Daphne Lawrence's Determined dedication

Daphne Lawrence - Michael Sloley

TEACHING today's youth is a hard task, it requires self discipline and motivation beyond imagination.

Ask Daphne Lawrence, a grade one teacher at John Mills Infant, Primary and Junior High School, and she will tell you that you have to have a passionate love for the profession to do well in it.

"I teach young 7 to 8-year-olds, this is the cognitive stage of their lives that whatever is communicated to them they take it as the right thing and the only thing, you have to be careful in teaching this particular set as what they see they do."

Her nine years of teaching have taught her that education is the key, that the children are the future and that they must be nurtured and guided in the right direction if our nation is to move forward with respect to education.

"I use various teaching aids and methods when I want them to learn fast, I mostly use real life experiences, like nature walks and things like that. I will then ask them to write what they see. I realise that they understand better when I do that."

She says she also implements a lot of pictures in her lessons. "I sometimes cut pictures out of The Gleaner and Tourism Magazines as part of my chart session for the kids."

Lawrence says sometimes the children are difficult in terms of learning. Some, she says, learn faster than some, and so she puts those who are slow in a group with those who are slightly ahead. She said that by doing this the child responds positively.

Lawrence, who before moving to John Mills was principal at the Sun Beam Basic School in Meadowvale, graduated from Mico Teachers' College with a Diploma in Teaching. She emphasises that her career choice is one that she cherishes as she loves teaching and gets great pleasure when she sees her students do well at an early age.

"I feel proud to know that I played an important part in the development of the children," she said. "Some day they will grow up to be influential persons in society and this is much reward for me."

Apart from teaching the young ones at school, Lawrence also teaches at church. "I teach the little ones about the Lord at church, I am a devoted christian and I am very much involved and active in the church."

She is also a member of the Meadowvale Seventh Day Adventist Church.

She is married and the mother of three children.

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