Pre-Trained Teacher:

An important feature of this programme is the field-work component that is carried out in local secondary schools. The field-work enables pre-trained teachers to get initial teaching experience by first working in pairs in their second year for 6 weeks, and then individually, during their final year, for 10 weeks. For the field-work components, teachers in training are required to plan and deliver aspects of secondary school science curricula under joint supervision of UWI personnel and the cooperating teachers in the schools assigned. During the two years in the advanced part of the programme, effort is made to expose students to teaching at both lower and upper levels in more than one type of secondary schools. In final year, students are required to plan, implement and evaluate a specific lesson that they have taught while on field-work.

Trained Teachers:

Trained teachers take the same advanced chemistry courses pursued by the pre-trained teachers. The trained teachers get an opportunity to revisit teaching through their field-work experience. They are required to use action research as a means of planning, implementing and evaluating specific interventions that are used to teach topics from the CSEC curriculum. Strong emphasis is also placed on reflexive practice and on identifying areas of their teaching that need to be strenghtened. the field-work places strong focus on professional development and is carried out over a 6-week period in selected secondary schools.                                                                                 

 N.B. Candidates who have completed the New Double Option Science diploma programmes from The MICO University College or Church Teachers College (with a GPA ≥ 2.5) may be exempt from Level 1 Chemistry courses.