TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED by Minister of Education Ronald Jones not to throw away their curriculum material for the Common Entrance Examination, popularly referred to as the 11-Plus.
Jones has urged teachers from Roland Edwards, Sharon and St Lawrence primary schools to collate that material and produce “a lovely compilation of a workbook” in mathematics.
Speaking yesterday at The Savannah Hotel during the launch of a comprehensive infant-level workbook (age six to seven) published by Pelican Learning Inc. and sponsored by the Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union, Jones asked: “Where is all the material (Class 4 work) that the teachers have produced from this year’s 11-Plus exam?
“Teachers have provided plenty of curriculum material and it should not go to waste.”
The workbook’s author, 26-year-old Shannah Daisley, said Pelican Learning was committed to developing literacy resources. There was need for such a publication, she said, as there were few comprehension books that catered to six- and seven-year-olds.
Daisley said she wanted students to understand and enjoy what they read in an “exciting and interesting manner”.
Jones reminded the gathering of school principals and teachers about the importance of reading.
“Adults who cannot read risk becoming isolated from society. Illiteracy affects their ability to find jobs, their self-esteem and ultimately their very survival.
“Even though their physical survival may not depend on knowing how to read a book, children do gain skills for coping with life when they learn to interact with text,” he said.
The Minister of Education felt some classrooms were too stiff and needed to change.
“I firmly believe that teachers must make reading fun. They must help our young readers explore with text in a meaningful way. We don’t want our classrooms to be noisy, but to be active.”
Jones said that books must now coexist with modern technologies such as the iPod PS3, TST, GameCube or X-box. He said these technologies have replaced the Ladybird Books, the Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew in capturing the attention of young children.
“Parents and others would, however, do well to inspire the habit of readng in children from a very young age by using reading as an opportunity for family interaction, discussion and uplifting experiences,” he said. (MK)