On Saturday 10th April, approximately 25 Church school teachers gathered at the St Paul Youth centre for the first of many to come, the annual teacher training workshop. There was a mix of teachers from various parishes in NSW with a variety of teaching experience levels. The training commenced with an introduction and overview of church school and the vital role of church teachers. The Director for church school, Marie-Claire Hawwa, unveiled the online curriculum resource hub to the teachers and outlined all the exciting projects underway to support the church school teachers in their role as well as involving and supporting parents. The projects include teacher training for beginning teachers, mentoring, resources, and ongoing support and training throughout the year for all teachers.
After a short break and fellowship, the church school director from Sts Michael and Gabriel parish in Ryde, Christine Ayoub, and her team of teachers presented an insightful and inspiring talk on how they continued to implement church school and engage students in learning online via zoom, using keynote and PowerPoint during the pandemic lockdown. Following this, the teachers enjoyed an engaging talk by the Director of the Good Shepherd Child Care, Aline Saliba. Her talk was on teaching strategies and catering to the variety of student needs in Church school. The teachers had the opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions and share their knowledge and ideas. Thank you to Deacon Theophan and the dedicated Church school committee for organising the event and for all their hard work. It was an exciting start to teacher training for 2021 and we look ahead to the next session in July!
