On 25 and 26 September and 1 and 2 October the second workshop in a series of four workshops on PLCs took place in respectively Bloemfontein and Bethlehem. Its main objective was to equip participants with ideas and skills to set up school-based PLCs within their districts. This series of workshops serves as a pilot for the implementation of Activity 3.3 (on PLCs) in the ISPFTED.
This workshop started with a reminder about the ISPFTED, the framework within which the Multi-year programme of FSDOE with VVOB fits. The introduction also included some remarks/questions remaining after the previous workshop. A brief report on the DBE PLC colloquium that took place on 18-19/9 was given to all participants. Worries and concerns raised by participants during the first workshop were shared there and incorporated in the colloquium report.
The first part of the workshop focused on resistance. Participants shared their own experiences with resistance, whether or not they were the object or the subject of resistance. The rationale for resistance were unpacked, which led to a better understanding of how to deal with it. The next workshop will take this one step further.
PLC activities focused on unpacking the role of the facilitator, developing a toolkit for facilitation and setting criteria for successful facilitation of PLCs. Participants also unpacked the issue of gender bias in communication and in working with groups. The participants then applied all these as they role played a PLC. They used common mathematical misconceptions as the topic for discussion.
The workshop again took the form of a trainer-the-trainers outline with activities that participants can use directly with the teachers they support. It included discussions on the rationale of each activity.
Working with PLCs is a methodology which intends to trigger learning among peers. Facilitators of such processes need to be able to develop own knowledge. Hence all participants were asked to start their own PLC portfolio to reflect on their learning. Participants were encouraged to take responsibility to their own learning as in finding resources and updating their own lacks in knowledge and skills.
The workshop was co-facilitated by VVOB and Jika Communication and Training.
More pictures of the Bloemfontein workshop can be found here. More pictures of the Bethlehem workshop can be found here.
