Day 1

Today marked the first day of our promotion training at PITE Sindh for BPS-18 to BPS-19 officers. The program was split into two parts - technical training in the morning and pedagogical sessions after lunch. A few colleagues couldn’t attend in person and asked to join through Zoom. Setting that up turned out to be quite a task; poor connectivity and lack of a proper hybrid setup made things tricky. Still, everyone pitched in and tried to make it work using personal devices, which was nice to see.

The IT instructor was impressive - instead of sticking to the basics of Microsoft Office, he introduced us to advanced features of Microsoft 365, like SharePoint and real-time collaboration tools. I already knew most of the common apps, but SharePoint’s file structure and document management system were new to me and quite interesting. During the group activity, we tried different ways to share data - WhatsApp, Google Sheets, and Word collaboration through OneDrive. Later, we did a short task using Google Forms - a simple ten-question form that, because of the slow internet, took almost half an hour. We all joked that maybe IT training works better online, where connectivity is less of an issue.

At first, the constant lag was frustrating, but it soon became more of a shared challenge than an irritation. I actually appreciated how everyone stayed patient and cooperative. The instructor’s energy and depth of knowledge kept us motivated, and I left the session curious to explore SharePoint more on my own.

The afternoon session on Pedagogical and Instructional Leadership felt very different in tone. Initially, the two concepts seemed quite similar, but as discussions went on, the differences became clearer. The instructor explained how pedagogical leadership is about nurturing learning culture, while instructional leadership focuses more directly on improving teaching practices. The group work made the ideas come alive - each group presented one aspect of pedagogy, and there were interesting comparisons with systems like Finland’s. Our group had prepared the topic Coaching and Mentoring, but unfortunately we ran out of time before our turn came. The day ended with an MCQ-based activity that nicely reinforced what we had learned.

Looking back, the day was full of learning despite the technical hiccups. It reminded me how much teamwork and patience matter in professional development settings. The blend of digital learning and reflective discussion made the experience rich and relevant. It also highlighted that for such trainings to be truly effective, reliable internet and proper hybrid setups are just as important as good instructors.

This session gave me a clearer picture of my own role as an educational leader - someone who not only improves personal skills but also supports others in doing the same. Going forward, I plan to keep practicing SharePoint and OneDrive collaboration, share these tools with colleagues, and suggest a partial online format for similar trainings in the future. I also want to use the coaching and mentoring ideas from today in my own school to encourage teachers to build confidence with technology.

Despite the early hurdles, the day ended on a positive note - a good reminder that adaptability, teamwork, and a willingness to learn can turn even a challenging start into a meaningful learning experience.