Local TV show designed to improve P.S.E. scores…
Before the latest controversy over teachers doing poorly on tests meant for their students, the major debate surrounding the P.S.E. was why so many standard six students were failing. And to address that problem, one group of educators has been working on a unique solution.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
One goal of the Belize District Association of Primary Principals is to improve students’ performance on the Primary School Examination. According to BDAPP’s President Delarai Sanchez, because children spend a lot of time watching television they decided to use the powerful medium as a teaching tool, particularly in the P.S.E.’s four core subjects of Mathematics, Language, Social Studies, and Science. Sanchez says the initiative will compliment the work that is taking place in the classroom.
Delarai Sanchez, President, BDAPP
“You have visual learners. Children learn by seeing, by doing and hearing, right. With the television they will be seeing and they will be internalising it, you know. They are already doing it at school.”
“Why not use the media, because this is the way things are going right now and children are involved in television and so on and I thought it was a better way. From a long time, I’ve been experimenting at Queen Square with taping shows and showing it, because I believe when children have different methods of learning then the information will remain with them.”
BDAPP has been producing pilot episodes under the guidance of U.S. producers Randolph Stirrup and Marjorie Clarke. Virtually all the local television stations have agreed to air the productions free of cost. Since then, scripts have been written, locations scouted, and actors—Belizean school children—have been auditioned and selected.
Marjorie Clarke, Co-Producer, Media Teaching Shows
“Learning can be fun; the way that the principals have devised these shows is that it engages the children to see themselves and having fun while they are learning.”
The episodes are being shot at various sites across the country. The first two taped are the Math Race Mania and People, Faces and Places. Today, the third pilot episode was shot at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts.
Delarai Sanchez
“This one today is called Challenge Belize. This one is based on having children learn more information about Social Studies and Science.”
Sanchez says the show’s production got off to a slow start, but she is encouraged by the growing support now coming in.
Delarai Sanchez
“But now I need to thank God that people are calling to get on stream. I just came down from Cayo and my phone rang and UNICEF called me and said that they would be interested in hearing more about it, to be on stream and that gave me more motivation to go on. Yes, it is going to happen.”
Following editing of the pilots, they will be used to attract funds for the full production of the T.V. shows.
