Working with the new Head Teacher

July 21st, 2009
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy

Today Bobbie and I meet with The AIDS Orphan Support Trust's (TAOST) head teacher Francis.

In the last year TAOST has made some incredible strides towards achieving their vision for their education program. One specific step in this direction was hiring a qualified head teacher. TAOST, as with most of the organizations we work with, target the most at risk children in their community. Since the children they work with can not afford education, TAOST does not charge school fees. This means that the school does not have an income and therefore is not able to pay their teachers. Since they are not able to pay their teachers it is very hard to attract qualified teachers. Francis is qualified and therefore is a valuable assets to TAOST Academy.

I have worked with Francis before in previous professional development workshops and found him to be incredibly driven, focused, professional and experienced. When I heard that TAOST had promoted him to be the head teacher of the TAOST Academy I was instantly behind the decision.

Meeting with him today only confirmed that thought in my mind.

Bobbie and I spent a lot of time today listening to Francis's vision for TAOST Academy, his understanding of his role as head teacher, the challenges he faces and how he would like us to specifically help him grow into his new role.

Over the next two weeks Bobbie and I will be meeting with Francis every morning to help him create a work plan to direct his teachers and lead TAOST Academy into "a competitive school." In the afternoons, alongside Francis, we will be leading workshops for TAOST's seven teachers on 'Child Centered Teaching' and Uganda's curriculum.

I am looking forward to the collaboration!!