Mathematics teachers take to the classroom

Local Mathematics teachers are now more exposed to different ways in which they can use activities and technology to improve on student learning and performance in Mathematics.{{more}}

This is as a result of a two-day workshop conducted by Pearson Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The workshop, took place at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown on September 13 and 14 and saw Mathematics teachers from primary schools throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines participating.

The workshop looked at the use of the revised Math series for Primary Schools: ‘Caribbean Primary Mathematics’. Facilitator of the workshop, Helen Whittaker, said that the main objective was to instruct teachers on how to use the scheme to its best advantage to raise pupil achievement in classrooms. By so doing, she hopes the Ministry of Education will be influenced in putting Gin’s ‘Caribbean Primary Mathematics’ on the curriculum.

The series includes a Pupil book, which forms the main core of the scheme, a Compact Disk (CD) with interactive and animated activities to develop math skills, and a student workbook to be used in the classroom. Whittaker demonstrated how the scheme is to be used, and the teachers were then given activities to complete from the pupil book.

Representative from the Ministry of Education, Bernadette Greaves, said that the workshop will help teachers to integrate technology into the teaching of Mathematics. She said that although Pearson Education is promoting their books, in the interim it gives teachers the opportunity to improve their teaching methodology of mathematics. Greaves said that it was a good workshop, but before any consideration is given to introducing the books, they would first have to be reviewed by the Ministry of Education.

Also participating in the workshop was Kinsley Alexander, Pearson’s representative for Grenada, who helped facilitate the workshop, and Pearson’s local representative Byron Wilson, who served as coordinator.

The teachers were given tips for improving math in the classroom and games that can easily be adapted. Whittaker said that she is pleased with the feedback from the workshop. She said that the results were really positive, and the teachers were keen to get copies of the scheme to use in the schools.

The workshops will also be conducted in Antigua, Dominica and St.Lucia.(DC)