Education and Teacher Development
Teacher Training
Ocean Stars Trust strives to offer our teachers regular high up to date teacher training. Providing a high-quality Early Years education for the 1000 + children who attend our preschools is a priority for OST. This means that the teachers need to be confident in latest teaching trends and methodology.
Around 75 teachers meet every 3 months at our Ocean Stars Lanka office and share ideas and network. As our preschools are situated so far apart from each other these sessions provide a valuable experience for our teachers. Our teachers are very grateful to their sponsors who give them the opportunity to earn a living and provide for their own families
Child Development Programme (CDP)
There are Three main strands to our CDP, one of them being Teacher Training. Ocean Stars Trust runs a 4 day residential teacher training for all our preschool teachers at the Miyani Centre in Batticaloa. Our teachers look forward to this event as it is the only opportunity they have of meeting all the teachers involved with Ocean Stars preschools. Our preschools teachers from Colombo have to travel over 9 hours by bus to get to Batticaloa. Others from Kilinochchi , Trincomalee and Yatiyanthota all have long journeys but are all excited and looking forward to being together.
The Teacher Training is taking place from Thursday 11th July to Sunday 14th July. Our teams have been busy preparing for this event and our UK Head of Operations Dilanee will also be at this event.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Fonthill Foundation UK for funding our residential Teacher Training programme and providing our teachers access to high quality training.
Feedback from Primary Schools
Feedback from primary schools involved with Ocean Stars Trust highlights the profound impact of the program on both children and teachers. Schools consistently express gratitude for the resources, training, and support provided, which significantly enhance the quality of education. Teachers appreciate the workshops and new teaching methods introduced, enabling them to foster creative and interactive learning environments. Parents also recognize the positive changes in their children, including increased confidence, social skills, and enthusiasm for learning. The collaboration with Ocean Stars Trust not only improves educational outcomes but also strengthens community bonds, creating a nurturing environment for young learners to thrive.
Residential Teacher Training
Our flagship Child Development Programme took center stage this week as 70 teachers gathered at the Miyani Centre in Batticaloa for a 4-day residential Teacher Training Course. This year’s focus was on our Assessment Tool, an integral part of the programme. Teachers traveled from afar by tuk-tuks, buses, minibuses, and family transport—to attend. The event began with welcome speeches and lively performances by children from Chenkallady 2 preschool and our Sponsorship Programmes. T-shirts and notebooks were distributed, followed by team-building activities that sparked laughter and camaraderie. It was a joyous reunion, with some teachers traveling nine hours from Colombo to be part of this inspiring event.