Teacher determined to improve reading, writing skills

WHEN Phillip Solomon walked into the classroom in 2018, his students could not read or write – and he was determined to change this.
Solomon is an elementary teacher at Ruatoka Elementary School in Rigo, Central – just an hour and a half drive from Port Moresby.
He started teaching after being selected by his community to attend an elementary teacher training at the PNG Education Institute in 2003.
After three years of training, he returned home to Rigo to teach at Ruatoko Elementary.
With eight teachers and 189 students, Ruatoka Elementary is the largest school in Rigo.
It teaches the standards-based curriculum in a mix of local languages, including Sinagoro, Motu, Tok Pisin and English.
In January 2018, Ruatoka was selected to take part in the together for education (T4E) project supported through the Papua New Guinea-Australia partnership.
Solomon was among 40 teachers from 26 Rigo schools who attended the first teacher training in early 2018.
“He demonstrated enthusiasm, commitment and was an active participant during the training,” Child Fund project coordinator Dulcie Wefin said.
“His group presentation skills were outstanding, which earned himself a spot for further training as a resource teacher.”
Solomon was also trained to use the tools of peer observation and teacher learning circle, where resource teachers conduct school-based or cluster in-service training on identified areas for improvement.
An analysis conducted with support from former Ruatoka Elementary School teacher-in-charge Belline Kila identified reading problems as a key issue to address.
Belline said what was required was strengthening phonics, reducing language barriers, improving access to reading materials and merging of language and English syllabi to teach reading.
“Solomon organised a meeting with parents who identified the same issues.”
“He then created an action plan that pointed to staff meetings, peer observation, school assemblies, teacher learning circles and cluster in-service training ways to overcome the reading problem,” Kila said.