IOM CADRE Does Workshops with Teacher Prep Students
Palikir, Pohnpei (October 13, 2014) - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is usually recognized for its workshops preparing our citizens (and students) when migrating to other places. The pre-departure workshop to be held at Pohnpei Campus on Sunday October 19th is an example. However until recently the College has not taken advantage of the educational arm of IOM referred to as the Climate Adaption, Disaster Risk Reduction and Education (CADRE) Program. Sponsored by Australian Aid, the Cadre Program has been delivering lessons to schools throughout the Federated States of Micronesia for many months. This fall IOM graciously offered their expertise to the COM-FSM Division of Education and our Teacher Training students.
Over the past several weeks experts from CADRE Program have given nine hours providing content workshops to the College’s Social Studies Methods (ED302) and Science Methods (ED304) students. Trainers taught the students about climate change and local impacts, as well as disaster preparation and risk reduction at the local level. CADRE also presented to the student’s curriculum guides for teaching, and curriculum materials for use when students begin teaching in the classrooms.
At the workshops’ conclusion Division Chair Dr. Richard Womack had the following to share: “Originally we were interested in stressing locally important content and showing global warming and climate change as an interdisciplinary matter-science and social science. Also we were stressing using locally available resources as well as the needed curriculum guides. But I was so favorably impressed with the methods used by the trainers that they have been invited back to do a special seminar to the COM-FSM Teacher Corps: ‘Methods Used for Teaching Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness in the FSM’. The Teacher Corps eagerly awaits the return of CADRE and the chance to concentrate on methods for locally based curriculum.”
