Teachers in landmark training partnership with ‘Ivy League’ college

About 200 teachers have headed back to the classroom in a professional development programme at Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, as the Ministry of Education partners with a prestigious American university to make teachers more effective and develop leadership skills.

The initiative, formally launched at an orientation ceremony for the inaugural cohort on Monday is a collaboration with Columbia University in New York, the 270-year-old ‘Ivy League’ school – one of a handful of American private universities noted for high-quality academic programmes.

The training partnership marks a significant step in empowering educators to address students’ evolving needs, according to the ministry. The participants, enrolled in certificate programmes, will be divided into two groups: 100 teachers will receive training in ‘Developing Teacher Efficacy in the Classroom’, while the other half will study ‘Exploring Leadership Paradigms, Principles and Practices’.

Minister of Education Kay McConney suggested the partnership would prepare students to thrive in a globalised world. 

“We have to teach beyond what we’ve already taught, and learn in ways we’ve never learned before,” McConney said, highlighting that teacher efficacy and leadership practices are key areas of focus in the programme.

Erdiston Teachers’ Training College Principal, Dr Colin Cumberbatch. (LG)

She explained that boosting teacher efficacy is crucial to building educators’ confidence and capabilities, ultimately enhancing their impact on students. 

“It’s about your sense of self and conviction in your ability to influence students’ lives,” she said. She noted that teachers with high efficacy are better equipped to innovate and adapt to challenges, leading the transformation needed to keep pace with the rapidly changing global environment.

Erdiston Teachers’ Training College chairman Dr Sylvia Henry described the partnership with the famed New York university as a “game changer” for education in Barbados. She urged educators to embrace the opportunity with passion and apply the new knowledge they will gain. 

“We need to take radical, deliberate steps in teacher and leader preparation—more radical and more deliberate than we have ever done before,” she said.

Dr Henry emphasised that the challenges faced by modern education, including learning loss, educational deficits, and shifting global demands, require a departure from traditional methods. 

“This partnership is offering something new, something different. It changes the rules that govern how we teach and how we prepare teachers and leaders,” she added.

Erdiston’s principal, Dr Colin Cumberbatch, praised the collaboration with Columbia University as a milestone in Barbados’ educational journey: “Together we have forged a connection built on shared values, mutual respect and a relentless pursuit of knowledge and excellence.”   

Professor Christopher Emdin of Columbia University. (LG)

Dr Cumberbatch highlighted that the partnership is designed to create a “synergistic effect” that enhances educational quality, builds capacity, and improves student outcomes.

Professor Christopher Emdin of Columbia University told reporters after the ceremony that the programme would offer both philosophical and practical approaches to teaching. He underscored the importance of understanding students’ cultures to enhance learning without lowering academic standards. 

“We’re constructing a world-class model for teacher and leadership training,” he said. “What we do now will write the story for this island 50 years from now.”

Professor Emdin suggested the training programme would enable teachers to incorporate Barbadian culture into teaching methods. “We want our teachers and leaders to understand the beauty and magic of a Barbadian context,” he said. “I think oftentimes folks look to the USA or to Britain as a model for what teaching and learning should look like. For us, it’s how we train you to look inward to see the beauty and magic on this very island. And all we’re doing is connecting what you know already with our research and our expertise to carve out something unique to this space.” (LG)