International Literacy
One School In Jamaica
by Turquoise Kelly, International Outreacy Chairperson
Students sitting in crowded rows of long, wooden
benches. A classroom with limited educational materials.
Forty pairs of eyes eager to see their American friends.
Dedicated teachers wanting the best for their students.
These are the images that still come to my &Mac221;mind
from Chetwood Memorial Primary School in Montego Bay,
Jamaica.
This summer I was in Jamaica for a month and spent
a large amount of time in the government elementary
schools and orphanages. During that time, I had the
opportunity to speak with some teachers who were very
interested in and concerned for their students' education,
but who did not have the resources or staff development
to meet their students' various needs.
Two of the main concerns addressed by the teachers
were students' reading development and comprehension.
I knew there were many resources that would benefit
them including professional books and children's
literature if they had the opportunity to obtain
them. While the need in the Jamaican schools is
tremendous, I thought it would be beneficial to
provide some of the teachers with at least a few
materials they could begin using to help in the
development of students’ reading comprehension.
With the financial support of GWRC, many teachers
of the Chetwood Memorial Primary School in Montego
Bay will be able to receive the professional resources,
Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey and Reading
With Meaning by Debbie Miller to guide their instruction,
as well as many of the suggested children’s
books to accompany them.
Thanks to GWRC there will be resources for dedicated
teachers and eager students in Jamaica from their
American friends.
