Lovetta David

Lovetta David (above, left) is one of our hardworking Learning & Development (L&D Supervisor) with Bridge Liberia. She trains teachers across a number of schools in and around the capital city, Monrovia.

As an L&D Supervisor, Lovetta plays an important role in upskilling and supporting public primary teachers across Liberia. She is just one of the Bridge Learning and Development Officers, who build up teachers, engage parents, protect students and, work with Vice Principals for Instruction and Principals to improve school management and the quality of teaching and learning.

Highly motivated, Lovetta was interviewed by the African publication Front Page Africa in June 2018. Here she described her job as an L&D Supervisor and, the pride it gives her:

I used to teach in a government-run school, then a Bridge Liberia school, and now I am a Bridge Liberia L&D Supervisor. As an L&D Supervisor I monitor schools and coach teachers and school administrators. I make sure teachers are in the classroom, they are delivering the right lessons and, that they are using the Bridge model. I also provide support, encouragement, and guidance.

On a school visit, I assess a teacher very closely and then give them feedback, just the same as the training we do before the school year. Then I watch the teacher again to see if they have improved. For example, if I was monitoring a teacher and notice that he or she is not fully using the signals to let pupils answer questions or continuing with a lesson too quickly, I tell him or her to use the signals and to pause and wait for children to respond to questions. Signals are important because it helps the children to learn, if a teacher isn’t using them then they aren’t teaching the best lesson possible.

When I visit a school, if there is a child absent for two or more days I contact the parents by phone or I visit their house. I find out why the child is not in school. If the child is not sick or something serious I tell the parent the importance of the child being in school every day. Before the public private partnership in Liberia, if children didn’t turn up to school then no one went looking for them, but part of caring for our pupils is making sure they are in school.

Some parents are happy to express how their children are learning in the school. Before Bridge Liberia nobody would contact parents to ask why a child was absent. I talk to parents about how they can help improve learning and behaviors because a school is only as strong as the community that supports it. If a parent is fully involved and encouraging children in their education then they do better. It is the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child.

I visit two schools every day and oversee nine schools. So I look after a lot of teachers, some in Monrovia and some in the next County. This is exactly what other L&D Supervisor are doing across our 68 schools in Liberia.

Bridge Liberia is better than what we used to have as it helps students learn. Teachers are always engaging pupils and teaching. There was less teaching before Bridge started; teachers were left to struggle and children were not encouraged. I remember when I was a teacher in a regular government school.

I feel so proud because I am a teacher trainer. My friends know that I have done really well and have an important job.