Week two

Our workshops in training centre “Sarvar”
Teachers about the ETM program.
Extra curriculum activities.
Creative poems.
Social activities.

Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers.
(Josef Alberts)

Now we all have such a good opportunity to ask right questions concerning our work as teachers of English. Hopefully, we can improve our teaching skills, thanks to the trainers Dorothy and Richard and of course to each other, because all brilliant and innovative teachers from different regions had been selected to participate in the said workshop.

This week was fruitful for all of us. We have visited the US Embassy Recourse Centre, found a lot of useful new publications, materials which can help us to teach English and computers with excess to the Internet. It is excellent that the students, teachers and who ever wants can use the Resource Center.

We have a chance also to learn something new from our colleagues, every day before each session teachers do some warm-up activities. Some of them were new for us and for sure, we can use them during our classes.


Kima conducts a warm up Shuhrat proving himself before Gulya

I’m Azamova Maqsuda from Sogd Region, Kanibadam, an English teacher, school # 3, Microschoolarship program. My pedagogical activity is 26 years. As you know two weeks sessions passed. On the first day of the second week we went to the US Embassy and there we were introduced with the resource centre. We saw different kind of books there.

During the sessions I learnt a lot of information, three kinds of activities such as Methodology, Material Development and Professional Development, 8 elements of planning for professional development. I’m proud that I was selected as participant of this seminar.


I’m Zarina Qambarova, English teacher from Soghd Region, Kayraqum. My work experience is not so much; this is the first time for me to participate in such kind of programs. I’m very glad that I’m participating in ETM program. Due to this program I hope to improve my teaching skills and get more knowledge. In the workshop I learn a lot about innovative methods of teaching, new interactive activities, about curriculum design and how to plan my lessons. Frankly speaking, everything here is new for me, I came here with little knowledge but now I will return back with a heavy suitcase of knowledge.

Hello! I am Kimatgul Davlatbekova from Dushanbe. I work in Educational Center «Multikid» and my work experience is 10 years. This session is very deeply thoughtful for me, I got a lot information about interactive methodology, about content based – instruction, learning styles and strategies about criteria and evaluating the textbooks and I can improve my professional development through the very interesting sessions with professional trainers from Montana University Richard and Dot. I`ll try to use all my knowledge at my lessons, because my goal is to make English interesting and pleasant for learners. It is really important when people enjoy what they do!
Dot and Rich a big Tajik thanks for your colossal work in
teaching English in our country!

My name is Nina. I’m working at Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Ayni as assistant English Teaching Methodology’s chair. I’m very pleased to be participant of Mentor Program because it’s directly related to my job. Through the knowledge I’ve got from this program I can teach my students at the TSPU much better. It’s very important for students because they will also be English Teachers in future. The sessions and activities we’re taught by our lovely Dot and Rich would be very useful and helpful for our professional development. The point of such kind of programs is to have a great opportunity to share our own experience with each other and to get new information, of course. So, I’m very appreciating for a chance to take part in this program.

Dear all,
I’m Zinatoy Bozorova, a teacher of English language at the Tajik State Pedagogical University named after S. Aini, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
I want to share my impressions with you about English Teachers Mentor Program workshop which is conducted by Dot and Rich for two weeks. The workshop is very interesting, useful, exiting, especially, about Professional Development, learning Strategies of teaching and 8 key elements, discovery learning styles and methodology.
Thank you, I’m very grateful for you all who organized this training for us.
Extra curriculum activities.

TEA Program, Professional Development seminar

We are grateful for US Embassy in Dushanbe for bringing out 20 English teachers from different regions of Tajikistan to participate in Mentor Training program course. In the course we are learning a lot of new things on methodology, Professional Development and Material Development from our professors Richard and Dorothy Whites and from each other as well.

In the evenings we are doing presentations on different programs in order to use our time productively. As they say ‘Learners learn best from each other’. I made a presentation about my visit to the USA as a TEA finalist and participated in Professional Development seminar.

I shared with my colleagues what I learned, what cultural places I saw and what I did in the USA. I also demonstrated my portfolio which I developed in the USA. And the different questions were asked about it. They asked about the USA education system, school life, teachers and students, cultural places, food and resources. So, that was amazing to share my experience with them and feel that they are happy to use it.

Gulnora Kamolova, Secondary school #15, Hissar.

How to write CV and cover letter

Rahmiddin Mahmadov from Rasht came up with a short training on writing Curriculum Vitae, Cover Letter and to apply for a job. The activity caused interest of participants. He has rich experience of working with NGOs and knows about them a lot. It was very interesting and helpful for the teachers to know some more important and useful details in filling applications and passing interviews. He gave us the instructions how to write Cover Letter correctly and we can share this new information with our colleagues and of course, with our high school students at the lesson.

Thanks a lot!
Rahmiddin Mahmadov, Rasht.

Introducing about Shaping the way we teach English course.

I am Zeboniso Murodova, and I am very happy to attend the Teacher Mentor program. And it is a great chance for us teachers to learn from each other. Learners learn best when they teach each other. So, I decided to introduce about Shaping the Way We Teach English program with English Teachers. Last year I was nominated to participate in this course. It lasted from September till December 2007. This was very beneficial for me. I learnt a lot of new things for myself which help me now. Wherever I go, I share any module of this course. So, in this Mentor Training I shared with one module and I hope to show other modules, too. Attending this seminar and I found out that I knew some of them already. In this course there are 14 modules. And today I showed one module in CD which we received from that course. That module was Alternative assessment. It must be mentioned that the lesson course was video based. I showed video to teachers about assessment which we passed during the course. After seeing it, teachers had a clear picture about assessment and what portfolio looked like.

Zebo Murodova
English teacher from Sarband
Sch#1


Poetry from teachers
The teachers were asked to write poems about the workshop. Most of them couldn’t imagine that they had poetic abilities, but now we know if we try to do our best we can do everything. These are poems from Mentor Teachers.

Poem from Rahmiddin
Before I came to this course,
I felt myself as Australian horse.
The methods that I taught,
Seemed to be the best I thought,
Thanks to Rich and Dot,
That we’ve received a lot.
They made me open my eyes,
And become a little bit wise.
But for sure, I know,
That I’m still very slow.
Whenever Gulijon took the floor,
It made Zebijon to know more.
As “two peas of one pile”
They made some to smile.
The experience that has Marifat,
For sure, the same has Shuhrat.
No complaints from Zebo,
Oh, she sleeps on the floor!
Abdulhamidjon, hey, Christmas Tree!
Don’t forget, they say, “agree to disagree”!
We all wish you Zinnatoy,
A healthy, wealthy boy!

Rahmiddin, Rasht




So, the second week of training is over. It seems that this week went fast. One week more is left. So, on Friday evening after training we decided to show Dot and Rich our famous tea house “Rohat”. We ordered different meals and told our trainers about our national dishes. We had a great evening. After Rohat we went to Somony plaza .We took photos near Somony monument and told about who Somony was. We shared with trainers about history of our country. It was wonderful evening walk.

On Saturday we went to Varzob. Varzob is a very cool and beautiful place. The nature is so nice and picturesque. The air is fresh there. We rested very well. We took many pictures. Some teachers swam in the swimming pool and some other teachers with Rich went to explore the place. Unfortunately, Dot couldn’t come. One man there helped us to explore that place. We teachers with Rich went on and on and came to a wonderful place like paradise. We saw waterfall there. On the way to the waterfall we talked a lot with Rich and he talked about some similarities between some things here in Tajikistan and USA. It was good for us to learn more from him.


Nigina Mirzoeva Editor of this
Newsletter



The second week of training is over. During this week we teachers learned a lot.
Teachers had an idea about how to create rubrics, and identifying key components of a lesson plan, cloze tests, traditional and alternative assessment in the second week.
The difference between previous week and this week was that in previous week trainers organized all activities, but in this week teachers came up with new, interesting warm up activities which made the process more effective. And teachers participated in workshop actively.

Teacher Mentor Program

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.
Margaret Fuller.


So our Teacher Mentor program has started on July 7, 2008. EnglishTeachers from different regions of Tajikistan arrived. They represent Kulob, Sarband, Hissor, Rasht, Kanibadam, Khujand, Kayrakum, Chkalovsk, Ayni and Dushanbe. Our trainers are Dorothy and Richard White from Arizona State, but they represent Montana University. We are very happy that Dot and Rich came to Tajikistan to provide us with a workshop on teacher Mentor Program.


Plant friendship tree that will have much results
And break enemy tree that will bring numberless sorrow.

The participants of the workshop were provided with accommodation in the former Agriculture University dormitory where the Training Center Sarvar is located. It was very convenient for the teachers to have sessions and rest in the same building.

Feedback from Teachers about TMP




Mohida Rahmatulloeva from Kayrokkum. My work experience is 16 years. I teach students from 9th-10th forms. I work at secondary school # 14 since 1991.
My opinion about TMP training: I learned new things, new methods. I worked with map, and I liked this activity very much and now I know about jigsaw, portfolio and much more informed about 4 skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening and syllabus methods and learning styles and here I learned that I am a visual person.

Mohida Rahmatullo

Muyassar Nazarova

I am an English teacher from the North, Kanibadam, village Kuchkak. I teach at secondary school # 11. My work experience includes 17 years.
What can I say about the first week of the seminar? It was really great. I have got a lot of information about textbooks, content, context, syllabus and criteria which each textbook has to include.
I participated in such kind of workshops in Dehli last year. But now I see how they are different. Our trainers from Montana University are doing a great job for us. Their sessions are full of interesting interactive activities and warp ups. Each session includes: Methodology, Professional development and Material Development. I hope all new things I have learned here will be useful both for Microscholarship program students and secondary school students, too. I will share my knowledge with other teachers from my district.

Dot and Rich thanks a lot for your great contribution in conducting this workshop for us!

Orzu Sultonova.
I live in Ayni Town which is situated in the North part of Tajikistan. I have 16 years of work experience. It is the first time in my life I am taking part in such kind of trainings. I express my thanks to US Embassy for providing this training for English teachers.

I am satisfied with methods that trainers use during the sessions. Our trainers Dot and Rich, are very experienced teachers. For sure, I’ll return to my school and will organize trainings for all teachers of Ayni area and to teach them what I have learned in these sessions. I also try to use their methods at my lessons. The activities which I like best are warm ups, FOR activity as well as working with map.




Abduhamid Sharipov

I am an English teacher from South, Kulob city. I teach in lyceum # 1. My working experience is 20 years. And I also work as part time job for Relief International. So, what I learned in this workshop. We got new things like how to use interactive methodology, how to evaluate textbooks through some criteria and how to have interesting warm ups and to improve professional development. Especially, scope and sequence is very necessary for the teachers who aim to write textbooks.





Social Activities

Taking into consideration the fact that the workshop participants represent different regions of Tajikistan, the Public Affairs section and Valentina Sobko, the project implementer organized leisure time within weekends.

The highlight of the social activities included the visit to Antiquities and National Historical Museums. All participants left the museums with great impressions, felt proud of our ancestors and country’s rich history.

Sunday’s activity was devoted to nearby Hissar District where the participants knew a lot about Hissar Fortress, the history of which is more than 3 thousand years, Madresse and hotel of Korvonsaroy where the merchants stayed. The teachers imagined the whole picture of the place within the Silk Road times.

Teachers said that they had a great time together and learned a lot from each other, especially from Rahmiddin. These social activities make friendship between all of us tighter. As our very broad-minded participant Rahmiddin from Rasht always reminds us about Saa’di Sherozi ‘s poem that is written above the entrance of UN Office in New York:

Children of Adam are members of one body,
Who are created from the same origin.
If one member is in pain
The other members cannot be at peace.
Zebonisso, the first Editor

I am Zebonisso from Sarband. I am a happy English teacher in Tajikistan. It is honor for me to take part in this training. And we are the first Mentor English teachers who edited the first newsletter illustrating the workshop process. Next week we will prepare the second newsletter.

The first week of training is over already. Teachers learnt a lot in this week. They have two more weeks. And I know that they will learn more. I want to take an opportunity and to thank US Embassy for providing us with such great program. I am sure that teachers will be good mentors for their country.

This issue was prepared by:
Muyassara Nazarova Microscholarship program an ACCESS teacher
Orzu Sultonova teacher from Ayni, Regional Trainer at Zaravshan Valley
Mohida Rahmatulloeva teacher from Kairakkum
Maqsuda Azamova from Kanibadam Microscholarship program an ACCESS teacher
Abdulhamid Sharipov from Kulob, Regional Trainer at Khatlon region
Zarrina Qambarova teacher from Kayrakkum
Rahmiddin Mahmadov, Microscholarship program