| Focus Group is one way of linking Education Disseminators and Research network of SAEL Movement to work towards one unified goal of better future, “A Better Pakistan”. |
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| Structure of the Focus Group |
| The purpose of the focus group is to get information and ideas from you. Your experience is valid. SAEL Movement is interested in hearing what you have to say. The goal of the focus group is to hear equally from everyone. It won't just be one large discussion for two hours; there will be variety of activities. You will work in small groups, or will be engaged in open discussion and sometimes you will speak your exclusive thoughts verbally or by written reflections. SAEL's focus group facilitators encourage people to monitor themselves so that everyone gets a chance to talk in open discussions. “Let everyone's voice be heard among the wider circles of society” |
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| Aims & Objectives |
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Identify teachers/ administrators problems, challenges and concerns. |
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To understand the challenges teachers face as mentors. |
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Create the infrastructure to support research and development in primary and secondary teaching. |
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To design and implement programmes to support teachers in their role of a mentor and educators. |
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To train teachers to respond directly to the learning needs rather than to curriculum. |
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| Who is this for? |
Head teachers / Administrators
Teachers (Key Stage 1&2) |
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| Presumed Outcome |
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Focus group research will steer to programmes and trainings for Teachers in Class and Management. These programmes are to help learners to define their goals towards curriculum and mentor teaching styles. |
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The information from focus group will be used by SAEL's research writers to prepare advocacy material to be published for Administrators and Policy Makers |
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| Issues to address |
| Focus group intends to hear and record your ideas about the issues, which in your view, needs to be addressed and discussed at mass level. This will be a chance to confer your problems and to share your own strategies to deal with them, while remaining in what ever means available. SAEL would facilitate all your thoughts and would work out viable solutions. |
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| Issues be discussed in the focus group will be yours. They can be about the tribulations in creating diverse classroom, promoting students intellectual growth, hindrances in implementing behaviour management strategies or lack of academic assistance. In short, this is about the challenges you face as a “mentor” of the nation. |
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| Focus Group, THE DAY: |
“Talking about Teaching” |
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| It was an excellent day, which generated very good feedback from delegates who attended. |
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| After a warm welcome and introduction from Mr. Gouhar Iftikhar, Corporate coordinator. Faiza Pal, session's coordinator, opened the house for a hearty discussion around three major areas of teaching and management: Classroom management, Communication and Performance management. |
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| This was followed by a brain storming session about the challenges faced and strategies teachers apply in their efforts to impart knowledge. Feedback highlighted the fact that though Pakistan's private schools are contributing considerable amount of hard work in developing and providing new generation a chance to be educated. Still there lies a great room for professional development. Teachers identified the areas they need trainings and the importance of keeping the educators updated with all the developments with in the available means. |
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| Teachers and administrations spoke about their strategies to tackle with the behaviour management and problems in overall class room management. Role of administration was the integral part of all the discussed topics. All the participants stressed upon the need of proper guidance in understanding child psychology and a magnitude to facilitate young professional's training needs. |
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| Discussion then took way to the role of administrators in facilitating learning processes of both teachers and children. It was stressed that “whole school approach” is the only way to success. This session got people thinking about evaluation and how to go about personal and institutional development. |
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| Discussion was stimulating for SAEL's research writers who are conducting an in-depth research on issues related to education enhancement and management in Pakistan . SAEL is compiling a research data in formats which could then be utilized by Policy makers, Development Workers and Educators. |
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| Focus group was primarily arranged to get general idea about: |
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Teacher's needs & expectations from the trainings |
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Administrator's views and attitude towards teacher training sessions. |
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To use the findings from the series of activities (15 minutes survey, focus groups, seminars etc), in compiling an advocacy report for education sector. Findings shall also be steered to achieve other targeted publications. |
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To develop a programme regarding professional development of teachers for STEP's ERD Programme. |
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| Topic of discussion: |
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Classroom management |
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| This topic basically covered the management area on teacher's end, for instance strategies to deal with behaviour and learning difficulties in mainstream schools, general classroom administration problems and how new untrained teachers deal with daily situations. |
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| Almost all the teachers are facing problems in dealing with behaviour problems. Stating briefly; |
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Teachers are of view that more often new teachers learn by trial and error method. They have to consult senior teachers for guidance on regular basis which at times become very difficult. |
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They are of view that boys are more difficult to tackle inside and outside classroom as compared to the girls. |
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Extra curricular Activities and Sports is an important aspect which needs attention in school curriculum. |
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| Classroom discipline is another important factor that could be dealt more effectively through proper guidance. |
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Communication: |
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| Communication broadly covered the challenges faced by teachers in imparting knowledge. |
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Training are needed in administration side to promote the “whole school approach” |
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Participants are not quite happy with examination systems but no one clearly said that they might need trainings in assessment procedures. Whereas in personal meetings during visits, some of the participants did mentioned the need of assessment trainings. |
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Time management skills to lessen the burden of delivering curriculum (to deliver the curriculum) |
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Lesson planning and curriculum development especially for literacy sessions |
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| Participants: |
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Cardinal School |
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Lahore Lyceum |
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Laureate School |
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Linderholf School Systems |
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Lords International |
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National Grammar |
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Pepperdine School System |
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Renaissance |
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Scarsdale International |
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