the classroom a more appealing place for students when they return in September.

The teachers, from all levels of the school system, took part in workshops aimed at improving teaching strategies.

"We realise that in order for restructuring to be effective and in order for authentic things to take place, we must change things taking place in the classroom,'' said one of the organisers, Mrs. Marva Phillips.

Mrs. Phillips, who is an education officer and chairperson of the Education Department's committee for staff development, stressed that educators wanted to move away from the present subject-oriented system to one that focused on students' needs by using interdisciplinary approaches.

"We felt that the best way to do that was to model it,'' Mrs. Phillips said.

"So we wanted active participation from people taking place in the workshop.'' Assistant chairperson of the committee and resource teacher Mrs. Barbara Wilson said teachers were invited to come up with a list of teaching strategies and identify the pros and cons of each.

A sample list of the strategies included collaborative learning, individualised instruction, problem solving techniques, personal writing, dramatisation of events, and story telling.

Using a specific theme, teachers will be able to use any of the strategies, Mrs. Wilson explained.

For example, she said, participants used the kite as one theme and showed how it could be incorporated in all subjects, including science, history, art, maths, and English lessons.

Mrs. Phillips said organisers were hoping teachers would view teaching from a thematic point and would network and collaborate with other teachers.

"We would also hope that there is collaboration with teachers and students and between students,'' she added.

Teachers interviewed last week said they would implement the various teaching strategies in their classrooms.

Port Royal Primary Five teacher Miss Lisa Davis said she was so impressed by the workshop that she planned to use kites as a theme in teaching next year.

Primary school teacher Mrs. Karen Brunson said she fully endorsed cooperative learning.

"It's fun. It's creative and it eliminates competition because it makes learning less stressful to children,'' Mrs. Brunson said. "And it therefore encourages them to ask about things they do not know.'' She noted that most of the strategies were already being used in the classroom.

"We're getting away from textbook learning and moving to hands-on teaching.

We're more like resource teachers.

But in order for the teaching methods to work, Mrs. Brunson said there had to be cooperation between teachers and between teachers and principals.

Harrington Sound Primary's language co-ordinator Mrs. Maxine Saunders agreed.

"It requires a lot of teacher preparation, partnership and networking within the school system,'' she said. "That's critical to making it successful and the sharing and the awards for children make it a wonderful experience.'' Mrs. Saunders, whose school uses the teaching strategies, said she was impressed with the workshop's emphasis on having assessments and themes thoroughly based on the teacher's objective.

Victor Scott teacher Mrs. Helene Stephenson, who has been teaching for the past 25 years, said she planned to use "project-based'' teaching methods much more.

She said students have enjoyed the projects they have done.

But Mrs. Stephenson said: "I want to have the children express more how they feel about a subject. This approach allows children to be more creative.

"And it's amazing what comes out of something when you're allowed to be creative.'' Elliott principal Mrs. Beverley Thompson said she was fascinated by the various methods of developing one theme.

"The presenters have modelled the type of classroom we'd all like to have'', she said.

"But in order for it to work, teachers must change the way they think, administrators must be more flexible, and the public must be involved.''