The Caribbean Single Market and Economy - we hear about it every so often in the news, but for most of us, it's just those words "Caribbean Community" inscribed on the top of our passports, and not a tangible reality. But, that might change for high schoolers. Today CARICOM representatives met with high school teachers to provide tips on how to make learning about CSME fun and enjoyable in the classroom. One of the coordinators told us that it is all about capturing the student's attention.
Gordon Yearwood, Coordinator
"What it intends to do is spread the message of CSME and the opportunities that are available to members on the CSME, to critical stakeholders in the whole process. So media persons, persons who are in the work place or who will be employing Caribbean persons. And these particular workshops that I am involved in are focused on teachers because we know that teachers are critical in spreading this message. And we know that the students are the persons who will be living this CSME reality for years to come after we are long gone from the scene."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Tell us about the main message. You talk about spreading the main message of CSME, tell us about the main message that you want to be spread and of course the importance of including teachers into this discussion."
Gordon Yearwood, Coordinator
"Okay, now the main message that we certainly want to focus on in the workshop is that what we try to do is to give teachers information. In some cases teachers do have the information, but unfortunately what we've been finding is that teachers are no different from other Caribbean Persons. They know yes that there is something called CSME, but is not really as much a part of their actual day to day living experience. Now the thing is, Belize does to Caribbean Examinations Council Examinations and it's in the syllabus. CSME integration is in the syllabus, but we see these workshops as an opportunity for teachers to meet, interact and exchange ideas with persons who deal directly with this reality. My role is to show teachers that yes now that you have this information, how you can make it alive for the students. because there's no point giving students a whole 500 pages of rules and origin of regulation, that's not sexy, students aren't going to like that. So what I am focused on is to get teachers to package this information in such a way that is accessible to students, that students can use their own initiative and go do their own research to find out about things that really affect them. Students are interested for example in artists, they like to listen to shaggy and they want to know how easy it is. Suppose I wanted to become a promoter when I leave school, how easy would it be for me to bring an artist from Jamaica to come and perform in Belize? What are the rules and regulations that I will have to be cognizant of? Would the artist be able to move freely to come? Would I have to apply for a special work permit? So things to bring it alive and show students that this is not just something in a text book but that's a part of your life."
Salas Hamilton, Specialist Communications
"It's actually high school teachers we are looking at, and we also have plans to even develop something for a product for primary school students. And that more than likely will be animation. If our primary school students can look at 'Tom and Jerry' or I think now its 'Pepper Pig', over and over again on certain channels, I'm not going to say which channel it is, why can't we do the same things about the story of Belize, the story of Jamaica, the story of Trinidad and Tobago in animation?"
Today was day 2 of a 4 day workshop. Similar workshops were also held in other parts of the Caribbean.
Email
Print