The cohesive nature of the education system within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has been made that much stronger with the announcement of the recent release of new study material developed specifically for the subregion.
Named ‘Footprints’, the new text comes complements of Macmillan Education-Caribbean and is geared specifically to primary school students. It amplifies the already extensive portfolio of Macmillan Education-Caribbean materials already in use across the islands.
Footprints is a compilation of four Social Studies textbooks and according to Dr. Cheryl Bernabe Bishop, the title isn’t only relevant to the Caribbean, but it paints a distinctive picture of the richness of Caribbean heritage and culture.
Dr. Bishop, a Grenadian educator for over two decades, will on November 2, 2021, discuss in detail how Footprints will add to the foundational learning of Caribbean youth, via a webinar presentation to regional teachers, other education officials and parents.
She said, “Footprints – the term itself is meaningful and really gives an endurable mark on the child’s mind. It’s truly a signature of our ancestors – from the early arrivals to the coming of the Europeans.”
“Based on that relevancy, I can see students excelling on the four pillars of 21st-century education according to UNESCO, which are Creativity, Collaboration, Communication and Critical Thinking.”
Produced specifically for the OECS education model, Footprints will support both teachers and students on summative and formative platforms, where the teacher becomes more of a facilitator rather a modest means of “talk and chalk”; and the students lean more towards the achievement of independent corporative learning. The four student books are supported by free online Teacher’s Guides.
Dr. Bishop will also discuss how the text has been framed to support the learning of key skills such as critical thinking, evaluation, discussion, and investigations while encouraging collaboration and creativity.
The webinar is open to all teachers across the Caribbean and runs twice on November 2. The first discussion will take place at 7:00 am, with participants registering through the following online portal: https://macmillanic.clickmeeting.com/primary-social-studies-for-the-caribbean-footprints-time-slot-1/register.
It repeats at 3:00 pm, with participants registering for this session using this online portal: https://macmillanic.clickmeeting.com/primary-social-studies-for-the-caribbean-footprints-time-slot-2/register.
The sessions’ facilitator has been a school Principal for over 25 years, having taught at all levels and worked extensively in the development of the education system in Grenada and by extension the OECS region.
She is considered a forward thinker and a lifelong learner who is committed to the pursuit of excellence and is also a champion of educational transformation within and outside of the Caribbean.