Elgin Taylor, Freelance Writer
Wendy Maxwell - egin taylor
st catherine
There are persons who constantly make the point that the literature taught to our students in high schools should reflect a strong Caribbean bias. Others have even argued that it should be entirely West Indian. However, Wendy Maxwell, an English literature teacher at Innswood High School in St Catherine thinks differently.
"I believe that the students need to be exposed to literature other than Jamaican or West Indian," she told THE STAR.
"There needs to be a balance, in that while they learn about themselves, it is necessary for them to learn about others in the world as well."
Teaches tolerance
She continued: "It teaches them tolerance for other people and their culture."
Boys equally motivate Maxwell who has been teaching at Innswood High School since September 2003. Maxwell said she was happy with the response that she got from her students. She also added that in her experience she has found out that boys and girls show an equal interest in literature.
"We do not get the best students through the GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test)," she declared.
She noted, however, that one has to try to make a difference in the lives of these students.
To this end, she employs a variety of teaching strategies. She says she has to break down and re-interpret the material to the point where they could identify with it.
This treatment she said is also given to Shakespeare, which is taught at grade 10.
Even the boys, she revealed, are motivated by the material to the point where a number of them forgot that they may not be prolific readers.
"If you have to use role play, the drums or whatever to get across your concepts and ideas, do it," she advised.
"Literature", she says, "is not about reading or recall, but applying what is learned to life."
Light on their faces
The Spanish Town-born teacher said that she experiences a miracle whenever her students grasp a concept, and she sees the light on their faces.
With a twinkle in her eyes, and excitement in her voice, she related to The Star how, from a tender age she yearned to become a teacher. She revealed that she used to play school by teaching the plants and punishing them whenever they failed to learn.
This dream became a reality in September, 1996, when she got her first teaching job at Jonathan Grant High School in St Catherine.
The St Catherine High School past student also went on to attend Mico Teacher Training College (now Mico University College) and the University of the West Indies where she obtained a teacher's diploma and a bachelors degree in language and literature respectively.
She said that she believes strongly that every child can learn.
"This (goal) may not be accomplished in the same way, or even in the same day, but eventually they will learn," the young visionary stressed.
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