Bangalore: The Professional Development Institute (PDI) at Ekya Schools and CMR NPS conducted a ten-day-long annual teacher orientation program for all teachers consisting of over 40 training sessions. The purpose of PDI is to help build the expertise of our teachers so that they can be effective leaders in the classroom. The teacher orientation program aims to build a team of passionate educators with the right knowledge, skills and attitude. This year more than 260 teachers were a part of this program. Ekya-CMR educators who go through this rigorous training will be able to inspire and empower the next generation to bring about a positive change in the world.
The orientation program delivered on all these aspects and more, with the help of carefully curated sessions delivered by in-house experts.
Over and beyond the typical knowledge and tech sessions that are part of most teacher orientations, the program focused on aspects such as Soft skills, Social, emotional and ethical learning that enables teachers to connect with students and empower students to be self-managing individuals, Teacher wellbeing, Planning learning experiences and Philosophy behind assessments.
Dr. Tristha Ramamurthy, Founder & Managing Director, Ekya Schools and Provost, CMR University, said, “At the heart of all that we do is the student and this intent is reinforced through our professional development initiatives. Through the sessions, the facilitators model a positive culture of learning and growth, respect and compassion, collaboration and team spirit. It is important that teachers look inwards, reflect on where they are at, what it means to be a teacher, how they can impact students and take this learning forward to the classrooms. At Ekya & CMR, we recognize that every day is a new challenge for a teacher, and we equip our teachers with relevant pedagogy and tools necessary in navigating the classroom challenges.”
Dr. Tristha added, “This program is just the beginning of an exciting journey ahead for our teachers. As one of our parent-turned-Ekya-educators shared – what is seen in the classroom is just the tip of the ice-berg, the base is the extensive training, planning, and preparation that goes in the background into creating those meaningful learning experiences for students. In ensuring that our students are cared for in the best way possible, our educators plan meticulously, use progressive pedagogical tools and methodologies, and rely on relevant technology to create passionate learners, thinkers and doers. We are extremely proud to be part of the organisation that is so committed to taking the student and teacher community to the next level.”