PARENTS MUST DO MORE

Parents are being encouraged to make an added effort to ensure their young charges make the most of the classes they are attending online.

This advice is coming from retired educator, Jeff Broomes, who spoke to The Barbados Advocate during a recent interview.

Broomes called on parents and guardians to “insist that the children get serious about their Zoom teaching which is going on…Insist that the children have separate [and] special times for review of work done in school before. They have their text books, use them, and access all opportunities. I can say Radio School that is one [opportunity], but that is not the only one, that might be a minor one, but there are other interactions with teachers and classmates to discuss things that are in their text and exercise books and what they have been discussing with teachers along the way.”

He also urged parents and guardians to make sure their children’s numeracy and literacy skills are at the highest level possible.

No need to delay Common Entrance Exam further

Responding to a question of whether this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination should be pushed back to a later date to give students more time to prepare, Broomes said he was not in favour of this. The exam presently is slated for June 22.

“Children don’t wait until they get in Class 4 to prepare for the exam. You were prepared for this exam from Class 1 and most of Class 4 is just revision work. I think teachers are still teaching online, I think children are still growing so they must still be learning…Most of us need to step up to try to help the children. I guess teachers are doing the best they can. I don’t know why it should be pushed back personally.”

He again highlighted that parents have to play a part in ensuring their children are ready for the test.

“I am one of these people that believe that a teacher can only give children about 30 per cent of what they need to know. Children come with their different abilities and skills and they have responsibilities supported by their parents and family to expand their knowledge – go to the library, do some work at home – they know what they have been doing.”