A gifted and dedicated teacher

At a time when the challenges of teaching have become greater, there is a need for individuals who are gifted and dedicated to help foster the development of well-rounded students who can contribute to the growth of our nation. This week’s hero fits the bill on all counts and then some, as he is gifted, dedicated, young, and possesses the personality traits befitting a role model not only for students, but teachers as well. A teacher for the past 26 years, and currently based at the St Augustine Senior Comprehensive School, Andre Moses exemplifies what a professional teacher should be. A life-long learner who is always seeking to improve his academic skills and professional competencies, Andre is a meticulous planner, whose classes are always well planned, delivered and evaluated.

Colleagues of Andre have described him as “a tireless worker who is always striving to optimise his teaching output.” Individuals like Moses make the goal of achieving quality education in the system seem one step closer, while erasing doubts that it is a “far fetched dream.” He affords persons the hope that the system can be positively transformed. Andre teaches Economics at St Augustine Senior Comprehensive, and is also involved in the steelband movement at the school and in the community. Questioned as to how he coped with diverse activities involving the steelband movement and sports, Moses replied, “First of  all, it is a balancing act where you have to decide how many activities you can do and honestly contribute something useful in all these areas.” Admitting that “it’s a challenge,” he quickly stated that it was all about “organisation” and you had to be honest enough to know what you can and cannot do. Does Moses see the steelpan playing a part in the reformation of the school system and making the curriculum more relevant? Stating that the steelpan can play a pivotal role in our school system moving towards one which is more student-centred, Andre said the steelpan lent itself very naturally to the academic programme and the approach in the classroom.

Revealing that many times students have found themselves unable to express how they feel, Andre said steelpan celebrated the musical intelligence of the person, and provided them with a sense of importance and purpose. He explained that in a steelband, each member was required to learn his/her part before the band can perform, which is in itself a form of self discipline. Asked to offer a few words of advice to young teachers, Moses simply urged them to exercise patience, which he believes is what teaching and understanding children was really about. The above information was researched by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA).