We probably don't need to remind you about the depressing performance of primary school students, teachers school managements and the Ministry of Education on the primary school examination (PSE). Yes, when more than half of the 5,000 children taking the test fail, there are major problems, but what we don't hear about are solutions. Well, tonight we'll tell you about one solution that may work because its based on the certainty that if there's one thing kids love to "study", it's the television.
Keith Swift Reporting,
When you think of learning - you probably think of this: a classroom filled with students led by a teacher.
But President of the Primary School Principals Association (PSPA) Delarai Sanchez says learning within the four walls of a classroom simply doesn't appeal to a generation raised on music videos.............so they have a new approach - it is one in which students will be putting down their books and picking up a remote.
Delarai Sanchez, BSPA President
"We know that these children can learn. We want to teach them the basic skills in their own natural setting at home, where they are relaxed, not in a classroom. We need to realize that we are living in a changing world and we are dealing with children who think differently. Not everybody learns the same way. The reason I think why these children are not learning is because of the setting, they are in a classroom and they listen to the teacher, maybe some of them only have one teacher and it becomes monotonous. But if you have different teachers, it is going to grab their attention."
And the principals hope to grab the attention of their young students through the "teaching with television" initiative. Sanchez's cousin, Belizean American Wayne Frazier, was the crucial link that led to Marjorie Clarke and Randolph Sturrup who are television producers from New York. They've both produced children's shows for Nickelodeon, HBO, VH1, and MTV. They now want to do the same for Belize.
Marjorie Clarke, Producer
"The plan is use three different type of programming to engage children through entertainment but learning at the same time. We know that we need to raise math scores, we need to raise English scores, we need to raise social studies scores and use those programs to engage them to involve them and then using the curriculum as a basis, by the end of them, we hope to see within two years a major jump in test scores."
And even with one hundred channels of cable to flip through, Clarke and stirrup say this formula has been tried and proven.
Marjorie Clarke,
"The whole basis of these programs is to take what we've learnt in the US and apply what we think they should've done and do it here the right here. We will be using the young people from the schools, we are not going to hire actors, its going to be real kids that have been vetted through the teachers here, who can talk and are comfortable on camera, and have them do the work. If you see yourself, you are more inclined to be engage in what is going on and that is why we think this will be successful."
Randolph Sturrup, Producer
"Kids love to see other kids. Our goal is to use the curriculum that the teachers are going to use but then make it fun and entertaining at the same time."
The three shows to be developed are Belizean race, a social studies game show, and discover Belize. If all goes as planned, all three will be aired on Channel 7 beginning in January of 2007.
