Teachers visit Tampa for IB professional development

The ongoing drive towards raising of standards and the professional development of teachers within the Government education system continues, as the system moves closer to adopting the International Baccalaureate certification in our primary schools.

Six George Town Primary and two John A. Cumber Primary teachers visited James B. Sanderlin Elementary School in St. Petersburg, Florida this past month.

The purpose of the visit was to develop a greater understanding of the Primary Years Program (PYP) and to provide an opportunity for both teachers and administrators to analyse the curriculum framework, examine assessment procedures, and explore the learning environment of an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.
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Observations took place over a period of 3 days in which professionals made numerous inquiries of the school’s management, teaching, learning and evaluation procedures. The visit provided an opportunity for educators to exchange ideas and gain knowledge of a transdisciplinary programme for primary school students.

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The really collaborative way of teachers working and planning together between schools really started since the Learning Community concept was set up, and has really helped improve the curriculum planing process. This was a direct result of the 'National Consensus on the Future of Education in the Cayman Islands' and the transformation of the governance model for education.

Adapted from blogs from the Department of Education Services and George Town Primary School. (GL)