Once a month, English Language Fellow Jessica FitzPatrick gathers with a group from UNELTA, the Uganda National English Language Teachers Association, who are working diligently to improve the quality of their teaching methods.
The Saturday meetings are used for professional development while creating a community of teachers who can support one another to improve English language teaching and learning in Uganda. Jessica has been providing workshops at these meetings to support the teachers as they learn the new skills and teaching methods needed to tackle Uganda’s new curriculum.
Jessica’s workshops have focused on a number of topics, including student centered learning, MOOCs, and how best to use technology in a low-tech classroom. Many of the participants had nothing but accolades for Jessica, noting that her workshops not only made them feel more comfortable engaging in a student-centered approach, but giving them the confidence to use their new skills in the classroom and to pursue other professional development opportunities.
The monthly meetings are held at Makerere University in Kampala and group continues to support each other throughout the month using WhatsApp.