Browsing by Author "Bernard Van Leer Foundation"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    A design for regional cooperation
    (Bernard Van Leer Foundation, 1974) Sprockel, P. T. M.; Bernard Van Leer Foundation
    This paper reviews the various factors hampering regional cooperation in the Caribbean and lists specific areas in which interinstitutional cooperation might be developed. The Caribbean people live in a variety of cultural backgrounds, which is often the result of a naive imitation of structures, situations, and conditions prevailing in the ancient metropoles. Language problems are very serious. Attempts to develop collaboration since 1945 have not been successful, but universities are already cooperating efficiently. As possible areas of useful collaboration, the paper lists: preprimary education, stressing its importance and exemplifying specific collaborative tasks for various organizations; fundamental research for the study of the factors affecting child development; and evaluative research, for example, testing, training techniques, and methodologies. The activities of the Centre for Early Childhood Education (CECE) could be extended so that it would serve as coordinator and collaborator for various government agencies
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    Child development in the Caribbean
    (Bernard Van Leer Foundation, 1974) Baird, Cecilene L.; Bernard Van Leer Foundation
    This paper 1) underlines the paucity of educational research in the Caribbean, 2) analyses the educational policies implemented during the pre-independence period, 3) presents proposals for compensatory education, and 4) discusses a general philosophy of preprimary education adapted to the particular needs of the region. As a consequence of behaviour patterns, instructional innovation has led to poor results. In the past, emphasis was on academic skills ensuring a continuity of subservience. There is no equal education. Preschool education should be conceived as an instrument of national development, serving the traditional community needs, and being both preventive--promoting human development and therapeutic--reduction of deficiencies. In this education for readiness, new skills, attitudes, and values should be conveyed. Parent participation has to be enhanced--possible parent education programmes are sketched. The adequate implementation of all these proposals implies the launching of an important educational research programme
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    Child-rearing practices and the development of the Caribbean child
    (Bernard Van Leer Foundation, 1974) Reid, L. H. E.; Bernard Van Leer Foundation
    This paper analyses the conditions affecting child development and growth in the Caribbean region. In order to understand the behaviour of children, one must take into account the influence on child care of such factors as: alienation due to maldistribution of resources, social restiveness, lag of institutions behind social change, and population trends. The marital status, for example, "visiting relationship," common-law, or formal marriage, and the frequent changes of guardianship might impair child development. The biological system suffers from malnutrition and early weaning. Cognitive development is slowed down by authoritarianism and undue restrictions. Home and environmental variables have an observable effect on formal school achievement. Difficulties in mastering the "standard" language of the region are related to insufficient language development impaired by poor communication with the mother. The range of cultural background also has a negative effect
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    Innovation in early childhood education: Report of the Second Caribbean Seminar
    (Bernard Van Leer Foundation, 1974) Bernard Van Leer Foundation;
    This report presents, in broad outline, an indication of the work of the seminar: the keynote address viewing the Caribbean child and his development in totality, the summary report, and conclusions as adopted, and the principal speeches
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    The teacher: The central pivot of change and innovation
    (Bernard Van Leer Foundation, 1974) Grant, D. R. B.; Bernard Van Leer Foundation
    This paper stresses the importance of human factors in the adoption of innovations and exemplifies the teacher role in the case of preprimary programmes in the Caribbean. It presents various definitions of innovation, and analyses the resistance to its implementation and the time lag affecting dissemination. The success of innovative practices implies involvement of all concerned and a specification of the prime target of change: educational objectives, provision of equal opportunities, emphasis on rehabilitation, compensation, or development. One has to promote new teacher attitudes through an adequate professional preparation, extended role of supervisors, and inservice training. Parent participation must be enhanced in order to develop cultural experiences for children at home, and school community relationship has to be strengthened. Teachers must attain self-confidence and adopt new teaching styles involving a high interaction rate with the pupils. The final success is not a matter of expenditure but creativeness