Becoming a primary school teacher in Trinidad and Tobago: Part 1: The curriculum in the teachers' college

Date

2001

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine

Abstract

This monograph reports on a study that sought to assess the philosophical orientation and content of specific aspects of the documented teachers' college curriculum in Trinidad and Tobago. The study also sought to describe how the lecturers at the two colleges articulate their understandings of what the documented curriculum demands, and how they try to implement it, that is, the espoused curriculum. In addition, the curriculum as enacted within the teachers' colleges was explored through an examination of teaching/learning episodes in specific subject areas in the college. Data on the documented curriculum were gathered through content analysis of the curriculum document. Ideas about the espoused curriculum were obtained through in-depth interviews with 14 lecturers from the two colleges. It was found that there is no stated philosophy underpinning the teachers' college curriculum in Trinidad and Tobago. The curriculum is differentiated into academic studies and teaching practice. There was a reasonable level of congruence between the documented curriculum and the curriculum as espoused by the lecturers. However, there were some areas of unease for the lecturers. The stated intentions of the lecturers did articulate, to a large extent, with the enacted curriculum

Description

Table of Contents

Keywords

MUSTER Project, Teacher education curriculum, Teachers colleges, Trinidad and Tobago

Citation

George, J., Worrell, P., Rampersad, J., Rampaul, B., and Mohammed, J.

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