When I tell my friends and family that I go to Barbados to work with the Ministry of Education, the looks usually tell a story of disbelief. “Work? Yeah, right” – is the answer as they picture me sitting under a palm tree looking at the sea. After all - Barbados is known as a top tourist destination in the Caribbean. Few people know that Barbados is more than blue water and … [Read more...] about More than Beaches: Diving into Barbados’ Education System
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Girls = Boys. Changing gender stereotypes in STEAM
Be discreet, smile more, soccer is for boys, play with this doll, don’t raise your voice, be a lady, eat a salad, girls are better at reading. Although women in Latin America and the Caribbean have advanced a lot in the past quarter century – gaining equal access to schooling and increasing their participation in politics and the labor market – kids are still raised with … [Read more...] about Girls = Boys. Changing gender stereotypes in STEAM
The Timelessness of a Good Teacher
My daughter, AnnaMaria, recently finished 4th grade. She loved her teacher, Ms. Margi, because she made learning fun. That got me thinking. My 4th grade teacher was my favorite teacher too, Miss Guertin. Why? She made learning fun. So, I wrote her a letter that evolved into a candid and heartfelt conversation about teachers. She co-authors this blog. … [Read more...] about The Timelessness of a Good Teacher
JADENKÄ – where mathematics and culture meet
The day we visited the San Juan School in the Chiriqui province of Panama, the preschool students were laughing, dancing and singing. But their play was not unstructured; it followed a well-researched pedagogical sequence. These students are part of a new bilingual and intercultural preschool program called Ari Taen JADENKÄ (Let’s Count and Play, in Ngäbere) that helps children … [Read more...] about JADENKÄ – where mathematics and culture meet
Teachers without borders
Written in February 2016 to express the potential of the Pacific Alliance to improve effective learning in Latin America. When reading this article imagine it is the year 2030. It is the year 2030, teachers and knowledge run without borders along the highways, and facilities built in four countries, spearheading similar initiatives across the region. We have teachers from the … [Read more...] about Teachers without borders