Pathlight Prepares Teachers and Administrators for the New School Year

For the first time in ten years, an annual teacher training conference, previously organized and held in the west, was hosted at the Radisson in Belize City. Pathlight has been working along with the Ministry of Education for years to help develop successful educators, knowing that well-equipped teachers and administrators are crucial to student success. Over the week, these stakeholders have been getting a refresher course to prepare them for the upcoming school year; thanks to the support from the International Rotary Club of Seven Springs in Florida and the Sunrise Rotary Club of Belize. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Many teachers in Belize struggle to do their best despite a lack of classroom resources and a lack of training. Administrators and teachers across the country and elsewhere also face similar challenges as educators. Well since Tuesday, over a hundred teachers and principals from pre, primary and secondary schools converged at the Radisson in Belize City for a four-day training conference to further develop their skills when planning for the upcoming school year and to better prepare for the classroom.

Nilda Muschamp

Nilda Muschamp, Associate Teacher Trainer, Pathlight

“Most of the things that we come and share with them is nothing new for them, but we are here with a bank of activities, strategies that they can use everyday—strategies that are meaningful and relevant to the Belizean setting and that they can whenever they are doing their delivery.   We have sessions every day that are focused on helping administrators. So we have some friends from America who are with us throughout the four days and they are working on how to assist administrators: creating an improvement plan, how do you go about delivering and making sure it happens in your school.”

Ruby Reyes is a triple major teacher of Caribbean History, Geography and Social Studies at Saint Catherine Academy. She says that it gives them an opportunity to learn how to reach out to administrators, parents and students to address some of the issues within the classrooms.

Ruby Reyes

Ruby Reyes, Participant

“It has been quite different from trainings that I have done before. This one is more holistic in his approach. It covers discipline…not discipline, but classroom management rather than discipline. It covers differentiated learning so we are learning different techniques to cater to different learners in the classroom. And I think most importantly, we’ve learnt how to incorporate technology in the classroom. I mean Belize being a small country, we haven’t been using technology as much in the classroom as we should but taking this workshop has really enlightened me on how I can bring the outside world into the classroom and make it more fund and interactive for our students.”

Meanwhile, Vice Principal at Georgetown Technical High School in Stann Creek says that some of the issues are common-place across high schools and the conference gives them strategies that can be readily implemented to address them.

Modesto Chiac

Modesto Chiac, Vice Principal, Georgetown Technical High School

“One of the things that I’ve learnt today is addressing root causes and interventions that we can do with the teachers as well as the students.”

Duane Moody

“Is there anything that you guys can put in almost immediately as you get back to the classrooms?”

Modesto Chiac

“Yes of course the classroom management plan and putting interventions in place before the school begins. Those are the things that we have dealt with so far.”

The theme for this year’s training conference is “Going from Good to Great.” Duane Moody for News Five.