Change from Within: An Approach to the Challenges in Education
Change From Within Programme Started in 1994. Its Primary Objective was to build self-esteem among all stakeholders, thereby reducing anti-social behaviours and fostering school involvement.
The project involves selected schools across Jamaica. The activities include:
• Professional development workshops to assist teachers and administrators to improve leadership skills.
• Mentorship programme that involves teachers mentoring students, teachers mentoring teachers and students mentoring students.
• Identifying students interests and use it to motivate them to participate in different activities.
• Circle of friends to share experiences, ideas and to identify strategies to improve leadership skills.
The initiative was implemented by the University of the West Indies, School of Education , Faculty of Humanities and Education, Mona Campus as well as the Guidance Counselling Unit of the Ministry of Education (Change From Within Project).
Description:
The selected schools in their own different ways tackled the problems by a methodology which
1. Sought to arouse the interest of the students.
We sought to answer the question: What are the things to which youngsters in schools attach meaning and significance?
The areas of sports and the performing arts were identified as areas in which the children comfortably expressed themselves and from which they derived pleasure.
2. Demonstrated how the performances in these areas of self-expression could be improved, through self-discipline and self-motivation.
3. Transferred this self-discipline and self-motivation in sports and in the performing arts into the academic sphere, into their social interaction, into all aspects of their lives.
4. Built trust as a means of reinforcing commitment to the institution, respect for self and for others, and a sense that the school belonged to the students, so that they would have the responsibility to ensure that the institution was a disciplined, learning, and caring environment.
5. As a final component of this methodology, a partnership was created between schools, parents, and communities. As the children developed a sense of pride in their achievements, new-found self-esteem, a sense of responsibility, then parents and communities began to form alliances with the schools.
Initiative Facts
Aug, 2013
Funding Amount
The Grace Kennedy Foundation,the Canadian International Development Agency and UNESCO
Partners
parents
, Partners
students and teachers
Objective
Building self-esteem among all stakeholders, thereby reducing anti-social behaviours and fostering school involvement.
Achievements
All schools displayed a willingness to search for solutions. They did not throw up their hands in despair , blaming today's generation ,blaming their parents, or the powers that be. They searched for answers within.
Secondly, they turned to creative and often unconventional ways but in so doing they had to mobilize the teachers, the community, and in one case, they even turned to the Ministry. But most of all, the mobilized the students, who themselves often turned out to be sources of creative ideas.
Finally, they stuck to the task energetically, not half- heartedly. Some produced dramatic changes , others small incremental ones in the short run , but over time those that have lasted have produced a sustainable culture of learning and creativity. This is because they initiated from within: the teachers , the parents and the students.
Who We Are
Project Partners
parents
, Project Partners
students and teachers
Contact Us
Mrs Pauletta Chevannes
Change From Within Project , School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
Visit our Help Center to find answers to frequently asked questions.