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Bahamian Educators Learn Effective Methods to Teach Sustainable Energy Lessons
By Ministry of Education
Sep 3, 2013 - 2:27:25 PM

Teachers attended a two-day workshop entitled “Sustainable Energy for Caribbean Education in The Bahamas” and constructed models of wind turbines. Pictured above are Mr. Keith Etheridge, Kidwind Workshop Facilitator (Back row, centre); Mrs. Barbara Dorsett, Education Officer for Primary Science (Back row, fourth from right) and Ms. Louise Barry, Education Officer for High School Science (Back row, first from right) with teachers from various schools.

Nassau, Bahamas - The Ministry of Education, Science & Technology and the Organization of American States (OAS) through its Department of Sustainable Development conducted a two-day teacher workshop in New Providence, August 21-22, 2013. The workshop gave focus to the importance of teaching renewable energy, energy conservation, and the need for advocacy of cleaner and more sustainable energy development in The Bahamas. The fifteen attendees included teachers from primary, junior and secondary schools in Abaco, Andros, Inagua and New Providence.

During the workshop, educators reviewed the science behind renewable energy, energy conservation as well as increased their capacity to effectively prepare student-centred lessons on these topics in the national science curricula. Teachers left the workshop knowledgeable about current technologies and advances in science from experts in the field, and with lessons, ideas and materials to use during hands-on instruction with students.

Teachers, Dametra Moss of Abaco Central High School, Sheneka Clarke-Munroe and Kendera Sherman both of A.F. Adderley Junior High School and Indiana Thompson of D.W. Davis Junior High School worked together to construct model wind turbines during the sustainable energy workshop.

Education Officer for High School Science at the Ministry, Ms. Louise Barry stated, “The workshop featured a fascinating blend of theory and practical activities. The integration of science and technology was effectively demonstrated as the activities employed participants’ creativity, scientific process and problem-solving skills as well as teamwork capacity. I look forward to the positive impact the instructional strategies used will have on students as they study Energy Sustainability which is of vital importance to The Bahamas”.

The workshop was led by KidWind instructor, Keith Etheridge. Etheridge has taught thousands of teachers and students about wind energy and has facilitated teacher workshops on renewable energy and energy conservation sciences across the United States, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands. KidWind is an internationally recognized leader of clean energy education. Over the past seven years, KidWind has held hundreds of teacher workshops in more than 40 U.S. states, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

“I must say that the workshop was quite informative and practical. The presenter was so good at breaking down the fundamentals that one is inspired to adapt materials that are available to produce alternative energy powered machines, in the absence of the kits. I can't wait to see what Bahamian students can invent once they are aware of the fundamentals”, said Ms. Indiana Thompson of D.W. Davis Junior High School.

Tina Sherman, a teacher at Inagua All Age School, Carolyn Dorsett of Centreville Primary School and Lakia Williamson-Brown of Cleveland Eneas Primary School tested their wind turbines to see how much electricity was being generated. Workshop Facilitator, Keith Etheridge observed the experiment.

According to Ms. Tina Strachan of the Inagua All Age School, “The Energy Saving Workshop was very informative.  Building models for a windmill and wind turbine was exciting. The children that I teach will love building wind turbine models and solar water heaters. The use of alternative sources of energy is the way forward if we are to save our planet”.

The workshop, partially funded by the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) Caribbean Initiative, was implemented through the OAS’s pilot program, the Caribbean Energy Education and Awareness Programme (CEEAP) under the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP) and in collaboration with the KidWind Project.

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