TLM Contest at A.P.C.E. with prizes from the Schoolbox

The first update I have for my readers is that the school I work at has changed its name. It was called APTC – Agogo Presbyterian Training College, but now it is Agogo Presbyterian College of Education. So if you read my blogs now APTC is the same as APCE.

Now own to the contest. Months ago Betsy and I met with educators from KNUST in Kumasi and began a partnership based on the creation of TLMs (teacher learning materials). During out meeting we decided that students from KNUST should visit our TRC to get ideas for their own TLMs. They did visit our campus early last month. Next, Betsy and I brainstormed things that our students could do to share with the KNUST students. I came up with an idea of a TLM contest.

I asked a few of our APCE students if they would be interested in entering a contest where they would create a TLM and win great teacher prizes from the Schoolbox. The few girls I surveyed said that this sounded like a great idea- so I got to work. I created a flyer that listed the rules for the contest:
• Participates are able to enter just one TLM
• Your TLM must fit in one of the following categories:
-Mathematics
-Science
-Social Studies/ History
-Health/Physical Education
-Language/Literature/Reading
• TLMs must be created primarily from found objects (example: bottles, boxes, tubes, etc)- at least making up of 30% of the TLM
• No posters will be accepted
• TLM must also have attached a handwritten or typed sheet (no longer than one page) explaining the TLM use to teach a part of the Ghanaian curriculum
• Finished TLMs are due to the TLM teachers by 4:00pm Monday March 23

And I created a rubric that explained to the contestants that they could be graded on neatness, their explanation, creativity, grammar, usability, and learning styles addressed.

We decided to have the TLM contest coincide with the students S.R.C. week- which is a week that the students get to celebrate being students! They had a beauty pageant, dance party, clean up day, and sport activities. On Saturday, March 28 they would have a program where guests were invited from all around the community and beyond. This sounded like the best time to have our students’ finished projects out for viewing.

APCE first and second year students were invited to enter the contest. Students had three weeks to work on their TLMs. They could work on the TLMs during class time or during open hours. We hosted additional Teacher Resource Center (TRC) open hours times on Sundays after church and on Friday afternoons as well as extended hours on our regular days (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays). The pupils that entered the contest worked countless hours on the TLMs that they submitted on Monday, March 23. It was nice to be able to give them help them get ideas to create TLMs that were much more interactive then posters.

On Wednesday, March 24, we began the first round of judging. This round was strictly for the “Kids Choice Award”. We had six children from the neighborhood come to give their expert input. This judges’ ages ranged from seven to eleven years. Each child took their duty very seriously and each had their favorite. In the end one vote put the winner over the others.

The second round of judging took place on Thursday, March 25. Earlier in the week I went around to multiple teachers and administrators in the community to deliver an invitation to the TRC to be the official contest judges. The judges, one head master of nearby school, one secretary of a primary school, and four teachers from lower and upper primary schools, received refreshments as they judges the projects with the rubrics provided. Each judge took their duty seriously and gave fantastic feedback for the contestants.

On Friday, March 26, Betsy and I had the contestants meet us in the Teacher Resource Center to find out the winners. Betsy took hours creating homemade 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons for the top winner.

Most of the prizes awarded (stickers, pencils, crayons, markers, pens, rulers, notepads, teacher tote bag, and a teacher resource book on creating crafts from found objects) were donations from a teacher supply store in Atlanta, Georgia called the Schoolbox. To find out more about the Schoolbox click here.

The first prize we awarded was the contestant that used the largest percentage of found objects.

Tina from class 2c had used cardboard, bottle tops, and water bags to create her Odds and Even number display with attached activities for the teacher.

Next we awarded Bernice the Kids Choice Award winner. Her 3-D intensive and extensive poultry farm was excited to the kid judges.


Finally we award the two honorable mentions. The first awarded was Cynthia from class 2d. She had created a pyramid from bottle tops.

The second awarded honorable mention was Irene from class 2c for her Ghanaian village diorama which included houses, a woman cooking over a fire, and pictures of two Ghana’s most popular crops, plantains and maize.


After honorable mentions we awarded Tina third place for her interactive displace of Odds and Evens.

Second place went to Bernice for chicken coop and chicken yard to show the different ways in which chickens are take care of.

Finally, first place was granted to Dorcas from class 2d. She worked hours on her project The Little Kingdom. Her 3-D diorama included over ten different animals, mountains, a river, a waterfall, and trees. The project included a corresponding poem that students would be asked to memorize. The most exciting part of her project was the added reward of a crown of the student to wear when they have correctly memorized the poem! She did a fantastic job on her explanation and creativity.


Participants were excited about their prizes and extremely gracious. After the ceremony Dorcas gave a heart-felt thank you to Betsy and I on behalf of all contestants that left few dry eyes in the room.

Although the projects never were displayed for the visitors on Saturday to see the judges, contestants, Betsy, and I were extremely impressed with the outcome of this contest. I hope that next year’s IFESH volunteer will continue this activity.