Training on classroom skills for teachers held at The Gunjur Project Lodge

Course participants at Gunjur Project

For the past 8 years Gunjur Project Association has been organising a summer scheme for over 120 children from Gunjur and Gunjur Kaajabang. However, this year’s annual summer scheme event is being run with a difference – the scheme this year is aimed at supporting teachers to develop their classroom skills. The two weeks programme has been devised by Ruth Royle, an educational specialist from Jersey, now living in Gunjur.

The Gunjur Project have worked in partnership with Ruth on many different programmes including women’s literacy, annual summer programmes, after school clubs and other projects supporting children and adults in their pathway of learning. The aim of the scheme is to bridge the gap between local and traditional educational style and international educational practices.

The course participants of 26 teachers are from Mariama May nursery and primary schools in Gunjur, Fandema international nursery and primary schools in Tujering and nursery and primary teachers from Jambanjelly, Faraba, and Samboya. The two week summer school was opened to Gambian teachers who wanted to improve their personal maths and English skills as well as experiencing international teaching and learning methods. We often hear discussions about "active learning" and "learning through doing" however it is tricky to imagine what this means in practice when you have never experienced learning in this way.

Ruth devised the timetable to include focused maths and English lessons as well as challenge based collaborative learning tasks and time to experience and reflect on the benefits of different approaches.

The funding of the summer scheme has been raised by The Gunjur Project and Ruth Royle provided her skills as a specialist in education to make this a successful events for the teachers who attended the two weeks course.

The course which is funded through funds raised by The Gunjur Project is being delivered by Ruth Royle, an educational specialist, finishes on Tuesday 29th August. The course will have an observation of learning outcomes gathered.