African/Mayan studies extended to younger students
African and Mayan studies: Since last year it’s been a reality for older primary school students. Today I looked in on a session that’s charting a course for teaching the new curriculum to younger students.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
For the past three days, education officials from all over the country have been involved in strategy sessions at the Belize City House of Culture in preparation for a series of intensive workshops planned for August, to teach Belizean primary school teachers how to integrate African and Mayan studies into their course modules.
Dr. Aondofe Iyo, Training Facilitator
?It?s a big task and it?s even more difficult because we don?t have time, we don?t have much resources. You have two people, one person handling Africa, and we have about two thousand plus teachers to reach during the August workshops.?
According to Training Facilitator Dr. Aondofe Iyo, the project found success in the standard five and six classrooms in the last school year, but since child friendly resource material will not be available to the younger students, extra encouragement for the teachers has come in the form of educational videos, discussion groups, and a handbook.
Luisa Pena, Corozal Curriculum Officer, Min. of Education
?It has intrigued most of the teachers, brought out their interest in knowing more about the Mayan civilisation and knowing more about the African civilisation. It was quite difficult for teachers because the information was not so easy to get here in our country. But from last year, the teachers they are getting more interested in knowing more about this project, this history, about this civilisation and how it affects us and is affecting us here in our country.?
Moises Martinez, Teacher, Benque Viejo del Carmen
?It?s very, very interesting. The video gives you an insight into the history and it?s much more wealth for us, a wealth of knowledge because then we are being prepared better so as to have a broader concept of the whole programme of African and Mayan history.?
?Teachers want to be more informed of the programme, they want to have, as I said, a better idea of the whole programme is about, but students are really into it.?
Dr. Aondofe Iyo
?Once we are able to empower the teachers and they become confident enough, they will be able to do the job very efficiently. In the upper division, we were able to produce books for the children; it helped them that a lot because the children actually became the agents of change. The children read, and loved what they read, and so prompted their teachers to teach them. This time around we have only teacher handbooks, so we have to empower the teachers enough because they won?t have the children driving them crazy anymore, so we have to make sure they become confident. Once they get adequate information, adequate teacher resources, they?d be able to do a better job.?
Teacher enthusiasm will play a major role in the smooth transition of the African and Mayan into every Belizean classroom. And according to Dr. Iyo, coming up with creative opportunities to present the important information is easy, with a little planning.
Dr. Aondofe Iyo
?If you are teaching on ancient civilizations, you have ancient Americans, ancient Africa, ancient Asia, you can select a topic on Africa, a topic on the Americas, you can select a topic on Asia and therefore have a better coverage. The child would be broadened his or her perspective in their understanding of the world in which he or she lives.?
The first teacher training workshop will be held in Corozal Town on August first for educators from the Corozal and Orange Walk districts. They will be followed by sessions in other parts of the country.
