Retired teacher Pearl Gravesande has 51 years under her belt
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, October 05, 2017
“One mark of a great educator is the ability to lead students out to new places where even the educator has never been.”
– Thomas Groome.
Ninety-seven-year-old Pearl Gravesande is a retired teacher and a mother of nine children. During her interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), it was disclosed that her career as an educator began at the tender age of 14. Her first job was at the Unity Lancaster Canadian Mission School on the East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Pearl Gravesande, retired teacher of Unity Canadian Mission, St. Paul’s and Plaisance Primary Schools.
Gravesande, who grew up in Mahaica Village, East Coast Demerara, explained that teaching was the only career path she has ever ventured into, and one she stuck to for 41 years.
“I taught mostly the prep students, they were good students. I enjoyed teaching. I also taught my children. I taught them in the lower class and then they went to high school. The boys went to central and the girls went to tutorial”, said Gravesande.
Tthe retired teacher taught a variety of subject areas to students at the primary level.
Subsequent to serving a number of years at the Unity Lancaster Canadian Mission School, Gravesande moved to the Plaisance Primary and ended her teaching stint at the St. Paul’s Primary School.
She retired at age 55, however, due to her desire and passion for educating and molding young minds, she decided to return to the field of education for a period of ten years.
The educator explained that her advice to other teachers may not be relevant in these current times since the teaching curriculum, as well as the environment, has changed.
“The children nowadays are different to those in my days. Long ago it was easier to control the students, but not now they have to answer you back,” Gravesande opined.
The retired teacher now currently resides at the Archer’s Senior Citizen Home in Georgetown.
By: Crystal Stoll