‘Teachers must take more interest in the children’

Kathleen, a 1975 graduate of the now defunct Roman Catholic Women’s Teachers’ College, quickly adds “it is no longer in existence but we meet annually at a reunion.”

A past student of Manzanilla Government and St Andrew’s High School in Sangre Grande, she started off as what was then known as a monitor or pupil teacher, teaching all levels at Biche RC and Valencia RC. At the end of her two-year teachers’ diploma course, she taught briefly at Mayaro RC and then came to Port-of-Spain, teaching always mainly infants, first at what was then Upper Laventille RC (and is now Our Lady of Laventille) for nine years, and then at Western Boys, now known as Sacred Heart Boys.

This supposed retiree who is totally committed to education, is married to Walcott Douglas, and has an adult son and daughter. Yet, education was not her first choice as a career.

“Actually I wanted to be a woman police because I used to be in girl guides and the military kind of thing gave me that thought, but my older brother who was taking care of us after my mother died talked me out of it because he thought it was a dangerous job at the time. I had this friend who was a monitor in those days, we were very close and I just decided that I wanted to teach, also and I had loved children ever since.”

For the last 25 years, Kathleen has taught the age group five to six, in infant classes, years one and two, and has enjoyed everything about them. “They are very loving and respond to any affection. In earlier times, pre-schools were not in existence as they are now, so when these children entered knowing nothing and you see them making progress, they are not able to write and start writing and putting things to sit on the line, that gives the real satisfaction.”

She does have some concerns about teachers, like in every other job, who do not have that level of commitment. “Teachers need to take more interest in the children. When I was at Mayaro, each female teacher had a week to cook for the children, so you cooked and taught your class, that’s not happening nowadays.”

She has definite thoughts for dealing with children, and personally feels they should be exposed to learning a skill as well as life skills, and for those not up to mark, a bit of remedial maths and reading.

“We must teach them attitudes, values and good citizenship through discussions, role playing, and find innovative ways to hold their interest. The teachers try but they must have continuation at home so there should be parenting skills taught to some of these parents who are very young themselves.”

She is currently teaching YTEPP’s 40-hour Career Enhancement programme to post SEA students at the Maraval RC School to prepare them for the secondary level, and is full of praise for the vision of principal Heather Pierre.

The course stresses things like regularity and punctuality in attendance, courtesy and respect for others in speech and action, honesty in interaction with others, willingness to work as part of a group, dress code, positive leadership qualities, time management, self-evaluation, decision making skills and setting long term goals.

“I think post SEA students in all schools should be exposed to this nice little programme which also includes skills tutors who teach food preparation, soft furnishings and textile design and print.”

On the subject of the non-academically inclined, after SEA, Kathleen feels “they should not be taught too much academics as they cannot accept it and become frustrated. So something like the YTEPP should definitely be introduced at Junior Secondary level.”

Kathleen started teaching YTEPP long before her retirement, and still does so at the Woodbrook Government Secondary School Centre and the Barataria Secondary Senior Comprehensive Centre.

“I have been trained to teach the career enhancement, and chose this because it is necessary for young people to learn about positive attitudes and values.” She teaches the 15 to 25 year age group in six-month cycles which are very well attended. But then at the end of the courses there is hope for employment with the help of YTEPP.