEPOWA school network, Mrs. Olonisakin said, “As we are all aware, a great teacher is of utmost importance to students’ achievements. Just like training is required for specialized profession, teachers must train.
“They must train before they enter the classroom. They must receive on-going training even as they work in the classroom. In other words, effective teachers training and professional development of teachers is important for optimizing students’ achievement”.
She continued, “I look forward to a successful session throughout the three days workshop and I encourage you all to participate in the training process because learning with interactive activities, will make it possible for you to better retain the information taught and of course become better teachers and instructors.
The Commandant of DEPOWA School, Lt. Commander Caroline Njoku commended the national leadership of DEPOWA for always organising capacity building for the teachers.
She said, “My expectation at the end of this workshop is that teachers of this school will be technologically advanced to know the online tools that will assist them in the blended teaching techniques.
“At the end of the capacity building, the DEPOWA schools will measure up in the post COVID-19 dispensation. The training will elicit critical thinking, better classroom management and capacity of the teachers on the blended techniques”.
In an interview, Consultant of IB8 ventures, Mr. Kunle Olatunji noted that the world must adjust to the reality of the COVID 19 epidemic.
“The reality is that life cannot be the same as long as the pandemic remains in the world. Therefore, our tactics mush change. We have to be dynamic. Class room experience globally is changing. We cannot afford to be left behind. The new normal is Blended learning. Any teacher who wants to be relevant today has to learn the new techniques of teaching globally”.
He commended DEPOWA President for her passion and commitment to ensuring that children of military personnel in military schools are kept in the fore-front of beneficiaries of innovation and modern teaching techniques through the workshop which will update teachers on management of space in classroom and application of technology/ICT in contemporary times.
