Chief Education officer Stephenson Hyacinth is hoping that a just concluded ICT training workshop will help the Ministry of Education achieve the vision of “every child succeeds.”
Speaking at a function to end the two-week workshop, Hyacinth suggested that “education without ICT is no education at all,” pointing out that teachers should implement certain policies to encourage learning in light of what they themselves were taught.
“Look at the policies that you develop in terms of giving grades, look at the policies that you adapt in terms of the groupings that you make and make sure that the policies (are) in sync with what you have learnt. If it is not, you should change it,” he stated.
He said that teachers should not be afraid to change their practices and even went as far as telling teachers that they should allow their students to use their cell phones as a method of learning. According to him, the cell phone can be effective in the classroom.
Meanwhile Tedd Serrant, Senior Education planning officer introduced the idea of a “one laptop per child” program. He said that this programme is still undergoing investigations whereby the strengths and weaknesses are being discovered.
He said structures are being put in place to ensure the proper monitoring of the laptops and the students who use them, however, in the interim it will be piloted in two schools. This program will help ensure that students are exposed, have access to and can use a computer, he stated.
Aretha Francis, an integrated Science teacher of the Dominica Grammer School, told Dominca News Online that she was grateful for the workshop and is looking forward to using what she was taught in her classroom. Francis contends that the first step towards moving ICT forward in Dominica is getting students their own personal laptop as she believes that they will need the computers to practice what they are taught.
63 teachers from across the island were on Friday presented with certificates after participating in the workshop.
As far as I know, some teachers came away from the workshop fired up and ready to embrace the new methods delivered and taught,I know several who are making modules on Moodle etc for their students to use as a self check for learning.
Others present used their time in front of a computer wisely… on Facebook and looking at clothes.
Teachers should be paid commensurate with education, and bonuses given to those who excel at their craft, if you don’t have a teaching certificate of competence (especially some people teaching 1st grade), you should be removed. Making exams easier to ensure all your class pass is not an answer.
You are the example the student looks up to, being late for school, and lassez faire with the objectives of reading writing and simple math does nothing for the child later in school. Parents should take a more active role at home too.
My experience is that there are teachers in the classrooms that are not qualified to teach. They have no credentials or training in inter-personal relations or managing a classroom without the threat of violence (discipline!!??) being in play. You say the teachers are afraid of the students … well Sir! When violence is the method used to control children, how can anyone expect those same children to exhibit Self Control in any situation, including the classroom. The students have been taught that control comes from outside themselves, (ie. police, threats of being beaten and actually being beaten) so why is anyone surprised that they are violent themselves. Then there is the style of teaching by “Rote” … repeat, repeat, repeat until it soaks in without any real effort on the students part. The academic achievement is limited to a very few students who have the determination to overcome a shoddy education and become successful in spite of it. You can talk until your face turns blue, but the fact remains – education in Dominica is sorely lacking, at best. The entire academic community needs to take a good look in the mirror.
Remember Hyacinth is not in the classroom you know, so he can talk nonsense until he drop dead..
Finally some words of wisdom from an education official who is willing to take the students of Dominica into the
21st century.the banning of cellphones in schools was the silliest policy that the ministry of eduction ever instituted.
We just hope that Mr Hyacinth can convince his colleagues and superiors to reverse the present policy in time for the new school year.
Using cell phones in the classroom Mr Hyacinth, are you aware of the implications of your words? Think again sir. ICT workshops are always informative and interactive. The Canadians always do a great job. It is a pity that private schools like ours do not get the resources like laptops etc when they are being distributed by the powers that be.
This man does not even know the type of students who are attending some of the Government owned schools. Cell phones in the classrom with these students is not advisable.
I looked at some of the so called young teachers supporting this thing, and they are the ones who cannot even tell a male student to “Pull up your Pnats”……Mr Hyacinth you believe that these teachers will be able to control what the students do with the cellphones in the classroom?
PAPA BAT!
Wish when principals meet in September they shelve this idea put forward by Mr Hyacinth.While it can work in some classes/schools, in some U.S.E Schools,this will add a lot of fuel to the myriad of problem already existing in the school system that Hyacinth and company cannot put a dent to.
There is a policy set by the Ministry of Education concerning the use of cell phones in classes for both students and teachers. Is this policy being put aside? What has the Principal Association have to say about that? Or the DAT? Let us hope that the schools’authority is not being undermined.
Already the Ministry of Education CANNOT deal with the violent behaviour that’s occuring in the classroom on a daily basis, but they are compounding it by asking students to use the cellphone in the classroom. Sometimes you really have to ask yourself if these people really care for the students as they hypocritically pretend.
Mr Hyacinth they will use the cellphone to text,to call each other, to cheat,to look at pornography and to listen to all the violence preaching music, the gangstar music. Remember what we have is Universal Secondary Education.
Many of the young teachers ARE AFRAID of the students in our schools. Many will not be men or women enough to GUIDE AND CONTROL what the cellphone will be used for.
Don’t ask what will happen when students steal each others cell. I pray teachers don’t get in the line of fire…
Most of the students will not use the cellphone as a method of learniong sir.
DO YOU ALL SO CALLED TECHNOCRATS IN THIS LAZY Ministry of Education REALLY CARE?
what non-sense use of cell phone in the class room when a teacher can not use her cell phone i really wonder where are we haedin to
the teachers who really needs to be trained arre never given the opportunity. all teachers should be trained because all teachers are expected to to teach IT.some are trained while others are there like they are not worthy yet we all are in the class room and expected to work miracles
Alright. Don’t study. Put the answers on your cellphone and since cellphones are allowed during class, then you can copy the answers off your cellphone. Oh and feel free to text and chat while the teacher is speaking. SMH.
This was one of the best summer workshops I have ever attended. Thanks for the Canadians who made this worth going to sessions during my summer break. Not only did we receive useful and interesting information great tokens. Thanks to the ministry for welcoming these tutors to our homeland.
“teachers that they should allow their students to use their cell phones as a method of learning. According to him, the cell phone can be effective in the classroom.”
Alas, the operative word here is “can”.Realistically speaking, that s asking for trouble.