Fulbright Specialist Math Educator Joins SVGCC Team

THE ST Vincent & the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) now has among its faculty, renowned mathematics- teaching educator Professor Robert “Bob” Cunningham, as the College looks to improve the quality of math specialisation graduates from its Division of Teacher Education.

Director of the SVGCC, Nigel Scott, welcomed Cunningham’s presence at the institution by stating “Prof. Cunningham’s stint at the SVGCC will be of great significance to the mathematics teaching landscape, not just here at the College but also at a national level as our graduates from the Division of Teacher Education move on to classrooms all across St Vincent and the Grenadines where they impact the lives of Vincentian students”.

Scott continued “Mathematics has long posed a challenge to our youth across the Caribbean; however, we are hopeful that Professor Cunningham’s innovative teaching approach towards the subject would bring a much needed boost to our students”. Cunningham’s time at the institution is made possible through the Fulbright fellowship programme. He intends to integrate research-based strategies utilised at his home institution (The College of New Jersey) into the curriculum at the SVGCC in hopes of promoting global excellence in the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Through funds provided by his fellowship, Cunningham has already purchased “manipulatives” – physical objects used as teaching tools to engage students in the hands-on learning of mathematics – which he intends to leave in the possession of the institution. He has enjoyed working with the student teachers at SVGCC and those placed in local schools. Cunningham will complete his programme at the end of April 2020.