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September 2017
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The greatest classroom I have ever witnessed was a garage. At the mechanic's in Cunupia, waiting for the car, I saw outstanding students. Young, male, from low-income backgrounds; they fit the type. The type that under-performs, drifts into delinquency, fades out of the school system. But here they were, eyes fixed under the hood or beneath the body of an elevated vehicle, following the commands of the senior mechanic (a young man himself), accepting his teaching and good-natured scolding. Best of all they had that look of quiet confidence. Why shouldn't they? They were being taught a subject they enjoyed, in a method that worked, for a career-ready skill, by a teacher they respected. How different from the conventional school experience. “I believe it’s time to teach efficiently,” says Dr. Lodge McCammon in one of his keynote addresses to a room full of educators. It's a very different type of address. The actual Dr. McCammon is in the audience while his virtual self, recorded by smartphone, speaks to the attendees. He's simultaneously teaching and supervising. He's in two places at once. How efficient is that? On September 29, Dr. McCammon will speak on his innovative teaching methods at the Daaga Auditorium at the St. Augustine Campus for the UWI/Guardian Group Premium Open Lecture. Titled “Ignite the Brain: Is Flipping the Answer?”, the lecture will look at the “Flipped Classroom” teaching method, which uses tools such as video lessons to increase student engagement and learning. The UWI/Guardian Group Premium Open Lecture is a collaborative event of the St. Augustine Campus and the Guardian Group. Starting in 1998, the partnership was formed to promote and support teacher excellence. Reforming the educational system has been a concern of policymakers, educators and citizens for several decades. Progress has been uneven. In early 2016, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, stated that “our education system is failing, in so far as what we are really achieving is putting our children through school and not educating them.” He said the mindset was one of valuing “certification” over education. Another major problem identified in the system is low morale and performance among teachers. Earlier this year it was reported that in 2015, over 480,000 “minutes of lateness” by teachers were recorded in schools in Port of Spain and environs. Officials point to teacher tardiness and absenteeism as a major contributor to poor academic performance and even violence in schools. One of the major aspects of the flipped classroom method is that it engages teachers as well as students. “Teaching is a noble pursuit that provides a citizen the chance to make a significant and lasting contribution to society. It’s sometimes difficult to find purpose on a planet with seven billion souls but every minute in the classroom presents an opportunity to inspire a love of learning. This inspiration is the primary element needed for building our future,” says McCammon. Developed in the 1990s, the flipped classroom strategy switches the traditional paradigm of teaching in class and homework at home. Through recorded or online teaching, students receive instruction outside of the classroom and use class time for more proactive and engaging work. The “McCammon Method” of “flipped teacher training” has three components. Firstly, all lectures are recorded and made available online, allowing students to watch them any time, as many times as they want. Secondly, students are required to form groups and teach the content themselves. Thirdly, students are made to move around during class, not remain stationary at their desks. “These three strategies create an efficient and active learning environment,” Dr. McCammon says. The method, he says, saves valuable class time, captures the attention of students and teaches them more effectively, and provides greater accountability for teachers, who now have easily accessible video records of their work. His method has been well-received. McCammon works with school districts, universities, non-profits and businesses, in areas such as curriculum development and training, in the US. These include Rutgers University, Microsoft Inc., and Discovery Education, the digital education division of the same company as the Discovery Channel. He is also a classically trained musician and uses music as a component of his teaching methods. But can this approach be used to improve our education system with its deeply embedded cultural inertia and colonial-era practices? “I certainly hope so,” he says. “I look forward to meeting with a variety of educators in T&T to have rich discussions about how they may be able to modify the instructional strategies to address these challenges.” Apart from his lecture, Dr. McCammon's visit to Trinidad and Tobago will also include a workshop with local educators. Of the lecture itself he says: “My workshops and speeches are quite active. I frequently ask the audience/educators to discuss the teaching methods so they can generate a better understanding about what modifications need to be in place for the innovation to be used in their classrooms. This also gives me a chance to participate in their conversations.” Perhaps, working together, and with the necessary social and political will, they can find solutions. Children, despite their circumstances, can be educated. They can enjoy the process of learning. They can find a career and lead productive lives. But you have to fix the educational system. What's needed is the right mechanics. Joel Henry is a writer and editor. |
