Knowledge about how Jamaican teachers understand the concept of teacher professionalism is limited. In this qualitative study, 52 final-year student teachers participated in semi-structured interviews and concept mapping exercises designed to explore how they understand teacher professionalism. The analysis revealed that they view professional teachers as those who embody outstanding personal and professional attributes; recognize the complexity and contextual challenges of teaching; and respond to these by connecting the realities of their classrooms with what they have learnt in college.

Jamaica's commitment to the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development builds on 12 years of environmental education initiatives within the framework of a national action plan. Partnerships developed among educational institutions, government agencies, NGOs and donors are facilitating change in the formal education system, integrating environmental education into teacher professional development and national curricula; involving the school college community in participatory planning; and implementing whole college approaches.

Volatile fuel costs and the increasing use of technology in schools are among the factors that should propel school leaders to take steps to implement energy saving initiatives. At the same time, school administrators are ideally poised to play a critical role in promoting whole school environmental responsibility by addressing the need for energy sustainability in school operations as well as the school curriculum. This paper offers suggestions for a comprehensive whole school energy programme consisting of energy management and energy education through curricular initiatives.

Environmentally related programmes have been part of  the educational landscape in the Caribbean largely in response to a concern about the negative environmental consequences of human activity, and the efforts of Caribbean educators who were influenced by the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Programme in the 1980s and 1990s.