Dominican teachers have been urged to spend time reflecting and researching to make their output in the class room better.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the annuwl Dominica Association Teachers Association workshop on Thursday Assistant Chief Education Officer Dr. Jeffrey Blaize, said that teachers rarely reflect on how competent they are.
“As teachers we rarely reflect on our delivery or competence,” he stated. “We don’t interrogate our knowledge and skills with a view of improvement in other words we continue with the status quo. Gone are the days when we could recycle the test and recycle the lesson plans and expect quality students; that doesn’t work anymore. Teachers need to be equipped with a repertoire of skills, strategies so that students can improve.”
Blaize added that teachers should place premium on the art of reflection.
“There are many critical types of reflection, the most critical would be reflection in action where you are reflecting on what you do while you are teaching,” he stated. “Is it really working for me as a teacher is it working for the students? Are they really getting it? And many times we deliver lessons and at the end of the day we say our students don’t get but maybe we did not teach it as we should have.”
Blaize noted further that at some point Dominican teachers will have to be licensed, registered and reregistered based on competence and professional knowledge. He encouraged teachers to do research so that they would better be able to add value to learning.
In the meantime, President of Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) Celia Nicholas revealed that the DAT, Ministry of Education, Canadian Teachers’ Federation summer workshop is fast approaching 25 years of operation.
“The quality of education which DAT is an advocate off is all embracing in character and extends beyond the confines of a classroom to the track and field of the discipline of sport,” she said. “DAT has done well for teachers and students of the Commonwealth of Dominica. We will continue to do better especially if salary negotiations are successful.”
She urged teachers to be proud of what they have chosen to do.
There are few questions I would like to ask as an observer.
1. Why does it take so long to appoint teachers?
2. Why is it that a teacher who has a degree and trained should be called an unqualified temporary teacher?
3. Why are there no graduate positions in primary schools?
4. When will teachers get a decent salary and a stipend to decorate their classes (MOE officials always want to see a decorated classroom)?
5. Why are experienced, qualified teachers bypassed when there is an opening for a principal position, and the job is given to people who are clueless as to how to run a school? All they do is sleep sleep sleep all day smh.
6. How many of you all in the MOE can teach a class?
Pay them more money
and they will reflect
While I do support Dr. Blaize’s suggestion that ” Dominican teachers will have to be licensed, registered and re-registered based on competence and professional knowledge”, It is almost laughable that this is still merely a thought in 2014. Is teaching a newly established profession in Dominica? But I recently learned from the “CEO” at a workshop hosted by the ministry of education that the position of vice principal at any school is not an established position and that plans have been afoot for quite a while to have that position established. I guess if has taken so many years and the plans are still afoot, Dr. Blaize’s thought might remain a thought for a very long time. I often wonder what is happening in this white building on Cornwall street.
More vocational programs need to be implemented instead of the usual ones each year. Programs such as cake decorating, sewing, tailoring, etc… In that way teachers can use the skills learnt to earn an income over the summer to buy working clothes since they do not get funds like the nurses and policemen to make or buy their work clothes. Next, what about health insurance for teachers? They are exposed to diseases in the classroom. What about an increase in salaries for the hard work that they do? Teachers give and give but do not get. Seems like everyone has forgotten the teachers!!! Who will speak or take a stand for the teachers for the betterment of all teachers???
I sincerely hope that gone are the days when the so-called smartest child in the class would become the teacher’s helper and before you know what, they themselves teachers. Like I said I am from the old school, this could have changed a long time ago.
I wonder if that person who commented on recruitment in private and government assisted schools knows what he/she is talking about. Great effort and sacrifices are made to assist our Dominican students to become productive men and women of society and its not just academically but to become well rounded individuals. Some of the schools get ZERO assistance from government and we still do our best with our DOMINICAN students.
I wonder if that person who spoke of recruitment in Private and government assisted schools know what they are talking about. They have no idea of the amount of work that is done and the huge sacrifices that are made to try to give our Dominican students a sound education and helping them to become well rounded individuals in society . Some of the schools get ZERO assistance from the government.
Concerned Citizen
What did Dr Blaize say that was wrong? Please tell me.
@% though your comments are your personal views and i humbly respect them you have absolutely no clue as to what you are speaking about. A person’s life choices are theirs to make and as far as i am concerned and have sufficient knowledge the dominica code of ethics and 1997 education act have empowered the principals and MOE to deal effectively with these issues and breaches but you must understand that young men are less inclined and interested in this female dominated proffession. The authorities are more prone to hire women VAGI power we call it. and besides the pay is in no way encouraging only women can stand these figures. Finally, the MOE officials need to quit blaming teachers who work tirelessly to get our students to achieve without an ounce of thanks. WHEn we stay at schools all 12 midnight and beyound frustrated by EMIS and the constant paperwork of attendance and the likes fix the system and for his own knowledge ask DR Blaize to do a survey and see how many teachers are in training.
@concerned If only you had just half a brain, you would have given Thumbs Up to the comment by %. Now it is up to the Ministry of Education to come up with alternative ways of ATTRACTING MALES INTO THE SERVICE. Do you know the number of co-educational schools we have on island? Do you know the amount of serious brawls and fights that some of these males get involved in? What they carry ohn them? How they bully some of the female teachers. You obviously do not know! We just cannot allow our Males to snub the teaching service service.
I think the comment by % is one that needs SERIOUS AND URGENT consideration.
IT’S A BRILLIANT COMMENT. WE NEED MORE MALE TEACHERS!.
Well for your information i am more knowledgeable on this topic than you will ever be but you missed my point men are not interested and they are less inclined to be selected by the DR BLAIZE if you think its a lie ask any EO or person working in the white building who gets the teaching positions or any position for that matter. Acting like you know so much … Fool!
Every year is the same thing with the Ministry of Education and criticisms of teachers who work hard. Get off your horse and come down into the classroom.
@D/can Will they be able to do the job? About 99.999% of them were miserable teachers, who ran away from the classroom.
I agree none of these Education Officers can teach a class at the goodwill secondary, PCSS or DGS so tell them wheel and come again.
The teachers in Dominica need to be paid properly by this labour administration that are in the office enriching themselves and not giving a damn about anyone else! then Celia can come chat all her garbage to the teachers. She just like to defend this skerrit character and not do her job which is fight for the teachers not to come and say the government dont have money! Wicked bastard!
So many expectations but what are the teacher’s expectations from the moe.
@Anonymous WORK WORK AND MORE WORK.
Do you have any teacher in Skerrit’s National Employment Progranmme (NEP), at your school? These people just come around, form the fool, and get more money than you.
Great admonition by Dr Blaize!
Dr. Jeffrey Blaize you and the ministry of Education need to change the bs of paying teachers on positions available and not based on their qualifications. so you mean to tell me a teacher with a bse getting the same amount of money as one with an associate’s degree? they should stop paying you for your doctorate.
What did Dr Blaize say that was wrong? Please tell me.
Dr. Blaize and the Ministry of Education do not pay teachers. If you are a teacher, you should know better.
The recruitment of teachers needs to be done properly. Some schools especially the private and government assisted gives someone a job and not necessarily recruits a “teacher”
Really i don’t know how much i should commend for this comment!!!!!. Most of these teachers are not role models. Some smoke, drind heavily, use the ‘F’ word whenever and wherever, come to school late, lack basic knowledge, lazy in performing their duties, etc. Something is DEFINITELY WRONG at the recruitment stage. IS IT POLITICS!!!! If it is, it is a contributing factor in the destruction of our YOUNG MINDS!
SHAME ON THESE RECRUITERS! why not perform you all work creditably???????
While i am at it, for years i have also been advocating that the Ministry of Education embark on a serious plan to attract more MALES (deserving males) into the service, but ALAS the status quo continues. Guess ia am a ‘nobody’ to give advice. I am in no position to tell you all how this should be done, what i can say is that, in many many many schools, we need more MALE FIGURES, and ROLE MODELS!!!!!!
SHAME ON THOSE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION , who are like blind bats, and cannot see that pressing and urgent need!!!!!
GREAT SHAME INDEED!
My Comments are never on the flattery side!!!
HOW LONG?
NOT LONG!
Your comment suggests that you have absolutely no idea what happens in private or government assisted schools.