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Maryanne Frisken teaches trainers in Uganda as part of the Effective Teacher Training Course

January Intensive Course for Trainers of the Effective Teaching Course

New Hope International provides a program to provide inservice training for teachers in developing countries. In 2007 seminars were held in PNG, the Solomon Islands and Uganda. There are requests for this training from many countries. In response to this, NHI has arranged a week of intensive training to prepare people to present these seminars in schools where they go on Mission Trips, or to join with a NHI training team.
Next year NHI needs trainers for PNG, Solomon Islands, Uganda and India

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Andrew Waters from Pacific Hills Christian School Teaching trainers in the Solomon Islands in the Effective Teaching Program in 2007.

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING SERIES
Introduction
New Hope International Limited (NHI) is an Australian based registered charity established to encourage Christian schools in Australia and New Zealand to help schools in developing nations particularly in the Asia Pacific region. NHI aims to network schools so that they can assist each other through sister school arrangements, school exchange visits, and through developing special programs of assistance. In 2005 at the request of the South Sea Evangelical Church in the Solomon Islands NHI started to develop a new program of assistance called "Educating for Change".
Educating for Change
Most approaches to education in Australia and indeed most Western educational approaches over the last 30 years have been based on the assumption that education should be secular, individualistic and values-neutral (with the home being assumed to be responsible for teaching all values). However, the idea that education can be neutral was a false assumption and most educational authorities now accept that education has embedded values. The problem for schools is to know what values should be embedded and how they can be embedded. This problem is heightened by the fact that most values are learnt not from information presented in the curriculum but by the interaction with other students and their teachers and from the example, the attitudes and the conduct of their teachers and other members of the learning community (this is sometimes called the hidden curriculum). So while it is helpful to include values in curriculum material it is not sufficient on its own
Christian schools in Australia and New Zealand have attempted to overcome this problem developing a new approach to education. This approach is based on a different paradigm of learning which is called teaching and learning in community. It has involved training teachers to become aware of how their values are influenced by their worldview, and encouraging them to examine their presuppositions, their worldview and their approaches to teaching - including their pedagogy and their curriculum - to ensure they have a consistent values base. For Christian teachers this should be based on a biblical Christian worldview. If education is seen not principally as an instructional process but as a process learnt in community then teachers will deeply influence the way their students look at life and will help them to clarify their values and ensure that there are not unresolved value conflicts in their minds.
In the 19 years that I have been working with Christian schools in the Asia Pacific I have also become aware that in most developing countries the educational practices which are based on a Western model of education that do not help the majority of students, and in some cases may be counter productive. A Western-style education approach may be excellent for the brightest academic students as it will equip them for leadership roles in government, the professions and for jobs in the city. However, there are just not enough jobs for all qualified students and those who can't find jobs are ill prepared to live in rural areas and often become marginalised fringe dwellers in the towns and cities. For the less academically able a highly specialised education does not adequately prepare them for life. While this education makes them literate and numerate it does not really equip them for effective living in a rural community nor help to improve their lifestyle in the village. In an effort to do something about this NHI is developing a three pronged program called "Educating for Change", which involves a professional inservice education program for teachers called the "Effective Teaching Series", and programs of community development and of leadership training. NHI believes that this approach can be used to improve life for people in developing countries such as PNG.
Professional Inservice Education Program for Teachers
The Effective Teaching Series is the first part in the "Educating for Change" program. It is based on the paradigm of a Christian learning community. The Effective Teaching Series involves a three year cycle of professional inservice training delivered to teachers in their own schools by specially trained trainers. This series was originally developed for the SSEC in the Solomon Islands in consultation with its Education Board. While the course material contains high level concepts and skills it is designed for teachers who speak English as a second or third language. It has been designed with Melanesian culture in mind. Each teacher is provided with a mini-textbook which contains a summary of important information and practical exercises designed to help teachers understand the concepts. Training for the three year cycle is provided through intensive week long seminars. This can also be supported by providing annual professional training courses for principals.
Community Development
A second part of Educating for Change" involves changing the way education is offered by encouraging a more integrated and holistic approach to schooling. As the educational paradigm is changed towards an approach that recognises schools as learning communities there are opportunities for members of a local community of all ages to become involved. Thus the school can become a focus of community development rather than just a place to instruct the young. If a community is to develop to its true potential it will need support in health and other infrastructure development as well as programs of adult education. NHI cannot offer all this but it hopes to work with other agencies in ensuring an integrated approach is taken.
Growing Agents for Change
NHI recognises that change that is lasting must come from the people of PNG itself and cannot be done by outsiders. Therefore a third part of its approach will involve NHI seeking to encourage and assist churches to work together to develop ways of developing well educated and articulate young leaders who can help to bring change to their country. These young people will need support through contact with overseas thinkers and ideas, and through prayer and practical, support if they are to be involved in making change.
Effective Teaching Series
The Effective Teaching Series is an approach developed by NHI to help train teachers over a three year period to teach in a way that will enable them to develop a new paradigm of teaching. This new paradigm will lead to more effective development of values based on the Bible which have for so long been the basis of many civilised societies and which has led, over the last millennium, to unparalleled growth and development in these societies.
NHI recognises that professional training is most effectively and efficiently delivered to teachers in their own schools. The approach involves training designated trainers from each school or group of schools to deliver the "Effective Teaching Series" to teachers at their own school.
NHI is also prepared to offer Leaders Training Seminars that would equip Principals and those aspiring to be principals to be more effective in their leadership role and prepare them for further tertiary study.