Lets Get Training!

Last year Dave Parr met with teachers union NASUWT. One thing was quickly apparent; teachers would not get release for 5 days over 5 weeks for the training course - we needed a new format and this week it has trained 37 new Champions!

The training course is designed to both give you knowledge and information and also to establish how your workplace can integrate the project and make things happen. In designing a new course format we couldn't lose the workplace element. What we decided upon was is a blended learning approach. Learners get the course materials before the course with a list of activities to do before they come to the class based course. We then cram in two days of intensive training then the Champions go back to work, finish off the activities and reports and send them back to the tutor.

The pilot for this format took place at the NASUWT's Hillscourt Centre in Rednal near Birmingham May 18th and 19th. 10 teachers attended the course which proved to be very sucessful. Appart from anything else my powerpoint presentation and the project website received a thorough spell checking (4/10 see me!). The new Champions came to the course having completed initial "two ticks" audits and having met with their managers and spent some time looking at the web site. We then set about looking at the DDA legislation and issues such as language and the social model of disability. The group also devised a draft interview proforma for NASUWT Disability Champions to use.