There was once a time when you could not even tie your shoelaces properly, and someone was always there to bend down, take your little hands in theirs, and patiently show you how. There was a time when the letters on a page refused to make sense, when words stumbled from your lips, and a gentle voice was there to help you sound them out.
How could you ever dare to forget the times when standing in assembly every morning felt like a chore, when each minute seemed like an hour? In fact, between those first letters that had no crutches, untied shoelaces and those long assembly lines, teachers were quietly preparing you for life – even when you could not get it right the first time.
Written on the whiteboards of our hearts are permanent markers that teachers left in our lives – impressions that cannot simply be erased, no matter how many years have passed.
This Teachers’ Day, which is set to be celebrated on Monday, bears a different kind of memory, as Guyana Times caught up with several teachers who rolled back the hands of time, recalling where their own journeys began and the teachers who, in fact, helped the tiny hands of children take their first steps towards becoming who they are today.
Inspiration
In recounting the genesis of where she began teaching, Fiona Smith, who has been teaching for some 18 years, is currently a teacher at St Margret’s and reported that her nursery school teacher, Miss Roxanne, inspired her to become a teacher. She said Miss Roxanne had a lot of patience, zeal and zest, which she brought to her students. According to Smith, there was never a sad day for her at nursery school because of Miss Roxanne.
“The journey wasn’t an easy one, becoming a teacher; however, because that is what I wanted as a child, I knew within me that I was going to take the necessary steps to become a teacher when I got older.”
In fact, when she looks back at where her inspiration stemmed from, she says motherhood also strengthened her desire to teach.
“And looking back, I have no regrets about making that decision. Well, as I got older and I had my son, what I wanted for him, I wanted for other children as well. So, the same patience, the same care and love that I would have stretched out to him – that is the care and love that I would have portrayed to all of my students.”
This same blueprint, handed down from how she wanted to treat her son, has reaped many benefits, even in how some of her former and present students treat her.
“And over the years that I’ve been teaching, my past students, my present students, and even my parents can attest to the fact that Smith goes above and beyond for her students in the classroom, as well as outside of the classroom. And it’s not just with my students. If my parents have a problem or a concern, they’re able to call me. We’re able to deal with whatever situation is going on with that child or with them or with others in society as well. So, seeing what my nursery school teacher would have modelled, I was able to model that same attitude, those same attributes that would have helped me today in the classroom.”
Smith said she spent some of those years teaching in private schools and others in the Government school system while also reflecting on her most memorable moment in her teaching career, describing it as a significant experience that she could recall at the top of her head and share with others over the years.
“There are so many moments that were amazing in my teaching journey, but off the top of my head, the recent class that I would have promoted to Grade Five, they wanted me to go with them. I would have taught them in Grade Three, and they wanted me to go over with them in Grade Four. I’ve never done that, but I chose to because I saw that they needed that little – they needed that extra help. And I said, ‘You know what, I can’t leave them there,’” she stated, as a warm smile enveloped her face.
“I would have moved from Grade Three with them to Grade Four, and I said to them, ‘I’m not going to Grade Five with you because I would have prepared you well.’” One day in the classroom, one of the students said, ‘Miss, we’re going to miss you.
You’re not like those other teachers that are on their cell phones all the time. Miss, you work with me. Miss, you make sure that when you put the work on the board, Miss, we understand it. Miss, the other teachers, they don’t do that.’”
Distinct methodology
It is clear, however, that different teachers have their own distinct journeys. Francessa Melville, who teaches a wide range of subjects at St Margaret’s Primary School, highlighted that she is in love with working with children and helping them learn.
“Watching them be curious to learn new things and to discover new things for themselves and helping them along that path… Wow, wow, wow. So, in terms of now where challenges may come up, where it’s probably hard for a child to learn a particular area – what subject do you teach? I teach all the subjects.”
Speaking with her, it was easy to see the glee on her face when she remembered her pupils. It can be fair to say that this is the reason why she enjoys going over topics with her students.
Her teaching method, she explained, is one centred on patience and repetition.
“For me, I usually go through things over, and over, and over. And for my children, I go things slowly so that they can understand. If they don’t get it the first time I explain, I go over it again. And if they don’t get it, then I call them to my table. I give them that one-on-one and see what the problem is. If it’s because I’m doing it in a large group setting or whatever the case is, I call them to my table, and I explain. And most of the time they would get it. I wish I was a child again because, boy, I would have enjoyed that class.”
With the experience she has gained over the years, she strongly advised new teachers to exercise patience as they begin their careers, particularly as they take on the responsibility of guiding and educating young minds.
“I would say as long as you have patience, as long as you’re good with communicating, you have to be willing to listen and willing to learn. As teachers, many times we feel like we go there, and we talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, all the time. The children should listen. But as teachers, we should listen also, so as a young person who wants to pursue teaching, patience is very important, and you must be able to listen. You must be able to communicate well.”
When asked about her best moment during her teaching career, she highlighted the joy that comes when students finally understand what they are being taught.
“There’s so much. All right. So, having a wow moment is all teachers want. That’s what we long for. When our children can understand and grasp concepts and things like that, and look at our pupils’ faces when they get something right or when they discover something new for themselves. That is one of the things I am really, really, really proud of – to see the expression on their faces.”
Open-minded
There is also a bright, shining light radiating from a new teacher on the scene. Do not, for one minute, take your eyes off her. She is helping to sharpen the young minds of Guyana and has much to say about the teaching profession, having experienced it for herself.
Shequana Ambrose, who is also a teacher at the St Margaret’s Primary School, has been in the profession for approximately four years.
Reflecting on her experience thus far, Ambrose said teaching has presented both good and challenging days, but she remains open-minded and understands that every situation is an opportunity to learn.
“My experience thus far being a teacher, I would say, some days it’s good, some days it’s bad. But most of the time, I’m open-minded. Because at any given point in time, a situation comes up to us, and as teachers, they did not go out there looking for us to do the job; we went to them. So, open-minded. And it’s a learning process.”
When asked what inspired her to become a teacher, Ambrose pointed to her mother, who is also a teacher.
“My mom, she actually inspired me to become a teacher. Growing up with a single mom – well, she was a teacher. Well, not was. She is currently still a teacher. You know, she was juggling her job and looking after three children at one time. And she did all she could within that profession to make sure that her children were okay. And visiting her classrooms and so on.”
Even at her young age, Ambrose relayed that Teachers’ Day is of much significance to her, as it provides an opportunity to recognise the work teachers do for children and their families.
“Well, to me, Teachers’ Day means appreciating the things that teachers do for their children. As one of my colleagues mentioned, not just the children, but the parents as well. Teachers fill in so many gaps to help the parents in, you know, holding them.”
Career paths
Meanwhile, Vonetta Wills, a Grade Five teacher also at the St Margaret’s Primary School, reflected on what inspired her to become a teacher. Wills said that before completing high school, she was contemplating which career path to pursue.
She recalled having a discussion with her aunt, during which she expressed an interest in becoming an air hostess. However, her aunt advised her that working as an air hostess would require knowledge of several languages.
Wills said that at the time, she was not particularly strong in Spanish, which led her to reconsider her career choice. As a result, she decided to scratch becoming an air hostess off her list, which she described as one of the best decisions she has ever made in her life.
“After I joined the profession, I recognised that this is something I love. The whole idea of having to deal with children and the uniqueness that each child comes with helped me to love the work, to love the profession. And I am a people person normally. And so, with that, as the children gravitated to me, I also gravitated to them and ended up loving the job as a teacher.”
As for her encouragement to other teachers, Wills said, “What I would advise anyone who is interested in becoming a teacher is that if it’s something that you really want to do, you can go for it. For me, I find teaching has been very rewarding because it has really helped me to understand humans more, human psychology more, even after going through all of the training at CPCE and even the University of Guyana.”
World Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on October 5 to honour educators and recognise their vital role in shaping society and future generations.
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