Kenya: Consultancy Service

Subject Excellence (USAWA) Project

Consultancy Terms of Reference:

Teacher Learning Circles content refinement and training of trainers

1. Background

1.1 Build Africa

Build Africa is an international NGO with offices in the UK and supporting organisations in Kenya and Uganda. It aims to improve the quality of education and support livelihoods by developing the capacity of communities. Build Africa works with communities stretching across several regions in Kenya enabling school communities to improve the quality of education they provide for their children.

Find Build Africa on http://www.build-africa.org for more information.

1.2 Project Description

Subject Excellence (SE-USAWA) Project

Build Africa’s work in Kwale, Kenya has focused on improving the quality of primary education in 72 schools in Msambweni, Lunga Lunga and Kinango Sub Counties, prioritising ensuring good quality learning experiences, and especially that of disadvantaged girls. The SE-USAWA project supports this goal with the aim of ensuring that teachers have subject knowledge and pedagogical skills that foster inclusiveness for marginalised learners and enable sound learning outcomes. It will equip teachers with the necessary specific subject knowledge and the right skills and methodology to engage all children across P4-P8 primary levels.” It will focus on literacy and numeracy. It has been designed to follow the outline below:

1. Formation of a Subject Excellence panel to serve as a lead technical and advisory panel for the pilot
2. Preparatory work on content development to support learning through Teacher Learning Circles (TLC), focused on literacy and numeracy subject specific and pedagogical skill development for teachers in 10 pilot schools in Kwale.
3. Training of trainers in TLC pedagogy and subject expertise skill development therein.
4. 20-40 days of school level assessments using the curricular framework and the subject-specific content as the framework for assessment.

5. Teacher Learning Circles (12 sessions during the pilot phase) to help teachers develop and practice their new content knowledge expertise and pedagogical skills.

6. Consultancy focus

2.1. Intended consultancy goals

1. The consultant will produce two training packages, in consultation with the project’s Subject Excellence panel, for use in training trainers (and later in training teachers) in how to use TLC to build their skills. The training packages will be:

a. Reading in an Inclusive Classroom (for Swahili and English topics)

b. Learning Maths in an Inclusive Classroom

1. The consultant will then train the project and project affiliated partners in how to use the training packages to carry out blended learning activities for teachers to help improve their content and pedagogy knowledge and skills and undertake early monitoring of training uptake. The consultant will also provide some mentoring support via brief assessments of early teacher trainings and TLCs.

2.2 Consultancy tasks and timeframe

TOTAL:

February 2018-May 2018

Level of effort: Anticipated to take 45-60 days.

February 2018

1.1 Desk Research on TLCs and the Subject Excellence Project

This consultant will use the following documents to shore up his/her understanding of TLCs and how to create content for them.

1.1.1 Learning To Read in a Healing Classroom Guidance Notes

1.1.2 Learning To Read in a Healing Classroom Trainers’ Toolkit

1.1.3 Learning To Read in a Healing Classroom Teachers’ Guide

1.1.4 Learning To Read in a Healing Classroom TLC Guide

1.1.5 Learning Maths in a Healing Classroom Teachers’ Guide

1.1.6 Subject Excellence project documents (including proposal and Gantt)

1.1.7 Work of the past consultant

1.1.8 Teacher Learning Circles: An Introductory Guide for the Subject Excellence Programme

February 2018-w/c 19 March 2018

Level of effort: Up to 45 days

1.2 Revision of existing TLC content to create two training packages:

1.2.1 Reading in an Inclusive Classroom (for Swahili and English topics)

1.2.2 Learning Maths in an Inclusive Classroom

Notes: Content

a. Each package will contain

i. Trainer’s Guide

ii. Teachers’ Guide (for use at the initial introductory trainings)

iii. TLC Guide

iv. Assessment tools

b. The guides will NOT be as in-depth as the IRC’s tools, which only cover early grades 1-3 and provide detailed teacher planning workbooks as well as guides. Rather, they will be introductory guides to help S4-8 primary teachers improve their planning and delivery in accordance with the Kenyan curricular framework (provided by the earlier consultant).

c. The existing English language package from the IRC can be modified for the Kenyan context. The Teachers’ Guide and the TLC Guide are complete in English and would just need to have Kenyan examples included instead of those currently, which are from the DRC. It would need to be translated for Swahili and any modifications made for Swahili examples.

d. The Maths Teachers’ Guide from the IRC is in place and would need to be modified for the Kenyan context, but a TLC guide would need to be developed (using the reading TLC as a guide).

e. Because Healing Classrooms is designed to support wellbeing, it naturally addresses issues of inclusion and appropriate learner centred pedagogy. As such the pedagogical lessons are integrated into the subject matter content.

f. The following types of activities currently carried out by school-level SPs are either already part of the TLC design or can and should be picked up by/integrated into the TLCs:

i. Termly meeting to discuss improvement as well as peer teaching.

ii. Helping fellow teachers where the children did not perform well.

iii. Lesson Study, setting and moderating exams, discussing challenges in all subjects

iv. Checking syllabus coverage, preparing T/L materials

v. identify teaching/learning difficulties and how to solve them

vi. helping each other in difficult topics on specific subjects, discussing on how best to teach subjects to improve performance

vii. Identification of problems in subjects and solve them.

viii. Ensure teachers schemes using syllabus, Develop materials and teaching aid. Organize and carry out team teaching.

ix. Make common schemes of work, Discuss issues affecting teaching of certain subjects, make teaching aids, conduct meetings on subject performance/group discussions

x. benchmarking visits, training workshops, gender responsive teaching, developing teaching AIDs, ICT training, specialization, cooperation and team teaching, pupil/teacher motivation, coaching on team teaching, school based training, Read To Learn ( RTL) & Education Community of Practice ( ECOP.

w/c 26 March-w/c 2 April 2018

2.1 Training and modification of content: Once the content is in place, the project affiliates that will serve as trainers will need to be trained in how to a) carry out the initial foundational teacher trainings; and b) how to launch, facilitate, and then mentor teacher facilitators of TLC.

2.1.1 Training for BA staff and project affiliated trainings on the TLC delivery model (5 days)

2.1.2 Modification of content based on training. (2 days)

w/c 9-23 May 2018

2.2 School based assessment of early training of teachers and TLCs

1. Content and training approach and methodology

As much as possible, integrate co-design components that involve end users in the conceptualisation of the content and its delivery.

Ensure that the design of the delivery is based on situated cognition and builds from the theory of cognitive apprenticeship. In other words, learners should be exposed to new ideas, have a chance to reflect together and individually on their meaning and application, make connections between the ideas and their impact on their lived experiences, and practically apply the theory in their every day lives, before returning to the classroom to reflect on challenges and opportunities as a result of their practice.

Relatedly,

1. Every attempt at pedagogy that focuses on student led appreciative and exploratory inquiry should be made.
2. Active learning inside and outside the classroom should be prioritised.
3. Relevance of the topic and the means of generating knowledge must be paramount.

4. Feed forward pedagogy should also be used: show them the right way to do something first. Then encourage them to model it, both in and outside of the classroom.

5. Build Africa will be responsible for:

Ø Engagement and seeking approval from the County Director of Education and TSC Director for the project.

Ø Share reference materials on TLCs for training module development.

Ø Mobilize Subject Panels participants in the pilot.

Ø Facilitate venue and logistics for the training workshops.

1. Budget

The Training consultant must propose a budget showing all costs (all inclusive) of the deliverables at number 2 above.

1. Skills and qualifications of Subject Excellence Trainer.

Ø An advanced degree in Curriculum Development.

Ø Experience in teacher training especially Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs).

Ø Experience in Training of Trainers (ToTs).

Ø Knowledge and experience in developing appropriate training materials and modules in a participatory process while maintaining clear oversight and control over the quality of content.

Ø Previous experience of undertaking using didactic and participatory methods suitable for adult learners.

1. Child Safeguarding

It is essential that the successful applicant familiarise self with, and sign up to abiding by, Build Africa’s Child Safeguarding Policy. We reserve the right to conduct background checks for all shortlisted applicants in line with our child safeguarding policy. This may include collecting references from past employers or commissioning organisations. ٴA

1. Application process and timeline

The applicant should provide a work plan and budget for the effort, along with a clear identification of the daily rate. A CV and covering letter are also required as well as a list of referenced curriculum development consultancies or projects for which the applicant held primary delivery responsibilities.

BAK will source the consultant with the right set of skills at the most appropriate cost. The deadline for submission for this consultancy is 25^th January 2018. All applications to be sent to HR@build-africakenya.org copied to BAK@build-africakenya.org .

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, if you do not hear from us by the 2^nd of February, consider your application unsuccessful.