World Teachers Day From Inside the Classroom at B.E.S
Today is celebrated as World Teachers Day. Across the country, teachers are being celebrated for their contributions to molding the minds of our population. We have often highlighted the challenges that teachers face in and outside of the classroom, as well as the satisfaction that comes with being a teacher. And, it is commonly stated that students are a reflection of their teachers. So, to get a closer look of what it is like to be a teacher in the classroom, we visited Belize Elementary School and engaged several of the students. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
October fifth is recognized as World Teachers Day. Today we paid a visit to Belize Elementary School’s second grade class to get a small taste of what it’s like to be a teacher and the important role teachers play in the lives of their students.
Kendra Hoare
Kendra Hoare, Grade 2 Teacher, B.E.S
“This is Mr. Paul. He is our new friend, can we say good morning to Mr. Paul?”
Students
“Good Morning Mr. Paul.”
Kendra Hoare
“Mr. Paul will be calling your spelling words for you so you have to listen and show him that you are smart yes?”
Students
“Yes.”
Paul Lopez
“The first word is set, the second one is, and ill repeats, it is set, set. The second word is head, head.”
When calling out the spelling words, it was important to speak clearly and loud enough for the students to hear. It was also important to not get ahead of the students, a task I struggled with, slightly.
Paul Lopez
“Bread, that is the fifth word, bread. Am I moving too fast? No?”
Kendra Hoare
“Raise your hands if you missed a word please.”
Teachers Kendra and Magana take their students through a daily morning routine. It begins with the teachers greeting the children at the entrance, before guiding them through their daily affirmations.
Paul Lopez
“I have a student with me, Amira Perdomo that is going to talk with me about their morning routine. Amira, good morning.”
Amira Perdomo
Amira Perdomo, Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“Good Morning”
Paul Lopez
“What can you tell me about what you all do when you enter the class in the morning?”
Amira Perdomo
“We have to do our affirmations, say good morning to our teachers, and get out our homework. Our teachers will check it and then we have to write drills.”
Paul Lopez
“What are the affirmations you have to do?”
Amira Perdomo
“Sometimes , I am joyful, I am me, I am smart, I am kind, I am talented.”
Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“I am caring, I am amazing, I am joyful, I am kind, I am brave, I am smart.”
Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“I love myself, I am me, I am talented, I am caring, I am amazing, I am joyful, I am kind, I am smart.”
Teachers Kendra and Magana have assigned the role of line leader to a couple of their students. Line leaders maintain order when transitioning from the classroom to another location. Scarlet Look Lin is one of those leaders.
Paul Lopez
“Tell me what is your job in the classroom?”
Scarlet Look Lin
Scarlet Look Lin, Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“The line leader, I have to lead the line anywhere we go.”
Paul Lopez
“Lead the line, so you are always in front?”
Scarlet Look Lin
“Yes.”
Paul Lopez
“Do you have difficulty sometimes leading them, do people come out of the line sometimes?”
Scarlet Look Lin
“Sometimes”
Paul Lopez
“And what do you do then?”
Scarlet Look Lin
“I have to tell the teacher.”
Each child has unique needs and learning abilities. Teacher Kendra and Magana must work diligently alongside their students to ensure that no one falls behind. It is one of the more difficult tasks they face daily, but the burden becomes lighter with support from each other. It also helps when teachers have students that come to school ready and excited to learn.
Paul Lopez
“Macy Anne Good morning, did you know that today is World Teachers Day? What can you tell me about teacher or your teachers, what do you want to say about them?”
Macy Ann Roe
Macy Ann Roe, Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“That they are really kind and they help us learning and grow every day.”
Paul Lopez
“Why is important to be kind as a teacher?”
Macy Ann Roe
“Because, when you are kind, you get more students to listen to you.”
Rowan Wrobel
Rowan Wrobel, Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“What I enjoy is how kind the teachers are and I love how every student is very nice.”
Paul Lopez
“What is the most fun to do here at school?”
Rowan Wrobel
“Doing the school work.”
Paul Lopez
“You don’t like to play outside as fun?”
Grade 2 Student, B.E.S
“Well, I like to play outside but I like to do school work more.”
And as these students are learners, teachers must also continuously engage in learning. It is one of the key advices to teachers from B.E.S. Principal, Mrs. Majiba Sharp. She has been a teacher for the last three decades.
Majiba Sharp
Majiba Sharp, Principal, B.E.S
“Once a teacher always a teacher indeed and you never stop learning. So, not because you are a teacher means you have mastered everything. There is always so much more to learn. And, education has evolved a lot. So, the way we taught twenty years ago, we can’t teach now because the children are different. The parenting styles are different. The teaching styles are different, so it is continuously learning just like your students. So you learn from them and they learn from you and you have to keep evolving.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
Belize Elementary School is also celebrating its twenty-ninth anniversary on Friday.
