Parents of students attending the L’Anse Fourmi Methodist School, Tobago, are full of praise for energy company BP Trinidad and Tobago for implementing the highly-successful ARROW remedial learning programme at the school. At a meeting held at the school last Monday, parents were provided with a full understanding of how the programme works as well as how they can play a greater role in the development of their children.
According to Stasha Kerr- King, whose daughters, Alyssa and Alisha, are Second Year and Standard Two pupils, the session was very informative and beneficial. “We all agree that the ARROW programme is very impressive. We’re really grateful that our kids are getting this opportunity and the tips and advice given to us in terms of enhancing the learning environment at home were welcome. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we can sometimes lose focus on the importance of how critical our role is in our children’s education.
“We have been empowered by this session and this investment made by BPTT will impact on ever single child in our community. We are truly grateful for this enhanced educational tool,” Kerr-King said.
Hundreds of students across Tobago have benefitted from bpTT’s implementation of the ARROW remedial learning programme over the years, including those at some of the more remote schools such as Charlotteville Methodist and Speyside Anglican.
Explaining the company’s intervention was bpTT’s Corporate Responsibility Manager, Ronda Francis who said: “From pre-primary to post-graduate level, we have been providing opportunities to support education, which is one of the main pillars of our many social investment initiatives. Because of the multi-sensory technological approach incorporated by ARROW, these students are excited and encouraged to learn.
“We have seen incredible results with students, not only in terms of their academics, but also the marked improvement in terms of their overall attitudes and self-esteem.”
Francis added: “It was a pleasure interacting with the students, parents and staff of the school. Getting their feedback and participation can only help to strengthen the focus on the students. It must be said that while we are incorporating cutting-edge technology in learning, we also need to hold on to traditional values such as the reality that it still takes a village to raise a child. That is why we are here today and it was a resounding success.”
The students of the school have been given a tremendous advantage though the implementation of the computer-based ARROW programme sponsored by bpTT. The first intake of students has already improved their academic standings and overall attitudes toward learning.
In the words of Standard Four student, Destiny George, “The ARROW computer programme really helps me to learn and I am reading and spelling better which is helping me to improve in all subjects, even maths. I want to be a lawyer and I know that I have to work really hard and do well. ARROW is really helping me to do better in school and the support of my teachers, parents and bpTT will help me achieve my dream.”
In addition to working with the students, bpTT’s support also includes ARROW tutor-training for selected teachers in each of the participating primary schools as well as licensing for use of the software. This will allow the teachers to become accredited ARROW tutors, thereby ensuring that any student who needs additional help can have ready access to a trained facilitator and the learning programme.
Giving positive feedback to the initiative was principal, Prisca Jack, who said: “This programme is extremely beneficial and it caters to the learning needs of each individual student. As an educator, I want a variety of teaching styles available to my students and ARROW’s use of technology really engages them and enhances the process.
“Because of our location, we are often left out of corporate initiatives, but bpTT came to us and we feel blessed to have been selected. We truly appreciate that bpTT and ARROW representatives came and interacted directly with our students, teachers and parents and we are thrilled that our students are getting this added advantage.”
Christopher Bonterre, director of the local ARROW Foundation, spoke to the parents about how the programme works and offered advice on the holistic development of their children such as proper nutrition, open communication and participative activities, including reading as a family.
Bonterre said: “When parents get involved in the education of their children, improvements increase significantly. The response from these parents has been outstanding and we know that they are on the pathway to success.
“ARROW is the United Kingdom’s leading literacy programme developed to improve reading, spelling, concentration, confidence and much more through brain-based learning. With the support of bpTT, we have been able to bring these substantial benefits to schools across Tobago and Trinidad. We need more companies to follow their example and get on board to ensure that our students get every advantage.”