On June 13, 2013, 26 care coordinators were certified for primary schools in Suriname. A huge milestone for the Ministry of Education and Community Development, the Guidance Department and for VVOB Suriname, PROGRESS.
Every child is unique
Every day, thousands of children visit primary school. Not one child is the same. Each child is unique. That is what makes us humans so beautiful. Children also differ in how they learn. One child learns quickly while the other needs a bit more time. One child immediately understands all subject matters, while the other child just needs more exercise, explanation or attention. Children have different backgrounds and different starting contexts when they start at school. They all want to grow and learn. This usually goes well, but sometimes extra support is needed. This can be short-term support, like a pat on the shoulder, a sincere compliment, a little more explanation or an extra exercise. So sometimes more help, attention and guidance are needed. This extra help - providing care - to pupils should be well organised and coordinated in the school. We call this care coordination.
Care coordination... What is it about?
In 2011 the Guidance Department of the Ministry of Education and Community Development (MOECD) started within the cooperation programme with VVOB (PROGRESS) the trajectory to strengthen the pupils care at primary schools. With this MOECD underlines the importance of giving every child optimal opportunities for growth and development. This is based on the motto: Our pupils are our concern, because every child counts! The past three years, step by step the internal MOECD training course for care coordination has been developed and set up. During this two-year course teachers were trained and guided based on a professional profile that includes the needed competences for a starting care coordinator. These competences included coordinating skills, communication, planned action, support of teachers with the organisation of extra care in the classroom and working school-wide on a powerful pedagogical and didactical basis. The course ended with a thorough evaluation. After two and a half years of hard work the first 26 teachers have received their certificates of Care Coordination.
Who is the care coordinator?
The care coordinator works together with the head master and the teachers and keeps track of what is happening in the school. This in order to provide extra help and support to pupils who need it (for learning and behaviour). The care coordinator coordinates this extra care throughout the entire school. His/Her main task is to continuously support the class teacher so that he/she becomes stronger. After all, a teacher who becomes stronger can be more significant to all children, every school year! The care coordinator is also the connection to the external support and assistance for pupils, he/she makes sure he/she has a good knowledge of the care network and that he/she can implement this knowledge. With the team he/she works on a care policy for the school...
And what about the Remedial Teacher? What is the difference?
Some primary schools have a special teacher who helps scholars with e.g. language, math or reading. This Remedial Teacher, who has received a special training for this purpose, provides this help in or outside the classroom. He/She guides individual children or a small group of children with learning or behavioural problems and has specific knowledge about this issue.
The care coordinator focuses on the coordination of all care within the school. He/She mainly focuses on strengthening the teacher.
Cooperation as a basis for success
To realise the care extension in primary school it is vital that all stakeholders work together: the head masters and their school staff, the parents, the school counsellors, the education offices, the Inspectorate, the Special Education and other partners. Working on care extension is therefore not a task of only the care coordinator, but of everyone! Together we are all responsible for the extra support for primary school pupils who need this. The cooperation between different partners proved to be vital in achieving success. In situations in which the motivated care coordinator was supported by the head master and the school staff and the parents, impressive successes were achieved. At those schools you can witness a visible growth: better behaviour of pupils, an enhanced cooperation within the school staff and better communication with parents. The care children are well mapped and receive more attention and support. Pupils are more central and the school is more child friendly. Schools see improvement in the learning performance and learning pleasure!
What is next?
As the first group of care coordinators has been certified, preparations for a new course group are starting for the school year 2013-2014. This means that there will be, among others, information sessions about the course for head masters and teacher candidates. The registered participants will e.g. first be screened for motivation and experience. The Guidance Department and the Professionalisation Office of MOECD work together to achieve the training course. Also, communication to a wider public will be set up. Thus we hope to gradually work towards our goal: a care coordinator at every school.
Article by Rosanda Courtar | Translated by Lok Ming To
