When You are a Teacher, You are a Role Model to the Community.”
Amayo Hilary, 35, teaches Computer Applications and AutoCAD at Ladongo Polytechnic Institute in Yumbe District. Although not originally a trained teacher, he says joining the Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs) transformed his understanding of what it means to teach.
“The TLCs have taught me professional conduct and the principles teachers must uphold. As a teacher, the community looks up to you, so character and integrity matter.”
Hilary values the TLCs for their collaborative approach. “We are professionals from different fields sharing knowledge freely. This has diversified my teaching methods and improved how I relate to students,” he explains.
The impact is clear. “Student performance has improved, and teachers are now more aware and open to supporting students’ needs, such as counselling when necessary.”
As secretary of the TLCs, Hilary has also developed leadership and management skills. He notes that Ladongo, a community school, offers informal courses to vulnerable learners, equipping them with skills for future employment, and the TLCs have strengthened the school’s capacity to deliver quality education. “Together as teachers and learners, we are transforming the quality of learning delivered here.”
About TLCs
Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs) are small peer-to-peer coaching groups of teachers who support one another through coaching and collaboration. They are formed after teachers complete their Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD) training to help them continue learning and improving their skills together. TLCs were introduced in Ladonga and the other two vocational institutes in West Nile by Oxfam, with support from DANIDA under the Humanitarian Development and Peace (HDP) Initiative, also known as DANIDA SPII. The TLCs and other DANIDA SPII initiatives have been implemented in collaboration with the Luigi Guissani Foundation (LGF). The TLCs foster collaboration, teamwork, and ongoing professional growth among teachers, thereby enhancing the quality of the learning content students receive.
Read more about the TLCS here.