Minister Walwyn applauds Fahie on multiplication initiative
The ceremony was held on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at Maria’s By the Sea where the CD was unveiled to sponsors and school principals to be used in schools to help students learn their tables.
Minister Walwyn said, “When something is good is good regardless of whose initiative it is, that is not important, the objective is to make sure that our children learn. And so I want to commend you for that,” he told Fahie, who was also present at the event.
As the incoming education minister following the NDP’s success at the November 7, 2011 polls, Hon. Walwyn said there are other things that he will find that Hon. Fahie had done and that the good ones he will pick up while the “not so good ones” will be refined.
Speaking specificially about the use of the music to aid in learning and of the CD that was put together by Home Grown Studios titled “I did it” – A different approach to learning multiplication, the education Minister said he listened to the CD which is very “catchy”.
He also had high praises for Raul Sprauve and Craig Lake, who are the producers of the CD. Hon. Walwyn reiterated that there is no such thing as a dumb child and it's up to the professionals, teachers, and others involved in education to find a way to get around to them so that students can understand what is being taught.
Meanwhile, Hon. Andrew Fahie said he was very pleased with the product and also applauded the work of both Lake and Sprauve.
Fahie also offered his commendations for the new education minister and government for taking up the project, stating that he would like the minister to do better than him.
“I know the Minister is a dynamic young man and he will make sure that these kinds of projects continue and even evolve greater because I want the minister to do better than I do, that is my prayer, because the better he does the better the Territory becomes.”
The former education minister whose slogan was to take the education system from “good to great”, said the style of how "we deliver teaching needs to be adjusted to the times".
In pouring out his support for the initiative, Fahie said while the content of learning does not change the format changes as he urged educators to “think outside the box”.
He also urged that some research be done to see how students were learning the timetables before and when introduced to the music, how they have improved after.
The CD, which uses the beat of Showtime’s popular “Bushing Bush”, is expected to catch on very easily by students. The CDs were made available to all primary school students free of cost, from Class 1 to Class 5.
The initiative was the brainchild of Education Officer for Special Education Lorna Dawson and taken up by Raul Sprauve of Home Grown Studios, who went out and sought sponsors to offset the cost of the project and to ensure it can be given out free of cost.
According to Sprauve, even though they had the option to sell it, they realized it would not have reached every home. He said it is just the beginning and is the first stage of the project with more expected to follow.
The musician, who is also the lead vocalist for Showtime Band, advises parents to assist their children with the multiplication CD trainer as it is not a “babysitter”.
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