Advisory Committee

Rebecca Tortello

Special Advisor on Early Childhood Education and Parenting in the Ministry of Education-Jamaica

Rebecca Tortello is an Assistant Professor of Education at New York’s Adelphi University.  She holds a Ph.D. in comparative education and sociology from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Masters in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  A graduate of Harvard College and a former classroom teacher, Rebecca’s research interests include the sociology of schooling in international contexts, the relevance of informal education and museum education, and education reform and child welfare in the Caribbean.  Rebecca’s dissertation explored museum education in her native Jamaica specifically considering the role of culture and museums in current education policy and practice from the viewpoint of Jamaican primary school children.   

She also has a special interest in children’s literature and Jamaican history and is the author of a children’s picturebook called “Nancy and Grandy Nanny” which was recommended by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture for use in primary schools island wide.  Rebecca also currently writes the popular Jamaica Gleaner historical series “Pieces of the Past.” http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/index.html

 In 1998 she founded Chichibud Ltd., a Jamaican-based educational NGO.  For more information on Chichibud please see http://chichibud.org/

 Back to Advisory committe page

http://allenshawfoundation.org/advisory_committee