Calls for more training, better support for teachers

A call is being made for greater investment in teacher training institutions, with Dr Ashburn Pinnock, president of The Mico University College, arguing that while teacher preparation is evolving, it is not always keeping pace with the complexities of the modern classroom.

“In fact, over the last 30 years, our investment in teacher education has not been on par with the demand and the development. And that’s where some of the gaps you will find, where some programmes still emphasise theory over adaptive practice, leaving new teachers underprepared for behavioural, cultural, and resourceful constraints,” he said.

Adamant that this needs to be addressed, Pinnock also noted that mentorship and induction support for new teachers are often inconsistent, especially in under-resourced schools.

“When you send a new teacher to a high or primary school in Jamaica, whether urban or rural, the principal and the teachers are struggling to find resources to teach and they don’t have time to guide and to mentor teachers,” he said.

Further, he said the rapid development of artificial intelligence is outpacing school administrators’ ability to provide professional development for in-service teachers.

He made the assertions on Monday at the Jamaica Teaching Council fireside chat, hosted in observance of World Teachers’ Day.

The event examined how Jamaica prepares, supports, develops, trusts and values teachers, and explored necessary changes as education responds to a rapidly changing world.

Pinnock noted that, for more than a decade, The Mico University College has required all teachers-in-training to complete special education courses, regardless of their area of specialisation.

He said the policy ensures that graduates are prepared for the evolving demands of the profession.

“We are expanding our focus on social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practice and inclusive education, and reflecting on diverse needs. For example, all our students will have to do at least three, nine credits of special education courses,” he said.

He noted that the institution has also ensured that its 2,200 students are exposed to data literacy and differentiated instruction, which he said helps them use assessments to gain results that guide instruction.

The integration of technology into the school’s instruction is also integral.

“We have to now inform our pedagogy to ensure that AI (artificial intelligence) tools in teacher preparation are blended in the instruction and to ensure that the technology-rich environment is achieved,” he said. He, however, admitted that more investment is needed in this area.

Meanwhile, former Education Minister Ronald Thwaites contended that the professional organisation of teachers does not seem willing to address the “self-imposed difficulties” facing the profession, both in terms of training adequacy and classroom performance.

“I believe that there is tremendous scope for us to have change emerge from the base – from the base of the classroom, from the base of the teachers’ colleges. Do not expect radical change, systemic change to come from the top. I can tell you that without fear of rebuttal,” he said.

Teachers in small island developing states like Jamaica are facing acute pressures from climate disruption, displacement and migration, according to Eric Falt, UNESCO regional director for the Caribbean.

Falt noted that the world is currently facing a global teacher crisis, with only 107 million teachers worldwide. He asserted that there will be a need for an additional 50 million teachers by 2030.

He also expressed shock at the rate of migration of Jamaican teachers.

“Jamaica trains them, and then they go; they’re essentially poached by other countries to go teach other children, where there’s a big need for teachers in Jamaica itself,” he said.

Despite the challenges within the sector, Linvern Wright, principal of William Knibb Memorial High School in Trelawny, called for teachers to understand their role and remain clear in their purpose to succeed in today’s environment.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com