Strengthening Early Childhood Education Through Teacher Collaboration in Tabora

Early this year, Community Development Watch (CODEWA), in partnership with the Kitchen Table Charity Trust (KTCT), successfully organized a Teachers’ Training and Reflection Workshop for Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers from Tabora Municipal Council. The workshop was implemented under the Igniting Early Literacy Project, a flagship initiative aimed at improving learning outcomes and child wellbeing at the foundational stage of education.

The workshop brought together ECD teachers at Town School, Tabora, creating a professional and supportive space for learning, experience sharing, and joint problem-solving. The primary objective was to strengthen teachers’ capacity to support young learners more effectively while addressing the real, day-to-day challenges they face in their classrooms.

Creating a Safe Space for Teachers to Learn and Reflect

The workshop provided teachers with an open and inclusive platform to:

• Share daily classroom experiences
• Identify key challenges affecting teaching and learning
• Discuss best practices in early childhood education
• Strengthen classroom management skills
• Explore child-centered teaching methods, tools, and techniques

To enrich the learning experience, highly experienced early childhood educators were invited to mentor and guide fellow teachers. Through practical demonstrations, storytelling, and peer learning, participants were taken through real classroom situations and solution-oriented discussions that reflected their lived teaching realities.

Key Focus Areas of the Workshop

During the interactive sessions, teachers worked collaboratively to:

• Improve teaching approaches for young learners
• Strengthen positive discipline and classroom organization
• Enhance child engagement and participation
• Identify key learning barriers faced by children
• Design locally practical and sustainable solutions to classroom challenges

This collaborative approach allowed both experienced and newly recruited teachers to learn from one another in a respectful and empowering environment.

Impact on Teachers and Classrooms

The workshop proved highly valuable, particularly for upcoming and newly deployed teachers, who gained confidence and practical skills they could immediately apply in their classrooms. By the end of the session, teachers reported:

• Renewed motivation and professional inspiration
• Improved confidence in managing pre-primary classrooms
• Practical strategies for supporting children with diverse learning needs
• A stronger sense of professional community and teamwork

Teachers also jointly proposed realistic solutions to the challenges they face, reinforcing the importance of collective responsibility in strengthening early childhood education.

Our Commitment to Quality Early Learning

At CODEWA, we believe that strong teachers build strong foundations for children. Through the Every Child Matters Project, we remain committed to supporting teachers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to nurture young minds — particularly in underserved communities.

We sincerely thank the Kitchen Table Charity Trust (KTCT) for their continued partnership and unwavering commitment to empowering teachers and improving the quality of early childhood education in Tabora.

➡ Together, we are building classrooms where every child can learn with joy, dignity, and opportunity.