THE National Cultural Centre (NCC) was yesterday filled to capacity as approximately 2000 teachers turned out for a special motivational workshop on ‘transforming minds’, facilitated by author and award-winning educator Mr. Ron Clark, and held by the Education Ministry, in collaboration with Mohammed’s Book Store Associates Limited of Trinidad and Tobago, as a part of the observance of Education Month 2013, which is being held from September 1 to October 5 under the theme “Transforming classrooms for the 21st century.”

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand declared at the event that teachers are the backbone of the education system, and are the most important partners in the efforts to ensure that every child gets the best opportunity he or she can get to be the best person they can be.
“We cannot observe Education Month, or celebrate anything in education, without celebrating you,” Manickchand pointed out, as she observed that, this year, Education Month is being observed with a difference, since there are far more awareness-type activities, and the month is not only being celebrated by the Education Ministry, but by the entire Guyana.
The minister also said the Education Ministry is deeply grateful for all the efforts teachers employ daily, and the ministry wanted to do something special for them, hence yesterday’s activity was dedicated to them.
She reaffirmed the need for a strong partnership in education, wherein the Government of Guyana needs to have the political will; the Education Ministry has to carry out the policies the Government makes; and parents, students and teachers must also play a pivotal role.
Manickchand emphasised that if the political will exists, the financial resources would be made available, and there would be parental involvement and disciplined students; but she said that if teachers do not do what they are trained to do, and promised to do when they became teachers, everything would be for naught. “So teachers, headteachers, deputy headteachers, (I now hand the situation) over to you,” she asserted.
She added it is extremely important that the teachers be the best they can be, but she acknowledged that the ministry fully understands that teachers also have their personal lives.
Nevertheless, she assured the teachers that the Education Ministry is committed to making their environment the best it can be, but this is always going to be a work in progress.
The very vibrant, Mr. Ron Clark delivered a riveting presentation to the teachers and education officials, gluing them to their seats as he spoke about some of his exciting experiences and challenges as a teacher in South Carolina, Harlem and New York; and encouraged teachers to learn from his experiences.
Clark encouraged the teachers to be innovative in their teaching techniques, so as to capture the attention of the students by making learning fun and exciting, and producing better students in our modern classrooms. “You set the tone when you are energetic. When you are happy and you’re doing better, the children you teach will want to do better…. You, as an educator, have the power to go in that classroom and touch the future and affect the life of this country,” he declared.
Speaking about how he became a teacher, he told the teachers that if they feel something in their hearts, then they should go for it, and not look back and have regrets in their lives.
Mr. Clark also spoke about teachers showing respect to the students and receiving respect in return, and teaching them at an early age about work ethics, while offering them rewards for a job well done.
A teacher, he said, is required to have a good attitude towards the profession, and must want to be there so that the kids will want to be there, since the teacher’s energy is reflected in the children’s behaviour.
He said teachers should also have a good attitude towards each other by uplifting each other, as this would let students see that they love each other. “When you are dealing with children, there is no room for the ego of teachers. As teachers, we’ve got to hold it together, we must have each other’s backs,” he proclaimed.
He added that while teachers may have a lot going against them, it is up to them to either be negative or decide to make a difference and do what is best for their students. “Teaching is not a job, it’s a mission; and we are here to change lives…. The future of this country is in your hands,” he asserted.
Mr. Clark also encouraged teachers to focus on children who are not achieving; and expect more from them, since the more they expect from the children, the more they will get.
He noted that teachers also need to challenge gifted children, since the future of the country relies on them pushing their brain thrust on the children.
The award winning educator also stressed the importance of teachers making sacrifices for their students, while stating that “Guyana needs teachers who are ready to stand up for these kids.”
He said teachers need to find a way to show children that they care about them, and they also need to support and cooperate with their administrators.
Visiting Guyana for the first time, Clark was accompanied by one of his colleague teachers and four students from the Ron Clark Academy which he founded.
He expressed what an honour it was to travel to Guyana for the first time, and also to see the country through the eyes of his students.
According to this 2000 Disney American Teacher of the Year, two-time New York Times Bestselling author, and subject of a television movie, he is a 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade teacher of Mathematics and History.
Students of the Queen’s College Choir performed a rendition of the song “Lean on Me” at yesterday’s proceedings.
Following his presentation, Clark made available copies of his book, “The essential 55”, for teachers, and was also on hand to interact with teachers and autograph their books. The book is a New York Times best seller about an award- winning educator’s rules for discovering the successful student in every child.