A team of 15 student interns are currently on the island as part of a two-week workshop in Belize. The interns, led by Professors Rita Kohr and Judy Pantelides of Christopher Newport University (CNU) in Newport News Virginia, USA, are currently working along with teachers from Ambergris Caye as part of their final internship for their Masters of Teaching Degree.
According to Professor Rita Kohr, CNU has been sending interns to the island since 2008 as part of the University’s “Teaching across Cultures Course” through a relationship formed by Dr. Marsha Sprague, Director of CNU’s Masters of Teaching Program and the founders of Holy Cross Anglican Primary School. While on the island, in addition to gaining teaching experience in the Belizean classroom, the interns are also hosting several workshops.
This year’s workshop focuses on alternative methods for content learning in the classroom and promoted “Using Foldables to Enhance Student Achievement.” On Tuesday January 12th, teachers from San Pedro Roman Catholic School partook in the one-hour “make-ot and take-it” workshop where they learned how to make and properly utilize the interactive learning tools. These three dimensional graphic organizers are easily constructed out of simple materials such as construction paper, markers, scissors and glue and makes it fairly easy for teachers and students to communicate data through graphics, tables, charts, diagrams, and models. According to Kohr, foldables have proven to be very successful in classrooms across the USA and the interns look forward to exchanging the teaching strategy with Belizean teachers.
While on the island the student interns have also worked at Holy Cross Anglican School, where they have organized a Reading Program for the infant division. The interns have been present in various schools across the island including Holy Cross Anglican School, and San Pedro RC School and San Pedro High School. Upon returning to the USA, the students will participate in their final three- month teaching practicum (practice) before receiving their degrees.
The San Pedro Sun congratulates each member and thanks CNU for their contributions to Ambergris Caye.
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