Aga Khan Academy Dhaka organises professional development workshop for teachers

On 14 September 2023, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka organised a professional development workshop for its Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) teachers to further develop their professional skills. 

The session started with multiple ice-breaking activities and a presentation on technological ethics in classrooms. This was followed by an interactive session led by Mr M Nazmul Huq, the director of the Teacher Development Institute in Bangladesh, on the significance of thinking outside the box while teaching. He explained how different parts of the human brain work to learn new things, while also shedding more light on brain-based teaching approaches. Overall, the session highlighted how to conduct innovative formative assessments through interactive evaluations in classrooms, such as quizzes, polls and more. Moreover, Mr Huq enlightened the participants about strategic approaches to encourage active reading and spontaneous participation in classes. This way, students feel more expressive in classes and open up for delving deeper into conceptual understanding.

Additionally, the PYP educators received training from Ms Durgesh Jadhav, who is working as the PYP coordinator at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Nepal. The training focused on how to maximise students’ participation in classrooms. This is done by providing meaningful activities to the students based on their own choices, which the IB encourages.

“This professional development training session was a watershed moment in my career,” said Mr Maruf Hossain, a teacher of Grade 5. “It has helped me to develop the skills and knowledge I need to be successful in my current role as a teacher.”