What does it truly mean to be a teacher in Jamaica today?
In a time of educational transformation, increasing accountability, technological change, and evolving social realities, teaching can no longer be understood as the simple delivery of content. Teachers are now expected to lead learning, interpret policy, respond to diverse learner needs, engage in continuous professional growth, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
In Teaching by Design: A Framework for Teacher Professional Identity and Education Transformation in Jamaica, Dr. Cassandra Grant Barrows introduces the Grant Barrows Model of Jamaican Teacher Professional Identity, a transformative framework that reimagines the teacher as:
• educator
• researcher
• instructional leader
• administrator
• professional
• expert
• lifelong learner
• nation builder
Grounded in the Jamaican educational context and aligned with national frameworks such as the Jamaica Teaching Council standards, the National Standards Curriculum, Whole School Evaluation, and Vision 2030 Jamaica, this book bridges theory, policy, and classroom practice.
Combining scholarly insight with reflective tools, classroom illustrations, and professional self-assessment frameworks, the text supports teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, and policymakers in strengthening professional practice and advancing educational transformation.
More than a book about teaching, this is a call to professional purpose, reflective practice, and nation building.
