Jamaica-born educator to improve teaching in Bermuda

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC -- The Bermuda government has called in a noted Jamaica-born Canadian educator “in demand around the world” to develop plans to upgrade teaching in public schools here free of charge to the island.



Dr Avis Glaze, an adviser to the premier of the Canadian province of Ontario, is to help put together a strategy highlighting “instructional leadership”, Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith told reporters here.



Giving an update on the ministry's undertaking of recommendations from the 2007 Hopkins Report, Dame Jennifer also revealed appraisals on principals are being brought up-to-date to advance the quality of leadership.



Principal appraisals have been in arrears but will be completed by October, she said.



The minister said a national school emergency and crisis response plan, as well as an updated code of conduct for students, would help address concerns by British professor Dr David Hopkins over the lack of transparency and accountability.



Dame Jennifer gave details on government's efforts to meet all ten of Hopkins' suggestions and told the media on Friday: “Bermudians should feel confident that the Bermuda public school system is in good standing to provide the education needed by our students into the 21st

century.”



Dramatically improving the quality of teaching was Hopkins' number one recommendation, Dame Jennifer recalled. She said Glaze will help school leaders with “an improvement strategy which highlights instructional leadership.



“Dr Glaze will help to develop school improvement teams which will focus on developing individualised improvement plans for principals and teachers.



“Having Dr Glaze in Bermuda represents a major coup as she is in demand around the world. Best of all, Dr Glaze comes to Bermuda at no charge to the Ministry of Education.



“In addition, the government of Ontario have also agreed that Dr Glaze's team can accompany her here, also at no charge to the government of Bermuda.



“This kind of international educational co-operation is of great benefit to a country of our small size and greatly appreciated as a contribution to our students' educational welfare.”



On Hopkins' second recommendation, to more quickly improve the quality of leadership by principals, Dame Jennifer said the appraisals would be ready “by October, in keeping with the collective bargaining agreement with the Association of School Principals”.



She added that Commissioner of Education Wendy McDonell and Glaze -- who has also worked with educators in Australia, England, Finland, Singapore, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, the Caribbean and many parts of the United States -- would also focus on this area.