Interview mit Jockin Jerom John Rosery

Dear Mr. Rosery, congratulations! You very successfully completed the course "Learning facilitator". Thank for your time to tell us about you and your experiences in the course. Where do you live and how did you find out about the course? Do you have a job? If so, what is your job? 

Hello. My name is J. Jockin Jerom Rosery from Sri Lanka. I live in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, in the district of Mannar. Mannar may seem to be scorching hot, a bit dusty, a developing land, with fishing as the primary source of income, and with youngsters full of hopes and dreams. Amidst a rather difficult period in my life, I found shelter at the local Loyola Campus, as a teacher. By a happy chance, they have been compassionate enough to recognize my deep-rooted desire for learning, and to support it. When I heard about the Learning Facilitator course, I dived into it as the first ever candidate from our center. Besides learning, I also enjoy the privilege of working as both onsite and online facilitator. In other words, I facilitate GEL classes and communicate with the students, who are following the online professional certificate courses, as I facilitate classes online.

What did you like most about the course? Why would you recommend it? 

The Learning Facilitator is one of those courses that entirely change people, their lives and virtues. Usually we learn for ourselves, but as Learning Facilitators we learn for the betterment of others, by educating ourselves. Along with that, some of the topics it deals with, including codes of conducts, the big ideas, objective planning, multiple intelligence, gender equality, child rights and others, can be life changing. You do not need to be a teacher to obtain the fullest benefits of them; there is an abundance for all individuals to learn. In addition, the system, the software is brilliantly designed. Furthermore, there are opportunities to meet online facilitators, by whom we can be enriched and who we never will forget or be forgotten. People like me, from countries with traditional, rigid and outdated classrooms and pedagogy are the norm. In general, we do not have access to or see examples of learner-led classrooms; we are used to the way it is. The Learning Facilitator Course provides a ground breaking service of introducing us to a pure learner-led classroom, so that we are enabled to work towards a solid and strong reformation in the future. In order to empower this work and allow the revolution to take place, a myriad of people must become committed to learning and should experience this course. Therefore, with great joy I recommend and promote the Learning Facilitator Course to everyone I know.

Which contents and topics from the course do you remember? What was especially important to you? 

Actually, I could scarcely forget any of the contents, for they have had such an iconic importance in my life. Particularly, the Codes of Conduct have been hugely significant for me because I realized that as a teacher and a human being I could design my own set of virtues. Furthermore, Learner Rights and Child Protection let me broaden my horizon, as I learned more about what we are entitled to, as well as how to respect other people’s entitlements under the law. Curriculum planning and writing objectives were groundbreaking in the sense that thenceforth no one has to create units for me/us. I/we can create them in accordance with my/our wishes. Learning about Formative and Authentic assessments was so significant for me as a teacher. They provided the magical touch to spice up my instructions. I also have a high regard for the ideas of Gender and Education and Inclusion, since such ideas can enlighten developing communities like mine. Not only these themes, but every single topic in the course played a great role for me in the learning process.

What experiences can you draw from in particular? How can you apply what you have learned in the course to your work / living environment? 

There are plenty actually. However, to sum up all of the experiences into a single sentence I would say: “I have learned to live as a facilitator”. The success of this course is that people learn to recognize the pivotal difference between educators and facilitators.  I used to behave and educate students as a teacher, because I simply did not see any difference between a teacher and a facilitator. However, now I admire the fact that my learners no longer regard me as a teacher, but move close to me as they understand that I am different as a facilitator. I even use the word “facilitator” in my routine context. Practical application of the things which I have learned is simple, because it is already merged into the process, especially as in my teaching. I’m lucky enough to be able to put these theories in practice and execution. This course gave me new vision for life, experience, friendship, recognition, maturity, perseverance, persuasion, critical thinking, patience, confidence, and so on and so forth. Till my last breath, I would ever let these six months slip out of my mind. 

Thank you for the interview and these very interesting insights. All the best to you.