Browsing by Author "Ramdass, Mala"
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Item Perceptions of school health: A study of selected primary schools in the St. George East Education District of Trinidad and Tobago(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Gowrie, George; Ramdass, Mala; Bowrin, Cheryl; Thomas, MarleneThis study investigated teachers' perceptions of school health in 18 primary government and government-assisted schools in the St. George East Education District of Trinidad and Tobago. School health issues have emerged as significant factors in promoting effective learning in our school system. Children learn best when they are healthy, safe, and in close and enduring relationships with family, peers, and teachers. Recent research on school health has revealed that healthy schools allow students to make healthier choices and improve their overall academic outcomes. Also, healthy schools influence the development of healthy habits and produce the desired changes in students' health behaviours. Four key health categories-community-school linkages, school environmental factors, administrative and technical support, and student-related issues-were used to ascertain the state of health in our schools and make comparisons among themItem Pre-service beginning teachers' beliefs, expectations and other teacher preparation issues of the practicum(2013-06-24) Gowrie, George; Ramdass, MalaThis study examined the extent to which there were changes in pre-service teachers' beliefs, expectations and other teacher preparation issues over a four-year period at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). The study was guided by the conceptual framework of Calderhead and Shorrock (1997)-the personal, critical, academic, practical, and technical orientation-and compared pre-service teachers' reflections on these five components before and after their exposure to the practicum at the university. The participants in the study were 36 pre-service beginning teachers who were never exposed to any teacher training programme. There were 212 males and 24 females whose average age was 24 years. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews at the beginning and the end of the four-year period. The data analysis identified five categories consistent with the conceptual framework of the study: beliefs and expectations, mentorship support, resource adequacy, content and pedagogical knowledge, and adequate classroom experiences. The findings suggested there were some changes in pre-service beliefs and expectations and other preparation issues. There were also mixed messages from the beginning teachers with regard to adequate resources, mentorship support, and classroom experiences. Recommendations are made for the continuing professional development of these novice teachersItem