Tuesday, September 16, 2008

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME AND NCERD

The Education Management Certificate Programme
The Education Management Programme is a distance education programme for Headteachers and aspiring headteachers which was launched in 2000 as a pilot in Region 2 and which is now operated from NCERD’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana as a national programme leading to the Education Management Certificate.

National Centre for Educational Resource Development
The National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) is an educational institution, commissioned in 1986 by UNESCO. NCERD has education policy making status in so far as providing recommendations to The Ministry of Education, whose role it is to develop and enact policies. Its primary responsibility is the planning and implementation of all in-service teacher education programmes for Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools in Guyana.

ABOUT YOUR ASSESSMENT

How you will be assessed
You will be assessed by a combination of methods. These are:-

1) Marks awarded from your ‘end of module’ assignments (2 per module)
2) Part One (Modules 1 - 4) and Part Two (Modules 5 - 8) Examinations.
3) Marks awarded by your Master Trainer for your Portfolio
4) External Appraisal in relation to your Practicum by your Master Trainer who will visit your school
5) Self appraisal in relation to your Practicum

Programme Assessment
The Programme is divided into:-
· Part One (Modules 1 – 4)
· Part Two (Modules 5 – 9)

For certification, a pass mark must be achieved in both Part One and Part Two and ALL Modules must be successfully completed, including all assignments. The decision to allow a trainee to write the examinations will be based on successful completion of all of the modules and associated assignments, Portfolio and Practicum.

How we calculate your final percentage mark and grade

End of Part Examinations (average of the two) 50%
e.g. Part One Exam – 75% Part Two Exam - 83%
(75 + 83) / 2 = 79 x 50% = 39.5%

Average marks of all assignments
Part One (4 assignments @ 30 marks = 120 marks)
Part Two (5 assignments @ 30 marks = 150 marks) 20%
e.g. Part One
25 + 24 + 18 + 29 = 96
96 / 120 x 100 = 80%
e.g. Part Two
17 + 27 + 13 + 20 + 19 = 96
96 / 150 x 100 = 64%
Part One + Part Two
(80 + 64 = 144) / 2 = 72 marks
72 marks x 20% = 14.4%

Portfolio (including Activities overall for all
nine modules) 10%

Practicum External Appraisal by Master Trainer
based agreed targets and success 15%

Practicum Self Appraisal 5%

Total Percentage Marks 100%

Pass Mark = 50%

Grading Scheme
80 – 100 A
65 – 79 B
50 – 64 C
<50 F

1. ASSIGNMENTS

Preparing for your assignments
Each individual assignment and activity contains notes for guidance on preparing that particular assignment or activity. Additionally, the following general guidelines or principles apply to all the assignments:-

· Personal Timetable Plan your personal timetable to include the process of preparing your assignment. Answer gradually, alongside your other studying and work. The process may include various stages. According to the particular assignment, these stages may be:
· Read all assignments carefully and make sure that you understand clearly what is being requested. Where possible, read the assignment as soon as you can after starting to read the module.
· Collect the information you need and make notes on it (from the modules, from discussion with colleagues, etc)
· Select and organise your points into a structured answer
· Write a first draft; review it and write a revised version
· Check your final copy for mistakes
· Hand in your finished assignment on time
· Don't delay. Start your assignment early allowing yourself plenty of time to complete the process of preparing and completing your assignment.
· Stick to the "hand-in" schedule. Even if you run out of time preparing your assignment and this means your assignment is not quite as good as you would like it to be. Always do your best in the time available and give your work to your Master Trainer by the deadline date if at all possible.

It is important to note that Master Trainers really need to mark all assignments in one batch in order to ensure uniformity of marking and consistency of grades. If you are not able to hand in your work on time, this makes it more difficult for them and will inevitably mean a delay in the work being returned to all. In addition, when work is returned to some candidates, it could give others an advantage.

Don't spend so much time on your assignment that you ignore your other studies and work. These assignments are not an excuse for ignoring the content of modules or attending the monthly tutorials! They are meant to help you study, not prevent you from studying.

Penalties for late submission of assignments
In order to ensure that assignments are handed in on time, Master Trainers will apply the following penalties for late submission of work.
· Work submitted up to one week late with permission from Master Trainer for a non permitted reason – 2 marks removed
· Work submitted up to one week late without permission from Master Trainer for a non permitted reason – 3 marks removed
· Work submitted over one week late for a non permitted reason – 5 marks removed

Master Trainers will use their discretion about permitted reasons why work may be submitted late. This might include illness, childbirth, accidents and extreme family circumstances beyond the control of the trainee. Non permitted reasons might consist of pressure of work, “being too busy”, unable to finish the module, failure to plan and circumstances clearly in the control of the trainee.

Plagiarism
At times, you may be tempted to copy material directly from others or from books, educational journals or the internet and treat it as though it is your own work. This is not helpful to your personal learning and development. Your grades will be dependent upon the way in which you apply your newly acquired knowledge and insights to education management at your school. It is, of course, perfectly acceptable to include quotations from educational sources which support your argument. These should be clearly shown as quotations and accredited to the author. Plagiarism, however, will be treated as such and discarded without marks.

Submission Dates for Assignments

Module 1:
Assignment 1
November 28, 2008
Assignment 2
December 12, 2008
Portfolio
December 31, 2008
Module 2
Assignment 1
January 30, 2009
Assignment 2
February 27, 2009
Portfolio
February 27, 2009
Module 3
Assignment 1
March 27, 2009
Assignment 2
May 1, 2009
Portfolio
May 1, 2009
Module 4
Assignment 1
May 29, 2009
Assignment 2
June 26, 2009
Portfolio
June 26, 2009
Module 5
Assignment 1
July 31, 2009
Assignment 2
August 28, 2009
Portfolio
August 28, 2009
Module 6
Assignment 1
September 25, 2009
Assignment 2
October 30, 2009
Portfolio
October 30, 2009
Module 7
Assignment 1
November 20, 2009
Assignment 2
December 4, 2009
Portfolio
December 4, 2009
Module 8
Assignment 1
December 18, 2009
Assignment 2
January 8, 2010
Portfolio
January 8, 2010
Module 9
Assignment 1
January 29, 2010
Assignment 2
February 26, 2010
Portfolio
February 26, 2010

N.B. The submission dates for Part Two Assignments 5 – 9 are for guidance only and may be revised when the second Trainee Assessment Booklet is published.

2) EXAMINATIONS

Organisation of the examinations
You will have two examinations, one at the end of Part One, examining Modules 1 – 4 and one at the end of Part Two, examining Modules 5 – 8. Because of the nature of Module 9 “School Records and Documents”, it will not be assessed in the examination. However, there are assignments for it. The examinations will take place in your region on the dates specified below. They will be supervised by invigilators appointed by the Ministry of Education and you will be notified beforehand of the venue and time.

Each module will have two questions and you will choose to answer one of them. You will have to answer FOUR questions in all and you will be given three hours to do this with an additional fifteen minutes reading time.

All questions will contain elements of the following:-

Knowledge of the module content
Understanding of the key concepts in the module
Evaluation of the issues raised

It is essential that you support your arguments with practical examples and evidence from the modules and other reading that you may have done. The questions are generally practical in nature and will allow you to demonstrate your experience as a teacher.

Examination Dates
Part One Examination (Modules 1 – 4)
August 28, 2009

Supplemental Part One Examination (Modules 1 – 4)
October 30, 2009

Part Two Examination (Modules 5 – 8)
April 1, 2010

Supplemental Part Two Examination (Modules 5 – 8)
May 28, 2010

All trainees are advised to write the first of the two examinations in each part as it gives them the opportunity to re-sit in the form of the Supplemental Examination about two months later, both of which are in the same format. It should be noted, however, that it is for you to choose which examination you wish to take to fit in with your own work schedule. The Supplemental can also be written by those who were unable to complete their work on time, who did not achieve a pass grade in the first exam or for any other exceptional circumstances which prevented the trainee from writing the first examination. On the other hand, if you choose to write only the Supplemental Examination, it will be almost two years, as part of another cohort of trainees, that you will be able to write the examination again.

Examination scripts will be sent to NCERD where a team comprising a sample of Master Trainers will have the responsibility of marking them under standardized conditions. On completion of marking, moderation will take place by a senior officer in NCERD. An investigation of marking or a re-mark can only be carried out in exceptional circumstances and may carry a penalty. Application for this should be made to the Director of NCERD, through the Superintendent of Examinations.

Examination Revision
You will note that the examinations carry 50% of the marks and should, therefore, be treated very seriously. You should allow yourself sufficient time for a thorough revision of the modules before writing the exam. You are advised to prepare a revision timetable in good time and do your revision systematically, concentrating on your weaker areas rather than what you already know. It is advisable, where possible, to work with other trainees in this area as this will expand your experience and be a vital support in what can often be a demanding time.

Keeping track of your examination results
When you write your examinations in the region where you are studying, you will be given a unique identification number which will consist of your regional number plus a personal number e.g. 01/004. This will assure your anonymity with the markers. The number will be allocated by the regional Master Trainers. You will not write your name or any other identifier on the paper and the markers will not have access to the names. In this way your paper will be anonymous to the markers.

Examinations will be administered by invigilators appointed by the Ministry of Education in the various Regions and Georgetown. Examination scripts will be sent to NCERD where a team comprising the sample of Master Trainers will have the responsibility of marking them under standardized conditions.

On completion of marking, moderation will take place by a senior officer in NCERD. If necessary, marks will be adjusted accordingly to ensure uniformity and fair practice.

3) PORTFOLIO

You will use a portfolio (a large 3 ring binder) to document and reflect on your progress during this course. Such documentation will help you conduct a fair self-assessment. In addition the portfolio will be used to assess your final grade in the course. In the portfolio we suggest that you store:-

· the Trainee Assessment Booklet
· all of your marked assignments
· due dates and deadlines met for assignments
· your reflections on the Programme
· the completed activities from the modules
· references to additional reading and notes
· your work study plan of action
· your examination revision programme and results
· attendance record for tutorial sessions
· additional materials and notes from the tutorial sessions with your Master Trainer
· notes, materials, activities and conclusions from your Practicum experience
· evidence of the use of the internet and especially www.ncerdleaders.com – this is a compulsory part of the Portfolio and will only be excused in exceptional circumstances when the Trainee has had no access to the internet whatsoever during the one and a half years of the Programme. It is expected that those in areas where there is no internet access will avail themselves of it when visiting regions where it exists.

The Portfolio should be made available to your Master Trainer at any time on request.

Activities and reflections
Please note that each of the unit contains two kinds of activities as follows:

1. Reflection – You will see these from time to time throughout the text. They are in white type and highlighted in black. E.g. Reflection. You are not required to submit your thoughts on these issues to your Master Trainer. You may make notes if you wish but they are your own personal reflections on the issues raised.
2. Activities – These are formal assessments which you will have to submit to your Master Trainer as part of your Portfolio. You should number them in the same way as the units and carry out the activity as stated.

You are expected to carry out ALL ACTIVITIES and store them in your Portfolio as ongoing coursework, as they are assessed as part of your Portfolio (10% of the total assessment). Individual marks are not given for each assessment, but an overall grade for the Portfolio.

All Reflections and Activities are followed by Comments. You should resist the temptation to look at these Comments before you attempt the Activity. However, it might be helpful for you to make your own notes afterwards to assess your performance in the Activity. The Activities are not marked as right or wrong as they are part of the learning process to assist you in your understanding. It is the fact that you have completed them and learnt from them that will give you the marks for this part of your Portfolio.

Assessment of the Portfolio
For each of the four modules in each part, your portfolio will be assessed, using the following criteria:-

· Activities – Based on the number and quality of Activities completed in that Module, you will be awarded a maximum of 15 Marks
· Organisation – This relates to how you maintain your Portfolio, in sections, clearly labeled and set out in an orderly fashion. You will be awarded a maximum of 2 Marks for this area.
· Creativity – This refers to your ability to use your imagination, to be inspirational, your resourcefulness and your vision. You will be awarded a maximum of 3 Marks for this area.
· Evidence of additional study – This could be further reading, study or use of the internet, especially the www.ncerdleaders.com website. You will be awarded a maximum of 5 Marks for this area.

The total marks available for the Portfolio in each Module, therefore, will be 25 marks. Your Master Trainer will discuss the Portfolio with you and you will both agree a mark out of 25 according to the above criteria. At the end of either Part One or Part Two, the marks will be added together to give a percentage. This will be divided by 10 to give a mark out of 10% which is the percentage for the Portfolio. An average of the two marks will form the final mark for the Portfolio after both parts have been completed.

e.g. Module 1 = 17 marks, Module 2 = 20 marks,
Module 3 = 10 marks, Module 4 = 22 marks. Total marks for Part One = 69 marks
Similarly, if the total marks for Part 2 = 74, the average for the whole Programme will be (69 + 74) / 2 = 71.5 marks. This is divided by 10. Therefore, the overall marks for the Portfolio are 7.2 marks

4) PRACTICUM

January 2009 – February 2010

Assessment is in the form of self and external appraisal of agreed actions and targets. The process is outlined below.

The Practicum is divided into three parts as follows:-

a) Trainee Schedule 1 – Annual Work Plan
In conjunction with the Master Trainer, the trainee prepares an annual work plan over a period of three terms, setting him / herself a series of targets with associated actions. A form will be made available for recording the plan. Success indicators are described to go with these targets. The management responsibilities identified are as follows:-

i. Professional Leadership
ii. Delivery of the process of teaching / learning
iii. Accountability re: financial and material resources
iv. Staff development sessions
v. Teacher / pupil welfare

b) Trainee Schedule 2 – Self Appraisal Monitoring Scheme
Using the same management responsibilities identified above and for which targets have been set, the trainee evaluates his / her success based on the previously agreed success indicators. He / she should indicate the factors which facilitated the achievement or the reasons for non-achievement of the targets. A form will be made available to record the self appraisal. Space will be provided to indicate the necessary follow up action for the next term and by whom it will be done. The Master Trainer will assist in this process.

Overall, over the three terms, the trainee will award him / herself a maximum of 5% towards the final marks and grade for the Programme.

c) Trainee Schedule 3 - Trainee’s Management Capability

The Master Trainer rates the progress of the trainee in each of the targets based the five areas outlined above on the following scale:-

· Full achievement = 3
· Moving towards achievement = 2
· Minimal achievement = 1
· Non achievement = 0

The grades are added together to form a mark out of 15. This mark forms the percentage for the External Appraisal of the Practicum. A form will be provided for recording these marks. The Master Trainer will provide justification for the ratings and will have consulted with the Headteacher in the case of a middle manager / senior leader or the DEO / REDO in the case of a Headteacher.

Miscellaneous

Study Groups
Trainees are encouraged to form formal or informal study groups with other trainees. When working on this kind of Programme, it is easy to feel isolated and the formation of such groups helps learning, widens experience and enables trainees to experience other points of view. However, we need to offer a word of warning. When carrying out any work which will be assessed, it needs to be solely your own work and not that of a group. Discussion about what an assignment is asking for is to be encouraged but working together on its production is not permitted.

Attendance at tutorials
Although no marks for attendance will be awarded, the monthly tutorials are an integral part of the Programme and you are required to attend them. The attendance record of students in the Distance Education Programme will be judged according to the circumstances which apply in each case.

Graduation and Award of Certificates
It is likely that this will be held during or around education month in September 2010. Your certificate will list all of the modules and the number of credits allowed for each one. It will have an overall grade from A – C. Graduations are normally held in the region where the study took place. Senior Officers and Regional Officials will be present.

MODULE ASSIGNMENTS

The following assignments should be completed by the due dates as indicated above and given to your Master Trainer for marking. Please read all the related advice in this booklet before attempting them.

Each assignment should be clearly labeled with your name, region, school and Master Trainer. The pages should be numbered and attached together. Please ensure that handwriting is legible and the presentation is good to facilitate easier marking. Although extra marks will not be awarded, typed or word processed assignments would clearly be an advantage in this area.

The total marks for each Assignment is 30. Individual marks for each section are indicated.

MODULE 1
ASSIGNMENT 1


(a) List FOUR Styles of Leadership and describe any TWO of them.
(4 x 1 mark + 2 x2 marks = 8 marks)

(b) Ms Jones, Headteacher of St Peter’s Primary School, believes in delegation of duties. At a staff meeting, she assigns duties to each member of staff without prior discussion. Miss John objected to the duty assigned to her by the Headteacher. The Deputy suggested that each member of staff be given an opportunity to select duties they can competently perform.

State the leadership styles used by the two Senior Leaders and give the advantages and disadvantages of each.
(2 x 1 mark + 2 x 4 marks = 10 marks)

(c) Discuss the relative importance and implications of any THREE steps taken by a Headteacher when delegating responsibilities / duties.
(3 x 4 marks = 12 marks)


MODULE 1
ASSIGNMENT 2


(a) What is the difference between “School Aims” and “School Mission”? (2 marks)

(b) List THREE strategies a headteacher should follow in order to establish a mission statement in his / her school? (3 x 2 marks = 6 marks)

(c) A newly built secondary school is established in Mahaica to accommodate 1000 children. The children will be drawn from the tops of primary schools in the neighbouring communities.

As Headteacher of that school, prepare a draft mission statement to present to the staff for their consideration. Write brief notes on each section to explain why you have included the different aspects of the statement. (7 marks)

(d) Being the Headteacher of the above school, say how you would approach the community and in what way it could assist towards the school realizing its mission. (7 marks)

(e) Do you think a school will be significantly better because it has a Mission Statement? (8 marks)

MODULE 2
ASSIGNMENT 1


(a) Delegation of duties is one of the key factors for the efficient leadership and management of a school. Discuss whether there is a need for delegation of responsibilities. (8 marks)

(b) A parent has told you that her15 year old daughter is expecting a baby and one of the teachers is suspected of being the father. She is afraid of the repercussions for her and her daughter if there is a scandal but, nevertheless, she is very angry. How would you go about making a decision about the action that should be taken and ensure that everyone’s wishes were taken into account? 7 marks)

(c) Communication could be considered to be the heartbeat of any school. The head of a Georgetown secondary school has a clear vision and well thought-out objectives. In spite of this, his school is under-performing. What approach could he use to better communicate his strategies for school improvement to his staff?
(8 marks)

(d) Discuss whether you think “change” is always necessary for school improvement. Give your reasons. (7 marks)

MODULE 2
ASSIGNMENT 2


(a) The Guyana Ministry of Education has five specific overall responsibilities. Write brief notes about your understanding of each one of them.
(5 x 2 marks = 10 marks)

(b) Explain your understanding of the different roles embodied in the Political, Administrative and Professional Heads of the Ministry of Education. Give examples of two tasks that might be carried out by each one.
(4 marks + 3 x 2 marks = 10 marks)

(c) Define the roles of each of the following groups and describe how the harmonious work of each enables the school to function effectively:

i. Classroom teachers (3 marks)
ii. Middle Managers (3 marks)
iii. Senior leaders (4 marks)

MODULE 3
ASSIGNMENT 1


(a) What is your understanding of the purpose of regular staff development?
(3 marks)

(b) Describe how you would go about:-
i. Identifying staff development needs in your own school
ii. Meeting those needs
iii. Evaluating the success of the programme you have implemented
(3 x 4 marks = 12 marks)

(c) Write notes for a staff meeting on how you intend to implement a schedule to ensure an effective staff appraisal system within the school which appears to have lessened in effect over the last few years. (8 marks)

(d) As a leader in your school you will have been exposed to the staff appraisal system. Evaluate its effectiveness in raising standards and, in particular comment on its objectivity. (7 marks)

MODULE 3
ASSIGNMENT 2


(a) Skytop Community High School is in need of a permanent Mathematics teacher to teach Forms 1, 2 and 3 and also the few students who reach C.S.E.C level. Describe the selection process as used in Guyana. (6 marks)

(b) How would this differ if the post were in a school with a Board of Governors?
(6 marks)
(c) Discuss the relative merits of appointing a Headteacher of a Grade A School by using an interview process as opposed to appointment based solely on academic qualifications, years of service and appraisals. (6 marks)

(d) Once appointed, one of the major roles of the Headteacher will be to monitor and evaluate staff performance. How would you propose to do this in your own school and how would you ensure that staff remain motivated despite having their work scrutinized? (2 x 5 marks)

MODULE 4
ASSIGNMENT 1


(a) Define, in your own words, giving as full an explanation as possible, the following terms:-`
i. Curriculum (3 marks)
ii. Resources (3 marks)

(b) Explain how you would procure, organise and ensure the effective use of resources in your school to support the curriculum? (3 x 3 marks = 9 marks)

(c) “An effective timetable can boost the performance of your school”. Evaluate this statement, giving at least FOUR reasons to support your answer.
(4 x 2 marks = 8 marks)

(d) How would you convince your teachers who already believe it is the role of the Ministry and the Region to provide teaching aids, that it would be in their interests to create their own using low cost and scrap materials. Write a page for a staff newsletter on this issue. (7 marks)

MODULE 4
ASSIGNMENT 2


(a) Describe in your own words what you understand by the term Special Educational Needs as it relates to your own school. (5 marks)

(b) As Headteacher, how would you go about advising your staff how they should distinguish between children with “learning disabilities” and those with “learning difficulties”? (7 marks)

(c) You discover that a significant number of children in the middle age range in your school are unable to keep up with their peers because of their lack of reading skills. This appears to have been caused by the frequent absence and teaching skills of their teacher in the previous year. Would you consider these children to have Special Needs? What advice would you give to their present teacher(s) to remedy the situation? (4 marks + 6 marks = 10 marks)

(d) One of the principle roles of the Headteacher in the management of Special Educational Needs is to create a vision for SEN for its short term and long term development. How will you go about creating that vision? (8 marks)
Regional Master Trainers 2008 – 2010 Batch

Every effort has been made to obtain the latest contact details for the Master Trainers. However, at the time of going to press, we were unable to contact some of them. Please accept our apologies for any incorrect information.

Your Master Trainer will tell you which numbers you may use. Please use only these numbers. If you have internet access, some of them may be prepared to share their email address with you. Please ask. However, do not send assignments by email. These must be in hard copy.

MASTER TRAINERS

We would like to express our gratitude to the Master Trainers of the Programme. Contact details can be obtained from them personally.

Master Trainers and Regions of Guyana

ANDREWS, Barbara
Georgetown
BHAJAN, Shafiran
Region 6
BOSTON, Johnson
Region 9
CALDEIRA, Myrtle
Region 3
CASTELLO, Yvonne
Region 2
CHAPMAN, Ava
Regionb 10
CRAIGWELL, Sandra
Region 10
CHASE, Cheryl
Region 3
DUBLIN, Ronald
Regionb 8
ETHLYN, Kendall
Region 5
FRASER-CARMICHAEL, Monica
Region 5
GOMES, Debra
Region 7
HAMILTON, Joycelyn
Georgetown
HOLMES, Charles
Region 1
JOHN, Iola
Region 8
JOHNSON, Claude
Region 6
JOSEPH-ENGLISH, Cecilia
Region 7
LEWIS, Harold
Region 5
LEWIS, Waveney
Georgetown
MATTHEWS, Nichola
Region 4
McCLURE-CYRUS, Cheryl
Region 4
MOSES-GRANT, Muriel
Region 3
PERSAUD, Maydha
Region 2
PERSUAD, Ganesh
Region 7
PERSAUD, Bhanmatie
Region 4
PETERS, Diane
Georgetown
POLLARD, Owen
Region 9
SAMAROO, Dyiaram
Region 5
SAVORY, Angus Lloyd
Region 1
SINGH, Rajkumarie
Region 4
SINGH, Sonawatti
Region 6
SOOKRAJ, Rajkumar
Region 6
UDHO, Raghunauth
Region 4
WILLIAMS, Vivette E
Region 10
WILLIAMS, Yvette
Georgetown
ZAKIR, Mohamed
Region 6