Video: Panel Discussion On Education
[Updated with video] Bernews will be hosting a News & Views panel discussion at around noon on Wednesday [March 20] with former Education Permanent Secretary Ellen-Kate Horton, co-host of Teacher Talk Tamicia Darrell, and CedarBridge Academy PTSA President Richelene Woolridge set to discuss the education system in Bermuda.
The trio will be discussing the matter with journalist Don Burgess, and we will update this article with the live video at around noon on Wednesday, or you can keep an eye on Bernews Facebook page. We would like to extend our thanks to ‘The House’ co-working space in Hamilton where the filming is taking place!
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the 65-minute replay is below
I hope the main discussion revolves around smaller class sizes (no more than 10) and holding our teacher positions to the highest standards in the world requiring at a minimum a Masters degree. The discussions should focus on what other education systems around the world are the best and how can we emulate them. We have one of the highest standards of living in the world and there is NO excuse for having a public education system less than the best.
Senator Hayward says education is just fine, so what are we doing still talking about it?!?! Hahahaha!! Replace de Dunkleys milk wif titty milk in schools. Duh!!
It is wonderful to hear these three advocates speaking for public schools. Like Ms. Horton I too worked at the Berkeley in early 1980, indeed with her brother Robert. Then I was at Whitney Institute.for the remainder of the 1980′s.
The late 1980′s decision to dismantle five quite successful schools and introduce middle schools with the initially proposed one single secondary school was in my opinion flawed. Interestingly, the Berkeley threatened to go private over this decision resulting in two senior secondary schools. Like Ms. Horton, I joined the civil service and in 2000 worked in the private system for three years. I still support public education having served as Bermuda National Trust Education officer and earlier this term making an assembly presentation at the very good East End Primary school. I am privileged to judge debate and interview for ABIC.
I concur totally with the ladies that there are pockets of excellence in the public school system and the dual enrolment programme is certainly one. At ABIC we are constantly offering scholarship funds to the very best Berkeley and Cedarbridge students. ABIC also has an excellent middle school programme and the Bermuda Education Network Horizons programme offers so much at the P5 level. A friend’s child graduated from Northlands Primary and later Cedarbridge Academy and went on to gain Honours and then Masters degrees in Neuroscience from Dalhousie where she continues to do research in the faculty.
So yes, there is so much to celebrate!
However, there are also pockets of weakness and to truly improve the outcomes for all children, the very best teachers should be asked to support those who are weak and if the weak persons do not improve over a defined period, I believe it is in the interests of the system and children that those weak persons be encourage to find alternate employment.
Teaching is the best job in the world, but, it is not for everyone. Every school needs to be staffed by mainly strong teachers with a smaller cohort of weak ones who are offered support by strong school leaders. This is what the private schools are able to achieve as weaker teachers are encouraged to leave, an option that does not appear to be used in the public system.
Thank you ladies, I wish you well!
You can only educate those who have an insatiable desire to learn.
Is that the method we use? “Teachers” get to decide who has an insatiable desire to learn, based on favoritism for ‘class pets’ and their own limited knowledge of the infinite personality types and learning abilities? Then what, just neglect the rest? No wonder the results are as they are. All children have an insatiable desire to learn, it is instinctual, parents not doing their part, shoddy teaching and mass confusion for an education system are to blame, not the children.