ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA: The Methodist Church in Grenada is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to host two in-person mathematics workshops for secondary school teachers, facilitated by Singapore’s renowned mathematics guru, Yeap Ban Har, Ph.D., from Oct. 12 to 13, 2023.

The aim is to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics in schools. Participating teachers will be drawn from public and private secondary schools. It was also agreed that some primary school teachers will participate in the training.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be awarded certificates and given other useful material.

The first workshop will be held on October 12 at the Grenada Trade Centre, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The objectives of this workshop are:

• Research-based practices
• Learning experiences in solving word problems using bar models.
• Promoting the understanding that mathematics is a language like all other languages.
• Pedagogical content knowledge on whole numbers, fractions, algebraic thinking, geometry, and area
• Problem-solving approaches using the four operations. The second workshop on October 13, will engage secondary school teachers at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The objectives of this workshop are:

• Using topics in number algebra to teach six learning experiences and five key abilities to support students’ understanding of math in an enjoyable environment.
• Using the Lesson Study Approach (Japanese style of teacher education) of Plan – Observe – Discuss. Ban Har will teach specific topics to students while teacher/participants observe and then discuss. A native of Singapore, Ban Har has taught mathematics at various grade levels in primary and secondary schools and the National Institute of Education, a teacher education institute at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He currently holds the positions of director of curriculum

and professional development at the Pathlight School in Singapore and manager at the Anglo Singapore International School, which has three campuses in Thailand.

Dr Yeap Ban Har is noted as one of the world’s leading authorities in mathematics instruction. He is an accomplished presenter who has worked with educators on six continents and at various institutions, including Harvard University. He is also the author of numerous pedagogical books and textbook series, and is the co-author of the international math series, ‘think! Mathematics’.