Teacher Pairs
'Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one: they get a better return for their labour. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble'
Ecclesiastes4 v. 9-10
Project pairings are not only envisaged as an essential element of support within DEEP: this relationship is structural within the programme. School principals agree to support the teacher partners and must fully endorse their work within the programme. Laptops are configured (using XP) with three discrete password protected areas: one for each partner plus a shared area for joint working. Where partners need to physically share a single laptop (both for classroom and out of school use) this practice is shown to increase joint working practices and planning. There is tremendous strength in this practice of partnership, particularly in rural contexts, where teachers may not have access to large staff groups, advisory services or other sources of professional support. When they hit an obstacle in learning, in Vygostskian terms one teacher can provide the 'missing part' for the other.
The teacher pairings vary as do the distributed knowledge they jointly command - males and females working together; mature colleagues with younger colleagues; an older school principal with a younger teacher; an ebullient character combined with a shyer one and so forth. In some instances a stronger ICT user can work with a partner with greater pedagogic maturity. In both country contexts many peer partnerships appear to have developed as significant working relationships. This approach reflects the notion of joint knowledge building, which is key principle of the DEEP conceptual framework (project report DEEP IMPACT: Chapter 2)
Case Study Hosni and Weret: 'Now we become a work unit'
Hosni is in his late 20s and teaches Maths to grades 1-3, whilst his slightly older colleague, Weret, is a female teacher of Arabic. Prior contact with ICT was negligible for both partner and neither had used the Internet. Indeed Weret had not previously participated in any other teacher-training programme prior to DEEP. Hosni has been involved in a professional development scheme related to Maths, and also English and Word for Windows; he had some access to a friend's computer outside of school hours prior to the project. Hosni was the only teacher to voice negative comments during the initial launch week. He had mistakenly assumed the project would focus primarily on development of personal computer skills and was highly skeptical of the project's approach to ICT being used by students in the classroom. One year later he has made tremendous progress in his use of ICT within teaching and uses the computer a great deal, both at home and school for the teaching of Mathematics and Arabic. He has purchased his own PC.
Although they work in a relatively small school, Weret and Hosni did not know each other prior to the project. Now they meet together weekly to work on the computer, to prepare and evaluate lessons. Weret "Before the DEEP project we didn't know each other - everyone was separate. Now we become a work unit, and very great friends. Last year we shared a class..."
Hosni "Every Thursday we have a fixed meeting... we discuss everything - DEEP, problems of teaching. Mr. S (technician) also comes." Mr. S. "I need training too!"
