Professional Development is key to teacher effectiveness, career satisfaction and most importantly to student learning. This week, Monday August 21st to Friday August 25th the Department of Education (DOE) is holding several Professional Development (PD) sessions for its teachers at primary and secondary school level.
For the primary schools the emphasis for this week is on the Teaching of Reading and Student Assessment including the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) Methodology. The Teaching of Reading sessions were facilitated by trained Remedial Reading and Reading Recovery Teachers namely, Teachers Renee Bryan, Tamara Young, Dawvier Gumbs, Icilma Webster, Natasha Allwaters and Malica Smith-Connor. They were supported by the officers at the DOE namely Curriculum Officer Literacy, Mrs Vanessa Hobson, Reading Recovery Tutor, Mrs Catherine Proctor, and Education Officer Multi Professional Support Services (EO MPSS), Mrs Tracelyn Hamilton. Reading is key as it supports learning across the curriculum and impacts not only on children’s ability to learn academic and technical skills but also their capacity to acquire life skills required for human success in the world. Teaching of Reading professional development training will also be offered to secondary school teachers in the lower forms of secondary school.
The Assessment Unit of the Department of Education is staffed by Education Officer Assessment, Ms Deavene Guishard and Assessment Officer, Ms Ayisha Bellot who jointly conducted the Assessment Training. Student assessment occurs across the curriculum that is in every subject area. Assessment is key to determine students’ abilities and very importantly to identify what are student’s needs or the areas in which students need support. When effectively executed, assessment enables educators to plan for and provide the assistance students require to achieve various educational goals.
Two other areas will also receive attention this week. These are English as a Second Language (ESL) support for mainstream teachers and Information Communication Technology (ICT) training. Education Office MPSS, Mrs Tracelyn Hamilton, will lead the ESL training. The ICT training will be conducted by Technology Integration Coach, Mrs Khonn Hazell-Fleming for teachers of two primary schools namely the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School and the Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School. These two schools are next in line for the roll out of ‘Project Inspire’, which is the technology integration project that was piloted at the Orealia Kelly Primary School in the past academic year.
Professional Development remains key to the mandate of the Department of Education as laid out in the Education Development Plan 2020-2025 and the Teacher Quality Policy.
