The English class of Third Form 3A Band One participated in an exciting Module 3 Assessment at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Tuesday this week.
“Part of the assessment for this module is that the students had to deliver a persuasive speech three minutes long on human rights issues,” the class teacher, Ms Maris Edwards, explained. “Some of them spoke about child soldiers, child molestation, child bribes, domestic abuse, gun violence and human trafficking. They were basically using the techniques that they would have learnt in class to persuade their audience to join their cause.
“We decided to formalise this assessment and have their parents, community members and education officials come to see them and support them. Very often the sensational events at school overshadow the excellent work that some purposeful students have been doing at school.”
Ms Edwards was asked what the overall purpose of the event was about. “The whole objective was firstly to meet the aims of our syllabus, and to give the students exposure to communicating in this kind of environment, and also to raise awareness of the issues that are in our world. In addition, it was to let them know that they can do something about it because, when we first started, a lot of the children did not know about these issues – and now they are very articulate on some of the things that are going on.”
The English teacher said the students were very excited about the symposium. A few were intimidated and would be nervous, but as their class teacher I am extremely impressed with what they presented; and I think that other persons were equally impressed as well.”
Chief Education Officer, Mrs Rhonda Connor, lauded the event. “I think that this was a very useful exercise, and one which we should encourage our children to engage in on an on-going basis,” she stated. “You would have heard the different messages which have been given by the various students ranging from bullying to child trafficking and other matters. It is going to help with their speaking skills and we need to pay special attention to the messages they are promoting.”
The event attracted a capacity crowd of parents, teachers and students and was time well spent with many useful and enlightening ideas proposed by the students who spoke on various issues of interest and concern.
