The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Dominica Association of Teachers has officially launched a series of workshops geared towards the professional development of over 90 principals and teachers in the education field.
The series of activities were launched on Monday, July 10th 2017 at the Dominica Grammar School.
Minster for Education, Petter Saint Jean, stated that the workshops play a very vital role in facilitating the learning and teaching process for teachers.
“These workshops are intended to facilitate the teaching, learning process, and bringing in an addition to those organized by the Dominica Association of Teachers with the support from the Ministry of Education,” Saint Jean said.
The workshops last throughout the month of July and encompass areas of development including; training in Information Technology, Physical Education, and Visual Performing Arts.
A team of women versed in Information Technology from Canada is on the island to assist in training and facilitation at the workshops and to come with the’ IT for Dominica’ project, which, according to group representative, Shelly Frasier, been very successful since its inception in Dominica.
Saint Jean noted that the training being provided will extend to both new and well-seasoned teachers as it is important to keep both the new and experienced up to speed.
“Formal teacher training in a tertiary institution is just one step to becoming an effective teacher. Continuous professional training is an imperative for every educator. The emphasis has been on new teachers entering the system, however, it is important to keep training our experienced teachers who have been in the classroom for many years,” he stated.
He believes that it is “particularly important” for school administrators to encourage teachers to engage in professional development to ensure best learning outcomes for students and also to ensure effectiveness in other aspects of their profession.
“Professional development in my mind, keeps teachers up to date on new research on how children learn and emerging technological tools for the classroom, new curriculum resources and the list goes on and on,” he remarked.
He solicited the principals of various primary schools to engage their individual teaching staffs and encourage them to partake in the training as well.
According to Saint Jean, he has been advised that twenty-five administrators and senior teachers participating in the training workshops will complete their Master’s of Science Degree in Education, Leadership and Management at the University of West Indies Open Campus Dominica.
I hope the teachers utilise what they will be learning
Some of them think.is them alone that know..
Mr. ST JEAN you can have workshops upon workshops and you have teachers who have become complacent then workshops make no sense. In adittion when you have vindictive principals whose only mission is to see teachers fail and thus resulting in the failure of students. Mr. St. Jean a complete overhaul is what you need. Just check the south and you will see..
Don’t talk about the principals! Some of them incompetent like fowls and they blaming staff for school failure. Be specific..the south east