Born to teach
Laphane Jones is committed to improving science education
FROM as early as three years old, Laphane Jones knew she wanted to become a paediatrician. While most children change their dream careers many times during childhood, Jones remained committed to her dream, even when science subjects like physics and chemistry became too much for her in high school.
“When it came time to select my CXC [Caribbean Examination Council] subjects in fourth form, naturally I chose the sciences, but it turned out I couldn’t manage them so I dropped them and picked up other subjects,” Jones shared. “I ended up leaving high school with only one science subject, which was biology, other business subjects, history, and Spanish.”
However, hoping to still work in the medical field, Jones dove into a nursing degree at Northern Caribbean University. During her first year, feeling unfulfilled in the nursing programme, she made the tough decision to complete the CXC science exams she did not take in high school to fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor.
“I went and did the physics and chemistry exams on my own, teaching myself and passing them. I then switched my major to biology in order to still make it to medical school,” Jones said.
“As a student, I was on the work-study programme which allowed me to tutor other students and teach labs. I would always get asked if I was sure I don’t want to study education, or people even assumed that I was studying education because of the passion I put into teaching. I always asked myself what they were seeing that I wasn’t.”
With a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in hand, Jones took a four-month contract as a teacher, and it was in the classroom that she found her true calling.
“It just came naturally. My first job was for only four months but I realised I loved it so much that I really wanted to do this. Once that was done, I got a one-year job in Kingston and almost nine years later, I am still here. I went back to school to pursue a postgraduate diploma in science education and I’m now looking to take the next step for my master’s degree in education,” Jones said.
“I think this field chose me. It is what I was born to do. I am not missing out on anything by not being a medical doctor. It is difficult, especially at an inner-city school, which comes with its own challenges, but for me, it is so much more rewarding than working at a traditional high school and it is something that I really love,” Jones said.
As the head of the Department of Science at Edith Dalton James High School in St Andrew, Jones faces an uphill task every day.
“Edith Dalton James High School is one of those schools that get a lot of students who did not do well in their PEP [Primary Exit Profile] examinations. When you look at the grades now and where they are coming from, you feel good as a teacher knowing you are bringing them from zero to even 50 per cent, or you realise that they are reading well now, when they weren’t before.”
Despite Jamaican teachers migrating in droves and with a very obvious passion for educating children, Jones said she is not going anywhere.
“I am not even thinking of leaving this school until I see a change in the external examination passes — not until it reaches an acceptable level. As the head of the department, I am trying to see how I can build out that department before I even think of leaving. When I was in high school, I struggled with maths, and I remember having those teachers who gravitated to the faster learners and would leave the rest of us behind, so I try not to be that teacher for my students. I want to set them up with the best chance to succeed. Some of them don’t see their potential but I think it is my responsibility to show them.”
With the novel coronavirus pandemic and the switch from face-to-face learning to online learning putting a significant strain on education, Jones continues to find ways to help students any way she can. “The online learning is challenging to some students but, for me, I’ve found that it helps me to use up the technology that is available.”
As one of the dozens of teachers currently providing one-on-one tutoring to students in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and South Africa through the SMC Teach programme, Jones said finding the best way to reach students is more critical now than ever.
“I think the SMC Teach initiative is an awesome one. So many students are struggling due to the lack of face-to-face classes and this will offer great assistance. The one-onone time will be very beneficial to those who learn better from individualised attention, helping them specifically in the areas that they are weak in,” Jones said.
SMC Teach was launched by global entertainment marketing giant, The SMC Group, to assist students whose learning had been adversely affected by the pandemic. Through SMC Teach, students between ages 11 and 16 years old are receiving free one-on-one tutoring to help them prepare for the upcoming school year.