OCHO RIOS, St Ann — In an ongoing drive to improve Mathematics instruction at the primary level, local biscuit company Butterkist hosted a worksop for 45 teachers from primary and all-age schools in the parish.

The Math Teachers’ Workshop, held at St John’s Church Hall here, was the last of four in a series sponsored by Butterkist in conjunction with the Ministry of Education.

Workshop coordinator Michael Gonzalez told the Jamaica Observer North/ East that teachers who have participated have been very appreciative.

“We find that they have gone back to their schools and used some new methods to help to communicate with their students, because it (mathematics) is a challenge for many students,” he said.

He explained that the workshops were geared towards helping teachers develop a better grasp as it relates to some topics which children usually find difficult.

“The whole idea is that the teachers will go back to their schools and share what they have learnt with their colleagues …The whole idea is to get teachers to the next level so they can go back and help the kids do better,” Gonzalez said.

Mathematics teacher at Murray Mountain Primary, Glendon Brown, described the workshop as being very interesting and worthwhile.

“It’s something to take back to the class, and what I have observed too is that although it is geared towards grade six, it tends to be right across the grades because the concept that they have actually outlined here, they can be used from the grade one level,” Brown said.

Another teacher, Elizabeth Murphy of the Free Hill Primary School in Bamboo, said the topics covered would help her make things much easier for her children.

“It will help the children,” she said. “Some children, no matter what you do on the board or whatever, as long as they can hold on to things and manipulate things they will learn more,” she added.