Teacher Training Programs at Manthan

Manthan believes in creating the right platform for its teachers so that they can be effective and efficient educators in class. To ensure that, every year different training sessions are organised for our teachers, both internally with the leadership team of Subject Leaders and Teacher Leaders, as well as externally with Cambridge and agencies such as The Teacher Foundation, Priyamvada Taneja Consulting, TalentEase, etc. These internal and external training sessions are held separately for all our teachers in different segments. These sessions also allow our teachers to bond together and get to know each other. As a result, new teachers adapt easily to their new environment. Role-based training is provided to benefit both new and old staff members. All employees undergo an elaborate training schedule that includes soft skill, quality, sensitivity and safety- related training. These are not only tools to assist them in their job, but also to perform it accurately. Refresher trainings are held during the course of the year to optimise the employee skill set and set them up for long-term success in their role.

External Training Workshops

Extended Cambridge Teacher Training

Every year, Manthan sends its senior teachers for the Extended Cambridge Training sessions which are organised across the globe. Our senior teachers across all teaching segments, specified by Cambridge (Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE, AS Level and A Level), have attended these trainings. Extension professional development is designed for teachers who have been teaching Cambridge International programmes and qualifications for at least one year or one exam cycle. This is to ensure teachers can contribute meaningfully to discussions with other teachers on their experiences of teaching the syllabus or curriculum. It enables teachers to engage with our syllabuses and curriculum frameworks in greater depth and build confidence in their delivery. Our Teacher Leaders have attended the Cambridge conferences held in London and Bali. Due to the pandemic, these training sessions have moved online as webinars and have been attended by most of our teachers.

CBSE Teacher Training/ Capacity Building Programmes

CBSE makes provisions for various training programmes for teachers and principals to enhance their understanding of curriculum and delivery mechanism and other professional qualities. The training of the teachers assumes even greater significance in the wake of Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 to ensure the target achievement as per the proposed teacher student ratio proposed in the Act. Our teachers have attended several modules of these Training Sessions called Capacity Building Programmes which have included
subject-specific training, Life Skills, Joyful Mathematics, Experiential Learning, Innovative Pedagogy, Pre-school Teaching Methodologies, and Setting Instructional Outcomes.

Research Workshop

Manthan teachers also go through a Research Workshop to learn research skills and techniques which they can incorporate in their lesson plans for students. This is an intensive course which teaches different ways of introducing research in all subjects. This training is also undertaken by our Curriculum Development Unit so that they can create content for the school teaching units that will involve these skills and will inculcate a research mindset in students.

Positive Behaviour Management

The ability to manage the behaviour of a class effectively is one of the top skills that every teacher needs. Even the best planned lesson can go awry with disruptive behaviour. In this workshop, teachers examine the factors that influence student behaviour and explore strategies to deal with inappropriate behaviour. This enables teachers to reflect on the long-term benefits of fostering a culture of self-discipline, so that children develop self-awareness and take accountability for their actions.

Creating a Buzzing Classroom

“A task well begun is half done.”
This workshop is designed mainly for the teachers of the primary school segment. It teaches them techniques to make a subject/ topic captivating so that they can strike the right magical note with their students right from the beginning of a lesson. This workshop also explores ways in which teachers can lift the moods and interests of students during the ‘middle’ part of their lessons when they may tend to flag. The workshop culminates with looking at ways in which teachers can ‘end’ or recapture their class.

Classroom Management

All teachers aspire for teaching time which is free from disruption, behaviour issues or distractions. Classroom management is the keystone that holds together meaningful learning experiences and is guided by teacher behaviour, norms and routines. This workshop helps teachers to identify the reasons for disruptive behaviour and create a culture of fairness and consistency to enhance academic engagement among students. Teachers are also encouraged to devise their own innovative strategies of classroom management which can be applied on a daily basis.

Quality Circle Time (QCT) Workshop

QCT is a holistic, highly effective approach, which explicitly models and teaches the social and emotional learning facets related to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making and relationship skills. In this workshop, teachers are trained to organise and implement QCT sessions for their classes. While QCT is primarily led by class teachers, a lot of the principles of QCT can be applied by almost every teacher to make their class environments more inclusive and empathetic.

A typical Quality Circle Time session entails:

  • The whole class sitting in a circle – non-hierarchical and inclusive
  • Equality of and respect for all participants
  • Emotional ‘safety’ for the whole class using firm but gentle ground rules
  • Promoting trust, respect, empathy and understanding
  • Students taking turns in speaking and listening, sharing ideas, contributing to a group
  • Situation-based observation, thinking and concentration
  • Learning relationship skills, assertive communication
  • Playing cooperative games, learning drama techniques, puppet play and discussions designed to explore issues relating to personal, social, moral and emotional situations
  • Enhancing self-esteem, emotional intelligence and team/group work skills of students and teachers in schools

Basic First Aid Session

This is usually conducted by senior doctors from renowned hospitals. Emphasis is laid on the importance of a First Responder in case of medical emergencies. It trains teachers/staff to deal effectively with various medical situations that may require understanding of basic First Aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for adults and children. These help to develop basic understanding of medical situations and respond in a timely and effective manner in case of need. Women wellness training is also conducted for all staff to raise knowledge on women health and hygiene.
Fire Safety Training

Fire Safety Training

This is usually conducted by Usha Fire Safety Equipments to train everyone in the school the proper procedures for emergency handling and evacuation in the event of a fire. Preventive measures that remove or minimize fire hazards are also discussed and taught.

Internal Training Workshops

Subject Enrichment Training

This session is led by our Subject Leaders who are experts in guiding and mentoring teachers about the essential details of the subject. Teachers learn subject-specific pedagogical skills. Enrichment trainings are designed to be dynamic and engaging. Teachers are trained to guide students to take a more expansive or in-depth look at a concept or topic. They are aligned to the curricula that they will be teaching and encouraged to allow students to think like historians, mathematicians or scientists.

Orientation Trainings, HR Policies and Guidelines Sessions

These trainings are held by Administration Leads to familiarize new teachers with the school policies and also to update existing teachers about changes, if any.

School ERP System Training

The school Technical Head trains all employees on the use of the ERP system for effective communication and efficient management of roles and duties.

Handling Special Needs

A very critical internal training session at Manthan is the workshop on how to handle children with special needs. Special Needs Training Sessions are held for all teacher segments to create awareness of and provide information on children with special needs and how to accommodate them in the daily routine of a class. Manthan has highly qualified Special Needs teachers who work with special needs students individually and in groups to promote full academic functioning. They also train teachers to educate them on different disabilities in children with special needs. Teachers are equipped with skills to enhance their ability to understand the different requirements of children with special needs, in a classroom scenario. Manthan is an inclusive school that supports and nurtures the needs of special children with passion and care.