Are you passionate about education and eager to make a difference in the lives of young learners?
The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) Primary programme is designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to excel as a primary school educator.
The Bachelor of Education Primary programme is open to the following groups of persons:
- non-graduate, untrained aspiring teachers desirous of entering the profession at the primary level.
- current non-graduate, untrained teachers in the primary system
- trained teachers in the primary system who do not possess a bachelor’s degree
Criteria for Admission
The minimum entry requirements for admission to the primary programme of the Bachelor of Education are five (5) subjects in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) at General Proficiency Grades I, II or III, or General Certificate in Education – Ordinary (GCE “O”) level. These subjects must include:
- English A
- Mathematics
- Social Studies or History or Geography
- A Science subject (Integrated Science/Human & Social Biology/Agricultural Science/ a Pure Science/Computer Science
- One additional subject
Note: Participants must be available for two nine-week blocks of full-time immersive teaching practicum which requires attendance at school every teaching day.
Why Choose This Programme?
The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) Primary programme provides participants with a sound foundation in the theory and practice of education to enhance their personal and professional growth and hone their teaching skills. Participants will gain expertise in child development, curriculum planning, instructional strategies, integrating technologies in the classroom and classroom management while exploring global and regional education trends. Additionally, it assists teachers in implementing the primary school curriculum in a manner that caters to the diverse needs of learners. A wide range of issues related to education at the national, regional, and global levels are addressed throughout the programme.
What will you learn?
By the end of the programme, you will be able to:
- Identify the tenets of educational theories that undergird effective teaching and learning
- Display thorough knowledge of the relevant curriculum
- Use a plethora of student-centred approaches to deliver instruction in varied environments
- Demonstrate an understanding of the developmental stages and characteristics of learners
- Demonstrate creativity in developing and utilising a variety of culturally relevant technologies and resources to enhance teaching and learning
- Reflect on pedagogical practices objectively
- Use research to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in the classroom
- Apply strategies to cater to the needs of diverse learners
- Value the importance of lifelong learning and continuous professional development
- Demonstrate attitudes and behaviours consistent with the teaching profession
- Guide students in developing multiple literacies
- Use a variety of appropriate assessment strategies to evaluate, guide and support instruction
- Demonstrate an understanding of the historical context and contemporary issues in education
- Provide educational experiences that will develop citizens who can meet the demands of the digital information age
- Demonstrate the qualities of an effective teacher
- Demonstrate instructional leadership in the context of a professional learning community
- Function professionally and ethically, and inspire others to perform effectively
Programme Structure
The B. Ed. can be pursued as a four-year full-time or a six-year part-time course of study. Each course runs for 15 weeks (45 hours total, 3 hours per week).
The programme will consist of a total of 120 credits, divided as follows:
- Fundamentals of Education (27 credits)
The Fundamentals courses comprise the professional core of the programme and include courses in the areas of Early Childhood, Planning and Instruction, Psychology, Special Education, Curriculum Development, Research and Classroom Assessment.
- General Education (18 credits)
The General Education courses are designed to enhance teacher competencies in the areas of language use, teacher professionalism, self-knowledge, technology integration, and the social issues which are important to the development of education in Barbados and the Caribbean.
- Core Subjects (48 credits)
These courses comprise the essential concepts covered by all students in the core subject areas at the primary level. Participants will deepen their knowledge of content and teaching methods in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
These courses allow students to personalise their learning and deepen their understanding of an area of interest. Elective courses in the B. Ed. Primary include Physical Education, Health and Family Life Education, Spanish, Content Area Literacy, Teacher Toolbox for the 21st Century, Science, Technology & Society, Coding & Robotics and Introduction to Chinese.
- Teaching Practicum (21 credits)
Gain real-world experience through the structured and carefully crafted practicum of the programme. The Supervised Teaching Practicum (TP) will spread over the duration of the programme. It comprises five Novice Practicum, an Intermediate practicum, and an Advanced practicum. During the Novice Practicum, participants will observe and model classroom practice and engage in reflective journaling on their observations and experiences.
In the Intermediate and Advanced Teaching practicums, student-teachers will plan and implement lessons in primary school classrooms, whilst being guided and coached by experienced teaching practice supervisors. They will also have occasions to lead professional development and conduct action research in the teaching and learning environment of primary institutions.
Start your journey towards an impactful teaching career!
Enrol in the B. Ed programme of the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College and become a competent, innovative and inspirational educator.
APPLY NOW!