W.I.S.E. Anguilla

W.I.S.E. Anguilla. Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla Part of Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School
Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
Anguilla.
497-7372
History

In 2004 the concept of W.I.S.E.,on the Isle of Wight impressed the visiting Anguilla team of Educators. So September 2004 W.I.S.E. Anguilla started with a pilot group of 4 Form boys, woodwork, boat building and ceramic projects, on Wednesday mornings. From September 2005 W.I.S.E. Anguilla was opened full time, students from ALHCS, Campus A, attended WISE one part of the day each week. The project areas added were agriculture, beading/jewelry, and art. A small exhibit, June 2006, closed off a hectic but overall successful year. September 2006: W.I.S.E Anguilla increased the student roll to 70 per week, including Campus B and PRU students. Bamboo and glass workshops were introduced as well as a tree nursery. In October 2006 an IT room was installed and literacy classes started. In January 2007 W.I.S.E Plus was introduced for out of school youth at risk. Our annual kite-building week was a success. A bike repair/ go-cart making workshop started after Easter with a surprising number of students participating. An exhibit/open day the 17th of May 2007 gave our students a chance to show and sell their work and our staff the opportunity to thank our supporters, sponsors and volunteers. September 2007; We expanded our workshops to include the former kitchen and laundry building and W.I.S.E Anguilla welcomed our boys and our girls from ALHCS, our WISE Plus group and the new W.I.S.E Primary, 100 students. The exhibit/open day 23rd of May 2008 celebrated the new industrial kitchen and the increased level of all workshops, but boat building in particular; a year full of challenges, surprises and victories.

Present, school year 2008/2009
W.I.S.E. focuses on students at risk with a practical inclination who are selected to be part of W.I.S.E based on self-referral or referral by ALHCS or Department of Social Development Officers. The students attending W.I.S.E. are involved in individual projects of their choice in the areas carpentry, boat building, bamboo, jewelry, ceramics, visual arts, glass, agriculture and gardening, food technology, bike repair, computer skills, and the new workshops mechanics and fashion. Qualified teachers, facilitators and volunteers are actively involved to support, encourage, assist and praise the students to achieve the aims and they focus on improving the students’ attitude, work skills and self-management.
The students attend W.I.S.E. full-time. (WISE Plus students attend 5 mornings per week.) Math, English, Technical drawing are taught on individual basis geared toward the highest certification level. On a weekly basis, as a group, we all participate in a Sport afternoon, First Aid class,a Field trip-Movie or Speaker morning and a Cadet core session, all geared towards the positive mental and physical development of our students.
Future
W.I.S.E aims to grow in project areas offered and in the number students and staff yet maintain it’s low teacher/student ratio, it’s individualistic approach and positive attitude. We aim to incorporate job training through Job link-Up (Dep. J & C), increase educational field trips and encourage visits from specialist speakers. We would like to start, on small scale, with the manufacture, market and sales of furniture, fashion and food.
W.I.S.E. Anguilla. Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla Part of Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School
Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
Anguilla.
497-7372
W.I.S.E. Anguilla aims to:

1. offer individualized projects of the students’ choice so students can discover their skills and potential.

2. show students appropriate behavior through clear rules and role-modeling from instructors.

3. provide real life workshop settings so students learn the value of cooperation and of technical, literacy and numeric skills. Motivating the students to do (even) better at school. Or in the workplace.

4. provide a safe and supportive small group setting so students self-esteem grows and in time the student can better cope in mainstream school and society.

5. document the students’ (project) progress and assist with literacy and numeracy so students are encouraged and enabled to pursue certification in in-house, SLC and Welsh Board certification.

6. work with sensitive instructors in a small group, so students’ individual challenges can be observed, guided and or referred to specialists.

7. supervise practical projects that result in quality products that the student will own. Each student gains success, achieving something they, their family, school and friends see as special.

W.I.S.E. Anguilla.
Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla Part of Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School

Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
Anguilla.
497-7372

Our students performance
is expected to be excellent
and will be assessed as follows:

Work skills
Handles tools properly and safely.
Has problem solving skills (project).
Produces a good quality product.

Attitude
Helps and supports peers
Asks for and follows instructions well.
Respects Property.

Self-management
Arrives and leaves on time.
Works consistently.
Cleans up workspace, stores tools.
Avoids conflict with peers

W.I.S.E. Anguilla. Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla Part of Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School
Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
Anguilla.
497-7372

Philosophy

There are times in the lives of some students, if there has been a lot of change of difficulty, when school attendance and achievement is the least important issue for them. School may become a place where everything seems to go wrong. This can make the student miserable, withdrawn and/or angry. They can not seem to understand what they are asked and expected to do.
However, most young adults want to be ‘ordinary’, ‘fit in’ and be appreciated. Most young adults like to achieve success in something and be told that what they have done is good. Sometimes the way students are coping with difficulties does not help them with this.
Sometimes it is helpful to press a ‘Pause button’, to give some students respite from a situation and give them support, encouragement and praise for finished projects and appropriate behavior.
So, in time, the school and the community may be able to re-engage the students in accessing their education and achieving their best potential.

W.I.S.E. Anguilla
Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla
Part of Albena Lake Comprehensive School
Cottage Hospital
The Valley, Anguilla
497-7372

W.I.S.E. Anguilla

Address: Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
AI2640
Anguilla, B.W.I.

Telephone: 497-7372
Account: NBA 00001 2036358

W.I.S.E. Anguilla
Workshop Initiative for Support in Education, Anguilla
Part of Albena Lake Comprehensive School
Cottage Hospital
The Valley, Anguilla
497-7372

W.I.S.E. Anguilla

Address: Crocus Hill,
The Valley,
AI2640
Anguilla, B.W.I..

Telephone: 497-7372

Account: NBA 00001 2036358