The Sole Hope Of Human Salvation Lies In Teaching

Effective teachers need places in which to share their expertise and improve upon their professional skills. The goal of the Akola Teachers Center is to provide consistent, high quality, continuous and life-long professional development.

The Akola Teachers’ Center (ATC) is open to all teachers of Akola, India. The Center began operations at the Shankarlal Khandelwal College in old Akola; has reopened at Prabhat Kids located in the center of the city of Akola. Facilities include air-conditioned space, large number of computers, projection and audio-visual equipment, and a growing library of Indian and worldwide resources concerned with teaching and student. A high speed (2MB) Internet link is provided so that all teachers may use the Internet simultaneously.

ITC provides a structure for teachers to take charge of their own professional growth by giving them an opportunity to share and to learn from each other and around the world. The teachers become members of an e-mail-group so that they provide and receive new streams of relevant information. Teachers learn to use the Internet in daily lesson preparation, and come to understand effective learning and teaching techniques from master teachers among them. They are exposed to new ideas, e.g. project-based learning, experience-based learning, life-long learning, etc.

Instruction is offered in the following areas:

• Internet usage
• Improved techniques in teaching, that help all students to succeed
• Encouragement of activities that promote creative reading through class discussions of library books, and student writing through school newsletters, etc.
• Training on use of Digital Study Hall (DSH) – a vast and growing Internet library of videos of outstanding Indian teachers, in class, demonstrating what makes them effective
• Computer technology
• Specific instruction - for word processing, spreadsheets (EXCEL) and presentation software (PowerPoint). The level of training is appropriate for teaching needs.
• Workshops on effective English speaking and English instruction
• Workshops on sharing knowledge and information
• Discussion groups on teacher development

Members of Vishal Himalaya  Foundation in Mercer Island, WA are invited to take advantage of workshops, seminars, resources and facilities.