JIS: Three hundred primary school teachers from Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands and Belize are expected to gather at the annual three-day mathematics training workshop, Amazing Math Powers (AMP), from August 21-23 at the Shortwood Teachers’ College in Kingston.
The event, aimed at sharpening the mathematics instruction skills of the participants, will include lectures by local master educators as well as Scholastic Programme Implementation and Professional Development Specialist Kelly Lim from Singapore; and Puerto Rican Educator, Trainer and Senior Manager, Miguel Melendez.
Since 2017, Book Merchant Limited (BML), an agent of the United States-based Scholastic International, has been staging the workshop in Jamaica.
Chief Executive Officer of BML, Sharon Elliott, told JIS News that the workshop will focus on the Singaporean model of teaching mathematics, which has been adopted for use locally.
She explained that the model utilises the PR1ME Mathematics for Success Course book and Practice book series that contain the essentials for children to excel at the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) assessments from grades four to six.
PR1ME Mathematics for Success books are 100 per cent aligned to the National Standards Curriculum and are approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.
At a press briefing on the results of the 2019 PEP assessment, Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Education, Hon. Karl Samuda, said that 40 per cent of the cohort demonstrated proficiency or advanced proficiency in mathematics.
Prime Mathematics for Success is designed to rapidly increase proficiency when used by trained instructors.
Ms. Elliott pointed out that in addition to technical instructions, other sessions include ‘Amazing Smiles: Promoting Oral Health through Education’, with the Ministry of Health and Wellness Dental Consultant, Dr. Hillary Jones; and ‘Social Emotional Learning’, with licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Rose Johnson.
The Amazing Math Powers workshop is being staged in partnership with Shortwood Teachers’ College and the Jamaica Teaching Council. It is sponsored by JMMB Bank, Pathways to Psychological Mastery and Wellness, Sangster’s Bookstore, Bookzone, Scholastic and the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
For further information, persons may contact BML at 876-946-0926 or email [email protected].