Between June 30th and July 26th, the English-Speaking Nation: Secondary Teacher Training Program (ESN: STT) program is conducting the TESOL Core Certificate Program (TCCP) for 115 of the 307 selected Regional Peer Members (RPMs). The TCCP trainings were coordinated by American Councils for International Education and delivered by TESOL International Association (TESOL).
Throughout July and August, four TESOL instructors, together with seven U.S. Coaches from the ESN: Coaches Program, are conducting six concurrent TCCP courses in the following regions of Uzbekistan: Namangan, Fergana, Samarkand, Bukhara, Nukus, and Tashkent.
Together with the U.S. Coach Mina Gavell, TESOL instructor Matthew Schaefer are delivering TCCP training in Nukus to 23 RPMs from various regions of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm, including Nukus, Kegeyli, Khodjeyli, Shimbay, Kanlikul, Urgench, Shavat, Koshkopir, and Yangibozor.
Mayliyeva Gulmira, English language teacher at school #23 in Shavat, Khorezm region, shared her impression about the TCCP sessions: “As the participant of this TCCP course, I would like to say that this course gave us a great chance to be taught from the knowledgeable native speaker teachers and to share ideas with selected, experienced English language teachers from Karakalpakistan and Khorezm region. Taking part in this course, personally, I got a lot of information and gained very heplful experience.” Another RPM - Ayzada Kalmuratova who works as an English Teacher at School N28 in Nukus expressed her gratitude: “A modern and convenient form of training is letting us feel ourselves more confident and feel proud of to be an English teacher. Professionalism of the instructors are fantastic! I have never met such amazing people! We do hope to justify your trust in us!”
One of the TESOL instructors, Matthew Schaefer said: “Gathering with teachers from all over Uzbekistan was an incredibly inspiring and enriching experience. I was able to work closely with teachers from regions far and wide. As we start this month-long intensive program, I feel so inspired by how excited everyone is. Even though we are entering summer break, the teachers have all told me how excited they are to get back into the classroom and put new ideas and activities into practice, and share with their students in more active and engaging ways. I am amazed at how determined this group of teachers is. Their deep commitment to public education and to their country is inspiring, and I am deeply grateful to be so welcomed here and feel connected to such a bright and beautiful land.” Matthew Schaefer received his Bachelors degree in English & Creative Writing from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Matt completed two years of Americorps service volunteering with the educational non-profit Reading Partners. Matt traveled to Costa Rica and completed his SIT TESOL certificate at Centro Espiral Mana, where he has served as the Director of Student Programming and a volunteer English Teacher for 5 years.
Mina Gavell is currently working in Urgench, Khorezm as a U.S. Coach. She received her BA in English Language and Literature from the College of Charleston, SC and her MATESOL from Concordia University in Portland, OR. She began teaching English as a means to travel but soon fell in love with teaching and has now been working in the field of TESOL for 12 years.
Mina stated: “The TCCP course in Nukus is going better than expected. Coming into the training, there were some concerns about language level and pedagogical knowledge. However, we have found the participants to be very capable, and their enthusiasm to learn and improve makes up for anything they may lack in English proficiency or pedagogical knowledge. The participants are so excited about what they are learning and doing and can’t wait to apply these concepts in the classroom. As one participant wrote, “I do not get many points but still, I really adore what is happening to me now”. This seems to be the consensus—the participants recognize they are undergoing a change in how they view learning and their role in the process and they are so motivated by it.”
ESN: STT offers an integrated professional development opportunity for English language teacher trainers and secondary school English language teachers in Uzbekistan. ESN: STT is funded by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan and implemented by American Councils for International Education in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Education in Uzbekistan. Following the July TCCP Program, 140 more RPMs are expected to take the certification program in throughout summer and autumn period, bringing the total number of certified RPMs to 307.