Teachers help make dreams come true
THERE ARE countless stories of teachers inadvertently giving the word of encouragement that prevents a suicidal attempt or preaching the sermon that diverts yet another gang recruit. There are countless stories of teachers making out-of-pocket textbook purchases for needy students and teachers raising funds for terminally ill students under their care.
And then there are the everyday stories. The ones where teachers share personal experiences with students to teach lessons they won’t learn anywhere else. The ones where teachers ignite hope for career paths that once seemed out of reach and where teachers work overtime to help students understand tricky topics. I have my own stories, some of which I have chosen to share in this article.
Like many students, I suffered bitterly from confusion when all the excitement of life’s many choices hit me. I wanted to do all subjects and pursue all careers and be all things in life.
One day at the beginning of sixth form, I woke up with the silly idea to do a subject I didn’t have the prerequisite training to do – pure mathematics. I had previously no interest in mathematics but, that night while I slept, I rolled too many times and a few screws loosened.
How was I going to sit the subject when the school’s policy was that I would have needed to sit Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) additional mathematics first? Seems like I’ve encountered my first math problem – but that’s where my first testimonial comes in. I managed to find a teacher who was willing to take a chance on me. For the two years subsequent to my fanciful math dream, Mr Alex Peart taught me pure mathematics even though my chances could have appeared bleak.
EDUCATION MATTERED MORE
Once I could get the necessary approval from the powers that be, and once I was in it for the long haul, he was game. He didn’t seem to care as much about his track record of passes or distinctions. Apparently, my education mattered more.
Students should be allowed to pursue subjects they genuinely want to pursue. Not subjects that schools think they can pass. I am eternally grateful I encountered a teacher who understood this.
Anyway, not having the prerequisite training, it wasn’t a walk in the park, but with God making moves on my behalf and with the resolve to stick it through, I persevered. Which brings me to another teacher whose kindness has blessed me immeasurably.
Were it not for the help of Mr Chin (Kippy) from Campion College, a master teacher of mathematics and chemistry who has taught countless cohorts of students, I probably wouldn’t have been able to pull through all the way. Mr Chin took time out during the hustle and bustle of the exam period to help me with tough topics. Mr Chin was not my teacher, was not employed to my school and didn’t owe me anything, yet he went above and beyond to help.
So, as it turns out, I transitioned from being a student with no real interest in math to pursuing a math-based career with postgraduate qualifications – all because of one moment of insanity backed by the support I got from two teachers who cared enough to help.
Then there’s the awkward issue of natural talents. Teachers have the choice of encouraging students to think beyond the realms of mediocrity. As much as English has always been one of my best subjects, I’ve always found it pretty boring. Somehow, upon introduction to my CSEC English teacher, Mr Ian Jackson, all that changed.
INSPIRED TO DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
Mr Jackson managed to make me think I was actually good. He inspired me, an ordinary student, to believe I could do extraordinary things. Someone as opinionated as myself doesn’t need a reason to write opinion articles week after week, but without a teacher who made me feel like my short stories and descriptions were great, I would have probably never developed the confidence to write the first one. I remember when Mr Motivator would occasionally leave little quotes in our books to remind us of how much progress we were making. By the way, I should probably mention that today, Mr Jackson is an expert motivational speaker. (Surprise, surprise!)
In so many cases and in so many ways, students have their entire world views changed simply through their interactions with their teachers. I love interacting with educators who are passionate about their subject areas and who are passionate about making others passionate. After all, passion is contagious. Teachers have the power to impact a student’s confidence in approaching a subject and confidence in approaching life.
High school teachers, especially, have a tough job – particularly when every parent has perfect children who are beyond reproof. But teachers are seen and appreciated by those who have paused to look as little as two centimetres beyond themselves, at the realities teachers face daily.
Since high school, I have also been blessed enough to have crossed paths with some of the most talented and committed lecturers who have gone far beyond what has ever been required. With Teachers’Day having passed just this week, I want to join in saluting educators at all levels for shaping lives in the way they do. Students whose lives have been impacted remain grateful. Teaching is no easy feat, but some were carved out for it. Teachers, keep inspiring.