Guest: Danielle Ali
Danielle is an educator in Trinidad who is deeply committed to school improvement and adding value through her contributions in the field of education. Devon met her when she traveled to Trinidad and Tobago in 2015 to deliver professional development workshops as part of Project Overseas. In this episode, Danielle tells us all about the school system in Trinidad and shares her passion for school improvement and ongoing professional learning. It’s jam-packed with interesting information about what school looks like in this island country and we know you’ll find Danielle totally inspiring as she shares about her career and her commitment to making a difference!
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What are you reading?
A collection of short stories Where There are Monsters by Breanne McIvor
What are you watching?
Not much, I am limiting screen time and I’m only really watching the news.
What’s a typical school lunch for you?
At the start of the week, I usually have leftovers from our Sunday feast. I might take sandwiches. I like picking up lunch like sushi takeout.
What do you usually wear to school?
Usually shirt and pants, but sometimes dresses. It’s very hot here all the time, so I try to dress to suit that.
Role in Education
What’s your current role in education?
I am a teacher for English Language Arts. I can be asked to teach from Form 1-6 (ages 12-18). I teach English language classes, literature and communication.
What is a typical school day like for you?
For upper school, we have 5 one hour sessions with 20 minute breaks between. For lower school, there are 6 sessions of 40 minutes with 20 minute breaks. We have non-contact hours away from the students, so some days I only teach 2 or 3 sessions. In the non-contact time, I might do some planning, assessment or check in with students.
How is the pandemic lockdown affecting education in your country?
We are all online. We have been trying our best to ensure every child has a device. It’s not perfect. For the past year, we had packages as well to cater to the students without access to the internet. The school is closed to students, so they can’t come in to access the internet. We only go to school if absolutely necessary.
Caribbean Education
Does each island have it’s own curricula or do you have a shared curriculum?
We have Caribbean-wide shared curriculum for secondary school. For lower school and primary school, Trinidad has its own curriculum.
Are their standardized tests?
In 3rd form, they have an exam to determine where they are at and what we need to do next. It is also used to check up on schools.
How do teachers feel about standardized tests?
Teachers and students (and sometimes parents) often see it as a waste of time. I believe if the vision and reasons for having it are shared and the data is used to help students move forward, maybe they’d buy in. Some people see it just as way to compare schools.
What is your school year calendar?
It starts in the first week of September and ends the first week of July. We have a Christmas break for 3 weeks, an Easter break for 2 weeks, then July and August vacation of about 7 weeks.
What ages are in the school system?
We have free access to education from pre-school (age 4) to age 19. They can choose to leave at age 16.
How big are class sizes?
It varies. As small as 20 students and as many as 40 students.
What athletics, sports and extracurriculars go on at your school?
Our school focuses on the performing arts, including music and dancing. We have some footballers.
How involved are parents in their child’s education?
It’s a mixture. Some parents are involved and keep open communication with me and do projects with me. Then there are those we have to track down and call.
School Improvement
“I believe wherever you go, you should add value.”
Danielle Ali, Cultivating Connection podcast
If I go to a school, there is always something I can do to help make it better.
What recommendations do you have for teachers interested in making things better and adding value?
Just keeping positive. Change starts with conversations. You build relationships, you share that vision, you talk about it and you actually do things. When others see you working, others will ask if they can help.
I came to my school with some ideas. I have a supportive Principal and Vice-Principal. I shared some of my ideas with them and they gave me the go ahead. Now we have a group of teachers who are like cheerleaders for the school. We are working on projects to improve the image of the school. It’s the most important thing because if you aren’t proud of where you come from, I don’t know what you’re doing. We are really trying to get the children to be proud. We reached out to past students who are successful and asked them to share their stories. We want to get students excited.
What role can parents play in school improvement?
Open communication — they have access to me. I use the Remind app or Whats App. The key thing is communication: sharing the ideas you have, asking them what their concerns are and making them part of the community. Showing them that they have a voice as well.
At my previous school, we had professional learning communities for school improvement. Teachers, parents, students and administration highlighted some areas that needed improvement in the school and found out more about what’s working in other schools.
Professional Learning
What does professional learning look like for teachers in Trinidad and Tobago?
We normally have free workshops during the July-August vacation that any teacher can apply for. During the terms, there are workshops, but since school is in, we send one representative per school. The hope is that they will return to the school and share it. In COVID, we have a lot (maybe too much) of professional learning courses online.
I know you are continuously improving your own qualifications and you have many credentials. What are you studying now and why?
After my Master’s Degree, I did a post-graduate diploma in the teaching of English because I’m an English teacher. I learned so much. I’m always looking for ways to improve. I am intrinsically motivated, so I go for it, but it is also a requirement for promotion in my country so that was another motivation factor. Then I did a Master’s in Educational Leadership. The education system is not perfect. I want to make an impact. I’d love to be given the opportunity to make an impact in my country and maybe even globally at some point. That was my motivation.
What is the route to teacher certification in Trinidad and Tobago?
It depends on what level you want to teach. First, get a Bachelor’s Degree like a Bachelor of Education. If not in education, then in a specific subject area. Then you have to do a post-graduate diploma in education. The Bachelor of Education in Primary School focuses only on primary school. Secondary teachers focus on our subject area, then do the post-graduate diploma.
“I feel fulfilled. It’s not just a job. It’s not just a pay cheque. I feel as though my life has meaning and I’m making some sort of difference.”
-Danielle Ali, Cultivating Connection podcast
More about Teaching in Trinidad & Tobago
Do you integrate technology in your teaching?
I do. I learned a lot from you when you came to Trinidad. I have been integrating. I was doing some blended learning before. I have used Padlet, Weebly, Edmodo and now that we are fully online, we are using G Suite for Education and everything is on Google Classroom. I am using Google Meet, Jamboard and Nearpod. Students like Nearpod and Kahoot.
How is the teachers’ union involved in supporting teachers in Trinidad?
They have regular meetings with the Minister of Education. We also do negotiations for teachers. We have an industrial relations department if issues come up. We have a professional advancement committee for supporting teachers with training. We have a social committee.
Travel
Where have you traveled?
I have been to the United States, England, Caribbean Islands and Norway. Out of all of them, I love the beach and the island. Barbados is by far my favourite.
Where are the places you really want to go?
My goal is to visit every single Caribbean island simply because I love the ocean. When I think of vacation, I think of sand and sea.
Wellness
How do you take care of yourself mentally and physically?
Sometimes I just sign off from everything and do whatever I feel like doing. I believe I deserve to sleep in and not have an alarm sometimes. Read a book. Watch TV. I also cherish my friends. Keeping communication with friends is important.
Does finding balance in your work and personal life come easily for you?
Recently, I have been able to find some sort of balance. I was extremely stressed just a month or two a go and I realized at the end of the day, I needed to close the laptop and move away from anything to do with work. I taught myself to ignore messages until the next day.
Wrap up
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
I’d like to be the principal of a school. I’d like to have my own place on the beach when you come visit!
What do wish you’d known when you started teaching?
You can’t save everyone, you can’t help every child be successful. At some point, they have to want it too. That drive to get every child to succeed just about put me over the edge.
What advice or tip would you give for building connections in education?
Have an open door. Be open to different points of view. Know that there is always another way to do something.
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