Teacher Faciliators Prepare for Belize Summer Workshops

24 teachers from across District 5370 communities and District 5360 met for the first of two days of preparation for summer 2010 workshops in Belize.

The four priorities identified by Belize Ministry officials include:

GOAL ONE: CAPS - A FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION

• Recognize the essential elements in effective instruction to inform teacher planning with effective pedagogy in the areas of CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT, PYRAMID OF INTERVENTIONS AND SPIRITUALITY.

GOAL TWO: BALANCED LITERACY

• Identify essential knowledge and skills to implement a balanced literacy approach in teaching in all primary classrooms (pre K – grade 8)

• Expand awareness of the value of a basic understanding of literacy by all teachers.

• Explore possibilities to strengthen existing literacy approaches in Belize.

GOAL THREE: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

• Identify effective strategies for managing student behavior with classroom management skills at the school and classroom level that honors the new legislation on corporal punishment and the work of the Belize task force on this area.

GOAL FOUR: STRATEGIC PLANNING (PRINCIPALS) OR PLANNING FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION (LEARNING COACHES)

• Awareness and development of purposeful planning strategies, involving all stakeholders, to focus on a manageable number of initiatives for increasing student achievement utilizing appropriate strategies and measures.

Next meeting will be held June 5th. Containers of school and workshop supplies, computers and resources collected to support teaching and learning will be shipped via container early June. Donations are welcome.

Thanks to Rotarians Jennifer Lawley, Lynne Paradis (Red Deer) and Donna Barrett