Second Training Module
30th April 2010
During an intensive week (12-16th of April, 2010), about 30 TaLiHa Senior Teachers studied the second of four modules of the Certificate of Teaching and Learning to be issued by the Australian Catholic University / Instituto Católico para Formação de Professores, Baucau, East Timor (Psychology – Learning and the Child).
During the week before, these same teachers spent 4 days participating in training covering a range of topics including TaLiHa’s Philosophy, Developing Fine Motor Skills, Handwriting and Reading to Children. TaLiHa's junior teachers also participated in a 4-day training program.
The two intensive weeks of training were concluded on April 15th with a formal ceremony presenting the teachers with their 2009/2010 Certificates of Study, graced by the presence of the Director General and the National Director of Accreditation of the Ministry of Education of Timor-Leste, the Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, the Director of the East Timor Development Agency, TaLiHa Directors and other invited guests.
New Meeting
9th February 2010
On February 6th, 2010, the TaLiHa directors had their bi-monthly meeting at Centro Shalom, 
Bebonok, Dili. The meeting was led by Sister Helen Nolen, from the school Uma Buka Matenek.
Among the issues discussed was the April training of TaLiHa teachers. This training will be divided into two parts. Firstly our TaLiHa senior teachers will spend a week continuing their studies towards a Certificate of Teaching and Learning: Psychology – Learning and the Child.
All TaLiHa teachers will also spend 4 days participating in a range of topics including TaLiHa's Philosophy, a Teachers' Code of Ethics, Teaching Handwriting, Developing Gross Motor Skills and Music and Religion.
A formal ceremony for presenting our teachers with their 2009/2010 Certificates of Study will occur on the last day of the April training, graced by the presence of TaLiHa Directors, teachers and other invited guests.
First Module of Training
15th October 2009
the first of four modules of the Certificate of Teaching and Learning to be issued by the Australian Catholic University / Instituto Católico para Formação de Professores (ICFP), Baucau, East Timor (Psychology – Human Development).
It is planned that the group will complete the Certificate during 2010. They may then continue to a Diploma (12 modules).
The Directors have selected the participants most likely to succeed in an academic environment. This enables them to assess the standard and aptitude of their teachers against a tertiary education framework which will then inform ongoing training and staffing plans. Other ‘method’ training is being planned. This will occur in groups and in-school using instructors from within Timor-Leste and from Australia. All 45 TaLiHa teachers will be included in the method training.
Subjects being considered include Handwriting, Art, Music, Creativity and Kinaesthetics. Such method training is supported by resources supplied under the Kindy Box Project.
Margie Beck, the trainer, “25 students were present for the start of the module and completed all sessions – a very pleasing attitude. The module consisted of lecture input, different activities to support the learning as well as a daily learning journal that was completed at night as a way of reflecting about the learning for that day. I was delighted to see the improvement in the standard of work during the week. It was the first time the teachers had studied in this manner, and it was inspiring to read some of the work presented in the learning journals. The teachers completed an evaluation at the end of the module. This time there were mainly positive comments – they enjoyed the learning and learnt a lot about themselves and about their families and their students. The opportunity to work in groups and then report to the large group was important. They reported that the learning journal helped them to apply what they had learned during the day. They appreciated the teaching/learning methods in the module and enjoyed the tutorial activities. What was very pleasing for me as the lecturer was their appreciation of the examples from my experience that helped them understand the concepts being taught, and then the sharing from their life and teaching experiences enriched the quality of the course. Some of the difficulties that were noted included: the ‘high’ level of the language used in the teaching – since the concepts being taught were new as well as theoretical, it was difficult at times for the teachers to understand the language, despite in some cases Indonesian language being included, but hopefully the explanations that tried to clarify the concepts assisted their understanding. Another difficulty that most of the teachers noted was the heat in the afternoons and how difficult it was for them to concentrate – even the games and singing to give energy were not sufficient!
shared her impression after the training:
From my perspective, I found the module to be most enjoyable though it demanded a lot of preparation both in the weeks before the course commenced as well as in the evenings before each lecture. In an attempt to use ‘good’ Tetun, I went through every lecture word by word, and thought about examples that would assist in explaining the concepts that were being presented. It was good to see the teachers laugh about some of my own life experiences – it certainly built up a community spirit. By the end of the week, it was as if we had known each other for a long time [...]."
