The Jamaica Star :: Features :: The joy of teaching

Kimone McDonald (left) and her sister Simone, who is also a teacher, strike a pose for the camera. - Contributed

Kimone McDonald saw attending teacher's college as a cheaper way of getting a tertiary education.

Now, years later, McDonald is loving it. But it was not only a cheaper way to gain tertiary education that led her to become a teacher. "Due to the encouragement of my parents [I decided to become a teacher]," she said.

In 2005, she graduated from the Shortwood Teachers' College in Kingston with a diploma in early childhood education. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in guidance and counselling.

Flight attendant

McDonald said she had always dreamt of becoming a flight attendant, but has since abandoned that idea. Instead, she is now content with being in the classroom. She now teaches grade-two students at the Treadlight Primary school in Clarendon. She said she chose to teach young children because she felt they would be more appreciative.

Patience

She said people considering become teachers, particularly in early childhood or other young ones, should have some important qualities if they are going to succeed. "Patience, because if you don't have patience, you can't deal with the children," she said.

She also said being an all-rounder, self-motivated, loving and fit are also important qualities to have if one wants to do well at the job.

McDonald is from a family with many teachers. She has eight aunts and a sister who are in the profession.

The teacher said she stays motivated despite the challenges she faces on the job by having a strong support system. This system includes her school administrator and her parents. She says whenever the school administrator commends her for a doing well on a task, it pushes her to work harder and do better.

She is not planning to remain a teacher to the little ones forever though. She intends to pursue further studies in the future with a view to eventually becoming a university professor.