Teachers Training
Academy (TTA)
Theory of Change
The Teacher Training Academy aims to transform education in Arunachal Pradesh by empowering government teachers to cultivate inclusive and student-centric classrooms.
Overview of the Programme
The Teacher Training Academy’s programme is designed to empower educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources required to create effective, engaging, and culturally responsive learning environments. The academy provides a holistic approach to professional development through various specialized corners and workshops that foster comprehensive learning. Key features of the programme include:
Library corner of the Teacher Training Academy
Library Corner for Children
The conference hall of the academy features four distinct corners, one of which is dedicated to a library filled with a diverse collection of books for kids from various publishers. This library focuses on the socio-emotional development of children through engaging literature.
The Sochu series celebrates the thinking process in children, encouraging critical thought and reflection.
Ektara and Eklavya provide culturally relevant materials that promote creativity, critical thinking, and community involvement in the learning process.
The library also includes beautiful picture books from Karadi Tales, which are relevant to the Indian context and values, enriching the cultural experience for young readers.
Library for teachers
Establishing a teachers’ library in a training academy is crucial for enhancing educators’ professional development.
The library provides access to a diverse range of reference books, including:
- Summerhill by A.S. Neil
- Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire
- How Children Learn by John Holt
- Thoughts on Education by Vinoba Bhave
These books offer valuable insights into alternative educational philosophies, helping teachers develop effective strategies. Moreover, reference books serves as essential tools for deepening knowledge, enhancing methods, and providing structured content.
This library equips educators with the resources and mindset to create effective teaching and improve students' educational experiences.
Additionally, the inclusion of the ELI (Early Literacy Initiative) series enhances the collection by providing resource books and practitioner briefs focused on multilingual education and culturally relevant practices.
Wildlife and biodiversity corner
This corner is dedicated to fostering Nature education through wildlife books, games, and resources.
It features a Biodiversity map of Arunachal Pradesh, illustrated by Sudarshan Shaw and generously provided by IFS officer Mr. Ankit Kumar.
The corner includes wildlife books that engage students and inspire exploration of nature, along with hands-on learning opportunities through games and resources focused on wildlife and biodiversity. Contextually relevant materials from the Nature Conservation Foundation, such as workbooks, teacher manuals, and pocket guides, further enrich the learning experience. Interactive materials help primary students connect with their environment and raise awareness about biodiversity. This corner inspires a love for nature and encourages young learners to become responsible stewards of the environment.
Math Corner at Teacher Training Academy
The Math Corner at the Teacher Training Academy, supported by Navnirmiti Learning Foundation—our knowledge partner for foundational numeracy sessions—provides a hands-on learning environment for teachers. This space allows educators to explore mathematical concepts through concrete materials, making math more engaging and accessible.
Reimagining Classrooms
The Sunbird Trust team conducted impactful sessions throughout the workshop, focusing on practical strategies to help teachers build effective classrooms and enhance facilitation skills. The workshop featured daily energizers, songs, and icebreakers, fostering an enjoyable and collaborative atmosphere.
On Day 1, teachers explored creative ways to connect with students by understanding their learning styles and delving into the Multiple Intelligence Theory, setting the stage for an interactive experience.
Days 2 and 3 were dedicated to classroom vision and culture, with sessions on designing lesson plans, establishing norms and values, creating routines, and implementing behavior tracking strategies to shape positive learning environments.
Day 7 offered a refreshing recreational break, as teachers visited a nearby monastery and Gurudwara, followed by a scenic walk along a stream, providing an opportunity to relax and bond.
On Day 11, participants experienced a “mock school,” where they stepped into the role of students to observe and practice best classroom routines, activities, and strategies in action. To ensure continued application, each teacher received a comprehensive handbook containing all the session materials, equipping them to translate their learning into their classrooms effectively.
Reimagining Classrooms
A Workshop by Azim Premji Foundation
The Azim Premji Foundation conducted a three-day workshop to strengthen educators’ understanding of foundational literacy, covering key areas like emergent literacy, oral language, phonological awareness, decoding, and reading comprehension. The workshop emphasized a balanced literacy approach to inspire a love for reading and effective teaching practices.
It focused on comprehensive language development by empowering teachers with practical tools to enrich language and literacy in the Foundational and Preparatory stages. Through scaffolded activities and lively discussions, the workshop promoted learning by doing, ensuring active participation and skill-building.
Highlights included the Four Blocks framework—Oral Language, Word and Letter Recognition, and Writing—which provided a simplified yet powerful approach. The sessions blended fun and learning through songs like Shama ki Gudiya and Hum Bazar Jayenge, interactive flashcards, picture sequencing, and creative chart-making, bringing lessons to life. Teachers not only gained knowledge but also engaged in hands-on practice, collaboratively honing their teaching techniques to apply in their classrooms effectively.
Foundational Numeracy Session by Navnirmiti Learning Foundation
The Navnirmiti Learning Foundation (NLF) conducted a foundational numeracy workshop aimed at enhancing the mathematical teaching capabilities of educators. Utilizing the ‘Do, Discover and Discuss’ pedagogical method, the workshop emphasized structured hands-on problem-solving activities designed to foster a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts among teachers and their students.
Impact
97.5%
Teachers found the quality of the workshop engaging
95%
Teachers feel confident to apply the skills, knowledge, and ideas from this workshop in their work
80%
Teachers would like to attend another capacity building workshop organised by Sunbird Trust
97.5%
Teachers appreciated the clarity and accessibility of the language used during the sessions
Map of the locations
Voices of Gratitude
