Leading classroom instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic and preparation for face-to-face reopening: Caribbean teachers’ experiences

ABSTRACT

The current study investigated how Caribbean teachers are leading remote teaching as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic and their preparedness to return to face-to-face teaching. A qualitative interpretive approach was used. Data were collected using an online survey. The findings show that in transitioning from face-to-face to remote teaching, most participants needed access to free resources and tools and professional learning to deliver the curriculum remotely. Additionally, their workload increased while working remotely, since some had to supervise their children’s remote learning while they grappled with remote teaching. Teachers felt they had minimal direction and support from the Ministries of Education and their schools’ administration. Some teachers had difficulty accessing and communicating with students who had connectivity issues. Nevertheless, the majority of teachers had internet access and a space to work remotely at home. In terms of preparedness to return to the face-to-face school setting, the primary concern of participants was about their health and safety and the fear of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus at their schools. The researchers conclude that to facilitate a successful return to the physical classrooms, schools will require proper implementation of safety measures, regular communication among all stakeholders and social emotional support.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 Pandemic
• Caribbean
• educational change
• remote teaching
• teacher readiness
• teacher preparedness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Freddy James

Dr. Freddy James Deputy Dean Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Humanities and Education and lecturer of Educational Leadership at the School of Education at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. She is a University of Warwick Postgraduate Research Fellowship Scholar. She is focused on embedding innovation and entrepreneurship into the teaching and learning process, and is currently involved in an international project focused on creating social entrepreneurship to fight poverty. She is Vice-Chairman of the CARICOM team responsible for developing and implementing standards for school leaders and teachers. She is also the President and Founder of the Caribbean Visionary Educators Foundation, which empowers educators to create, curate and circulate indigenous Caribbean focused educational content.

Alicia Massiah

Alicia Massiah is a secondary school teacher in Trinidad and Tobago. She has been teaching for 14 years. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, where she pursued her B.Sc. in Psychology and Human Resource Management as well as her Post Graduate Diploma (Educational Administration) in Education Programme. She is also a graduate of the University of Leicester where she completed her Masters in Educational Leadership. Miss Massiah is one of the founding members and a Director of Caribbean Visionary Educators, a professional learning community developed by educators for educators and is dedicated towards the advancement of education in the Caribbean region. Her research interests include action research, teacher development, student achievement and educational leadership. She has published in the area of teacher development and action research and in 2019 presented her research into clinical supervision as a teacher professional learning tool at the European Conference on Educational Research in Hamburg, Germany.

Lee-ann Pierre

Lee-ann Pierre is currently the Director of 21st Century Educators and a Part-time Lecturer of Technology Integration in the Diploma of Education programme at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. She has a Master's in Digital Technologies, Communication and Education with distinction from the University of Manchester. She also possesses a certificate in Designing & Facilitating E-Learning through the Open Polytechnic in New Zealand. Additionally, she has a level 1 certification in Flipped Learning. She obtained a distinction in the Postgraduate Diploma in Education in Teaching of Foreign Languages and a B.A. in French/Spanish, with first-class honours, from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. She has also presented at several educational workshops locally and internationally.

Charmaine Richardson

Charmaine Richardson is an educator and middle leader with over 15 years experience in the secondary school system. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Administration from the University of the West Indies St. Augustine. She is a founding member of Caribbean Visionary Educators, a professional learning community developed by educators for educators and is dedicated towards the advancement of education in the Caribbean region. As a middle leader, Miss Richardson is interested in the professional learning of teachers and is focused on advancing the quality of teacher at her school through clinical supervision. Her research interests include teacher education, clinical supervision and school improvement.

Janine Williams

Janine Williams is an educator with twenty-eight years' experience teaching both at primary and secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and holds a M.Ed in Educational Leadership, Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Administration and a BA in Literatures in English with a minor in Linguistics. She also graduated from Corinth Teachers' College with a Teachers' Diploma and an Award for Excellence in Teaching Practice. She is a founding member of Caribbean Visionary Educators. Her research interests include action research, educational leadership and teacher professional learning. She has published in the area of teacher development using action research.