The Training Courses are directly linked to the Resource Centre. The classes and course meetings will be held inside the Resource Centre in its various rooms it will have to offer. The library and computer lab will also be of valuable use to the Courses and will be available to all.
There will be 3 main Training Courses within the Resource Centre:
1. Teacher Training
2. Computer Studies
3. Health and Safety
1. Teacher Training
The most important course will be the Teacher Training as this will have a direct impact on the OSF children from dozens of schools around the Resource Centre and in other slums.
This is to help promote teaching ideas and offer straight forward classes on the current curriculum for specific class age groups, teaching methods (use of chalk board and other school tools) and of course; handling children.
We offer a more detailed classes for teachers to improve their teaching standards as well as giving them new ideas on materials they could use in class. We also offer them a more in depth view of other teaching materials such as the library and computers which are being offered at the Resource Centre.
Our aim for these Training Courses is to improve the all-round educational teaching standard in all of the surrounding schools.
OSF consistedly kept the focus of the Teaching Courses fun and entertaining, full of new ideas and exciting new tricks so that these teachers can then implement these learned skills in the classroom. Good humour is always a great skill to develop for the classroom - it helps the teachers relax into the course and also gives them more of an idea of how one should be in a classroom full of busy children.
A happy teacher keeps our children happy and willing to stay in school!
2. Computer Training
· The Resource Centre has been completed and the necessary security has been installed, we have a computer lab that serve various purposes;
· We offer the use of the Resource Centre computers for a small price to individuals coming from the surrounding communities and slums. Which in turn provide the Centre with a small, yet continual source of income as there are many individuals wanting to type up their papers (e.g. CVs, cover letters, letters to friends and family, etc
· We are also offering internet services. This, as above, is also providing more income to the Resource Centre to help it achieve a self-sustaining rhythm which will allow it to continually benefit schools and other educational facilities that it supports.
· We are offering computer training courses for teachers, children and individuals wishing to brush-up on the computer literacy, or simply learn the basics so that they can then put these skills to good use at work or advertise their skills when job hunting.
· Our teachers are learning new teaching techniques via the internet and CD-ROMs that are available in the Recourse Centre, and ideas for course content. The children are able to come and use the computers during class time to study and improve their knowledge of computers - something that has become an everyday habit for most Western children!
3. Health and Safety
One of our primary aims in improving education in the slums is to promote health and safety. These can cover many topics ranging from sanitation, medical aid, CPR, and of course; Safe Sex.
In our training courses we have volunteers coming to help us out and offer CPR training to our students.
These course are beneficial to the teachers' personally and of course to their students. They can use the information and techniques for themselves or on family and friends, and they can also advertise their skills on their CVs when looking for jobs. It is incredibly important that someone on site, taking care of children, should know a thing or two about health and emergency aid. The teachers should know which strict guidelines to follow to prevent and/or handle situations in case of an emergency - and even a when dealing with a minor injury.
Learning CPR not only teaches you the emergency resuscitation techniques, it also teaches you how to handle stressful situations, how to keep calm and keep the injured person calm, and how to handle other in the vicinity (in this case, the other children).
OSF tries to stress the importance of having solid safety regulations and to ensure that these regulations are enforced by all teachers and students at all times.
