Dr Helen R. Abadiano This is Me

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1. 1. US professor recommends four-year degree programme for teachers - JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM

   www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/h - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/20/2004   Last Visited: 8/20/2004

   Dr Helen Abadiano, a professor at the Central Connecticut State University, yesterday questioned whether a three-year teacher's diploma is professionally competent and urged local teachers' colleges to push instead for more rigorous four-year degree programmes." name=abstract>
   ...
   Dr Helen Abadiano, a professor at the Central Connecticut State University, yesterday questioned whether a three-year teacher's diploma is professionally competent and urged local teachers' colleges to push instead for more rigorous four-year degree programmes.
   
   Speaking at yesterday's opening session of the two-day Annual Professional Development Conference of the Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE) at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, Dr Abadiano emphasised that teacher education was crucial to the changes, needs and demands in the classroom.
   
   "If we acknowledge that 'professionalism and specialised knowledge' are crucial to teacher preparation, what are the implications to teacher education programmes?" Dr Abadiano asked.
   
   She also questioned if our students who complete three-year diploma were professionally competent and knowledgeable about content.

2. 2. Special Interest Group: Children's Literature and Reading

   secure.reading.org/dir/sig/sig - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/23/2002   Last Visited: 3/24/2004

   Helen Abadiano, Editor Central Connecticut State University

3. 3. RJR News

   www.radiojamaica.com/news/?id= - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/19/2004   Last Visited: 8/19/2004

   Professor Helen Abadiano of Central Connecticut State University argued that teachers need to go beyond what she described as the surface culture, in order to effectively reach their students.
   
   "A teacher's culture, language, social interests, goals, cognitions and values, especially if different from the students', could conceivably create a barrier to understanding what is best for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
   
   "When teachers become aware of their own cultural backgrounds and values they have an opportunity to recognize and address any bias or preconceived notions they might have that would make it difficult for them to accept, understand, and effectively teach their students."
   
   Professor Abadiano added that some Jamaican children are placed at a disadvantage as their home culture and language do not conform to those that exist in the school environment.
   
   She pointed out that this is especially true in case where students' first language is not Standard English.
   
   "Just as teachers should value their students' culture, it is equally important that they also acknowledge and validate students' home language without using it to limit students' potential.
   
   "A corollary to this is with regard to school literacy learning proficiency, in your case, in Standard Jamaican English should be seen as a goal, not as a prerequisite to become literate," she said.
   
   She was speaking Thursday morning at the Joint Board of Teacher Education conference.