THEME: Fifty Years of Teacher Educationin Jamaica: Educating for a Sustainable FutureShortwood Teachers' College is hosting its Annual Research Conference on Friday, April 26, 2012.The conference will facilitate reflection on post indepence education in terms of education innovations, curriculum development initiatives, student achievement, and literacy and numeracy.
It is against this background that the Multigrade Project initiative was conceptualised and implemented. One feature of that initiative was the creation and distribution, in 2008, of the Manual for Teachers of Multigrade Schools. One element of the manual is the reorganisation of the curriculum to better facilitate the simultaneous teaching of two or three grade levels.Another project — began in 2005 and funded through the Organisation of American States — is aimed at reducing the incidence of rural poverty through interventions in multigrade schools.
A distinguished professor of education from the United States and a former teacher at a transformed local high school both agree that working with community stakeholders such as churches, businesses and youth groups to develop programmes to respond to the people's needs is critical to changing the output of underperforming schools. They made the observations at a seminar entitled "Education for social and economic development: Toward a more equitable and just Jamaica in the 21st century", held at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, last Thursday.
THE Ministry of Education has begun its intervention into six primary schools that performed poorly in the most recent Grade Four Literacy Test. The schools are: Mount Vernon Primary in St Thomas; Rose Hill Primary in Manchester; as well as Wanstead Primary and Infant School, Juan de Bolas Primary, Hamwalk Primary, and Springvale Primary, all in St Catherine.Mount Vernon Primary, Rose Hill Primary, Wanstead Primary and Infant, Juan de Bolas Primary and Hamwalk Primary all failed to achieve any mastery on the test.
The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) will host a conference entitled Fifty-Fifty: Critical Reflections in a Time of Uncertainty in Kingston, Jamaica from August 20-25, 2012.August 2012 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of independence in the Commonwealth Caribbean, as in the same month both Jamaica (August 6) and Trinidad and Tobago (August 31) gained their independence from Great Britain.
As Jamaica prepares to celebrate 50 years of nationhood, the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) is spearheading a programme of research reflecting on the past fifty years and providing possible directions for the next fifty (Fifty Fifty). Education is included among the sectors for the in-depth analysis with the objective of determining its achievements, challenges and future prospects. As an important part of the public conversation, SALISES will be hosting New York University Steinhardt Professor Pedro Noguera who has been intimately involved in resea
University of the West Indies, Mona is hosting its annual Research Day on Thursday, January 26 and Friday, January 27 at the Undercroft and Exhibition Tent. For more information call Office of the Principal / Office of Planning - Tel: 927 - 2253 /702 - 4241.
The Resource Book has been compiled to assist you, the practitioners and other relevant stakeholders, with your curricular activity plans. It is a supplemental guide that accompanies the Jamaica Early Childhood Curriculum For Children Birth to Five Years Old. One of the considerations that guided the development and design of the curriculum was the need to “emphasize holistic development and integrated curriculum approaches that allow children to express themselves creatively by using all their senses to acquire new knowledge, skills and competencies as well as to engage in independent learning”, (Davies, 2008, Conceptual Framework, p.2). Furthermore, “play is central to curriculum practice, as it allows children to be active learners, interacting with a wide variety of materials and engaging with projects and learning centres in the process. Varied approaches to play and different methods of learning are encouraged…” (p.6). The Resource Book has been developed with these principles in mind. The activities outlined within it are interactive and child-centred and promote the active participation of children.
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with the Ministry of Education to improve reading and mathematics standards in 250 poor-performing primary schools across the island.
Best Practices for early childhood development were documented. Appropriate and inappropriate practices identified for the following sections: • Best Practices for Working with Families • Best Practices for Interactions and Relationships • Best Practices for Schedule, Routines and Transitions • Best Practices for Environments • Best Practices for Planning for Curriculum
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