Vera Sampson-Naughton urges teachers to love what they do

By Telesha Ramnarine
At a time when it was difficult for children to get a secondary education, having to pay a hefty $30 per term, Vera Lynette Sampson-Naughton was fortunate enough to win herself a scholarship for two years, and then her caring mother took care of the fees for the rest of the years.

For this and other reasons, Ms. Naughton took her education seriously and as a result spent nearly 40 years in Guyana’s education system.
She started at St. Stephen’s Primary and completed her secondary education at Chatham’s High which later became Alleyne’s High on Regent Street.
Sacrifices had to be made for Ms. Naughton to write her subjects at the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examinations. It was already a struggle for the family to pay the fees, and when it came time for the exams, her mother, Clarice (now deceased), had to pawn two gold bracelets to get enough money.
“My brother worked as a seaman on a ship that took bauxite to Canada and whatever money he gave to my mother, she ensured that my school fees were paid. In those days, $30 was a lot of money and if you didn’t pay the fees, you had to go home. The principal would read out the names of students who didn’t pay in front of the entire class. I am quite fortunate to say that mom ensured that from whatever she got, my fees were paid.”

“In my time, I ensured that I had a relationship with the parent. I visited homes. I called in parents. So you develop that kind of relationship. I don’t know what’s happening now in the schools. I am not sure that some of the teachers really and truly want to be teachers.”

Ms. Naughton will forever be grateful to her mom whose first husband died and left her with three children, and whose second husband (Ms. Naughton’s dad) also died and left her with the children. “She did a very good job at being mother and father. She gave whatever she could afford to give. She ensured we had our three square meals. But she was a disciplinarian.”

Academic Background
After completing her secondary education, Ms. Naughton returned to teach at the same St. Stephen’s Primary School that she had earlier attended before being transferred to St. Mary’s Roman Catholic School. Before long, she attended Teacher’s Training College. “I was always aiming for higher heights. It wasn’t good enough to just be working as an ordinary teacher.”
Not yet satisfied, Ms. Naughton attended the Government Technical Institute where she did a course in what is now a Diploma in Commerce. “They called it a Certificate in Business Studies and I was able to pass with a credit.”
She then pressed on to the Critchlow Labour College where she did a one year Industrial Relations and Social Studies Programme. “There, I was the runner up for the best student and I was able to get the Jackson Cup.” Further, she went to the University of Guyana and was able to obtain the Bachelors of Education. “I majored in administration. My goal was to get the Doctorate but I gave way for education for my son.”
From a very young age, Ms. Naughton felt that education was important in life. “I always felt education was the key. I realized very early that if you had education and tried to climb the ladder, you would succeed and would earn respect from others. For me, respect is not demanded.”

A Good Teacher
Growing up, Ms. Naughton always wanted to become a teacher. “I have no regrets starting to teach. I have graduated from teaching children to teaching adults and have now moved away from classroom teaching.”
In 1977, she was asked to go into the Ministry of Education to do what is now called the Work Study Programme. She then worked as the Regional Education Officer in Region Three and retired as Senior education officer at Ministry of Education responsible for work study.
Currently, she is the Director/Coordinator of the modernization programme at the Public Service Cooperative Credit Union and is also responsible for training staff and members of the union.
She also sits on the boards of GTI and Guyana Industrial Training Center (GITC), and is the Education Officer of the Public Service Union. Recently, she has been appointed the trustee of Eye Care Guyana.
Ms. Naughton also does part time work with the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDC), an arm of UG.
Explaining why she never left the education system, Ms. Naughton explained: “For some people, it’s just for the remuneration. For me, it’s the satisfaction of those little minds absorbing what you teach them.”
But she cannot understand what is happening in the education system today. “In my time, I ensured that I had a relationship with the parent. I visited homes. I called in parents. So you develop that kind of relationship. I don’t know what’s happening now in the schools. I am not sure that some of the teachers really and truly want to be teachers.”
Ms. Naughton is a strong advocate for corporal punishment in schools. “I got lashes, I am not dead. Once you don’t flog a child to harm that child, it is alright for me. I wasn’t doing this to harm them. I was doing it to help them be disciplined and make a contribution to society. I only wanted the best for my students because I loved them. If the child didn’t learn, the teacher didn’t teach. That’s my philosophy. So even if I had to buy sweets, biscuits, as encouragement, I flogged for indiscipline, rudeness, for being an upstart. I couldn’t handle that.”
Ms. Naughton said it is necessary for teachers to know their students. “Get to know the child. You need to find the time for this if you really want to make an impression on them. And you don’t talk evil things of the teacher in the presence of the child,” she advises.
Ms. Naughton’s son is Sherwyn, a foreign services officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and her two cherished granddaughters are Azaria and Samara.