CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – THE Federation is observing 25 years of Child’s Month in June this year. In recognition, SKNVibes is highlighting the efforts of a few women on Nevis who have dedicated their lives to the development of the nation’s youngest citizens. This week’s guest is Jacinth Johnson.
She has been in the profession for over 30 years, yet Jacinth’s passion for caring for pre-school children burns as brightly as it did when she first started in 1976.
According to Teacher Jacquelyn, as she is known to all and sundry, “I love working with children. It’s a joy. I love interacting with them. If you come to school sad, the children can make you happy with some of the things they do and say.”
It was that love which brought Teacher Jacquelyn out of retirement 10 years ago, at the request of Pastor James Douglas of the New Testament Church of God in Jessups’ Village, to run Naomi’s Day Care.
“I worked for the church previously, so when Pastor Douglas opened the Day Care he asked me to come and run it.”
Jacinth worked at the New Testament pre-school for 15 years before transferring, along with the students, to the new St. Thomas’ Parish pre-school in 1991. She spent three and a half years in St Thomas’ and then retired. Three years later, she returned to teaching when the day care centre was opened.
Teacher Jacquelyn told SKNVibes that she actually started teaching at Sunday school after she became a born-again Christian and, since she loved children so much, she moved on to the pre-school.
During her career, she was also exposed to working with children with special needs at the Day Care Centre.
Commenting on the special needs training, she said: “It teaches you how to love children, how to take care of them and how to enjoy them. Working with a Special Ed child is not easy but I had training…I had one year working with how to deal with Special Ed.”
SKNVibes was told afore hand that Teacher Jacquelyn would be difficult to talk to but, as she warmed up, it was obvious that she enjoyed discussing her charges. With a smile on her face she related how they make her laugh. “They ask the funniest questions. Once a child asked me, ‘Teacher, you don’t go to the bathroom?’”
“I said – yes! Why?”
The child replied: “Because I don’t see you going.”
Jacinth, who still conducts Sunday school classes, said there are times when she feels like giving up “but when I think back on those children and how I love them and how they love us, I just want to go on”.
“I teach them how to love and respect each other.”
She continued: “I taught students who have big jobs now; some have migrated but when they see me they still call me Teacher Jacquelyn, and that makes me feel good that they still respect me and remember that I taught them.”
Jacinth believes being a teacher is fun, once you are called. “I believe I was called to be a teacher…I would not have been in it for all these years.”
In her advice to persons who might be thinking of getting into the field, Jacinth said: “It is a challenge, very challenging! But once you are dedicated and really love children you will succeed. You must also learn to appreciate the children no matter their status. Everyone, Special Ed or otherwise, should be treated equally.”
