Three members of the Canadian Teaching Federation (CTF) are assisting the Anguilla Teachers’ Union (ATU) in conducting a series of workshops for teachers at primary and secondary levels over a two-week period which began on Monday, July 12.

Canadian Teachers and Senior Anguillian Education Officials

The team leader is Dana Kosowick of Fort Francis, Ontario, who said she was looking forward to working with the Anguilla Teachers’ Union to build capacity and to help bring the different initiatives from the Canadian Teaching Federation to the island. The other two members of the visiting team are Kim Chichak of Edmonton, Alberta, who teaches critical thinking; and French language teacher, Jacques Gagman, from a small island on the Arctic coast. Ms. Kosowick, who has skills in classroom management and information technology, has brought some useful materials which she previously used in summer workshops twice before in the Caribbean area: in St. Vincent in 2007 and 2008.

“CTF realises the importance of education for all children who have the right to learn and deserve that quality education,” Ms. Kosowick told reporters at a press conference announcing their arrival. “CTF is sending teachers from across Canada into thirteen different countries this summer to help different federations and unions to provide that quality education.”

Anguilla's teachers at workshop with Canadian facilitators

She noted that Canadian teachers had been coming to Anguilla for a number of years to assist with teacher education. “CTF honours its partnerships with different organisations in the Caribbean and throughout the world, helping to build capacity in the unions and school systems,” she added.

Apart from the other areas of the workshop, classroom management is one of the areas being dealt with. It includes such matters as effective and ineffective teachers, the new school year ahead and new changes which could be made in the classroom; and discipline: consequences and rewards.

The Canadian teachers were introduced at the press conference, which included a number of education officials, by Mrs. Candis Niles, Vice President of the Anguilla Teachers’ Union. “We consider this as a really important initiative,” she said. “It is one of the highlights we do as part of our contribution to the professional development of our teachers. We believe that quality education begins with quality teachers and is something that has to be ongoing. We really value this association with CTF as one of the ways of moving this initiative forward and we are hoping that this partnership continues over the years.”

The CTF/ATU workshop will continue until July 23.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News