– How Shawndelle Thom moved from a teenage mom to a teacher
By Shirley Thomas
There’s a motivational quote from Russell Warren that says: “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”It means that success comes from admitting that you have made a mistake, and that you are determined to get up and do better.
For Shawndelle Thom, 37, of Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, the saying holds true.
At age 14, she dropped out of school, and two years later she gave birth to her first son.
But instead of giving up, she was determined to turn her life around, pick the pieces up and move on.
Her firm resolve was to succeed, and that meant completing school; the mistake she made would not doom her to a life of failure.
She attended the West Demerara Secondary School, but did not get a chance to write the CXC Examinations there.
At the time she dropped out of school, she was just in fourth form.
Thankfully, the boy she became pregnant for was committed to her and the relationship and they remained together, lived together and eventually got married at age 23, by which time they had two other boys, now ages 18 and 15.

“In fact, I opted to take the (sweeping) job with the school because I knew that I wanted to go back to school. So it gave me an opportunity to pay for it on my own.”

Initially, they shared a home with her mother-in-law, and fortunately for her, they had no problems living under the same roof.
“We had cordial and not strained relations, and in fact my mother-in-law accepted me as she would a daughter and gave me the very best treatment. She was always there for me, and even looked after my children throughout infancy and even as I began working and pursuing my academic studies,” she stated.
Her husband, she said, has proven to be a tower of strength for her and the children.
Shawndelle’s first job was as a Sweeper/Cleaner at the Versailles Nursery School.
“In fact, I opted to take the (sweeping) job with the school because I knew that I wanted to go back to school. So it gave me an opportunity to pay for it on my own.”
On this note, she expressed special gratitude to the head of the school, Miss Tulsidai Jairam, who would always say to her, “Baby, go back to school and write exams cause you have the ability.” Miss Jairam encouraged her by giving her small tasks to do, such as keeping records.
Today, she is grateful that somebody saw that potential in her and gave her encouragement.
She enrolled with the Adult Education Association and there wrote the exams offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council.
She was successful and was motivated to keep moving on. Thus her next move was to attend the Critchlow Labour College where she did the Certificate in Industrial and Social Studies and later studied business.
Again, she was successful and began feeling on top of the world.
“Yes, I began feeling good about myself,” she said.
During those years, she saw herself performing the triple roles of mother, Sweeper/Cleaner and student, getting home from Critchlow Labour College at nights.
“But thanks to my husband and mother-in-law and their supportive family, I did it and came through well.”
She also expressed gratitude to her own mother, Mrs.Hyacinth Chase, for the part she played in her life. She acknowledged that her mother worked to instill good values in her, “but I think maybe it was just that I was a little rebellious.”
She took up studies in business only because she wanted to get academic certificates.
“In fact, as I was growing up, I always wanted to become a journalist. I would listen to the Radio and was always impressed with persons like Margaret Lawrence and Ron Robinson.”
As time went by Shawndelle found herself firmly grounded in the education system. Around 2008, she entered the Cyril Potter College of Education where she pursued studies in Early Childhood Education, majoring in English and graduated with a Credit.
“Well that did it for me! I was excited when I heard the announcement. I literally cried, I couldn’t hold back the tears,” she said. And having been grounded in the Pouderoyen Church of God, the admonition immediately came back to her: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It was then she knew for sure that she was not going to stop at the level of CPCE, but move on to University of Guyana.
Soon after graduating (by August 1, 2011), she clinched her first professional job, and was appointed Assistant Mistress of the Goed Fortuin Primary School, West Bank Demerara and was sent to teach English in the Community High Department where she worked for two terms. She also taught English at the Early Childhood level.
While still teaching at Goed Fortuin, she applied to the University of Guyana to do Literacy Studies (the teaching of reading) and commenced the programme in 2013. Continuing to apply herself diligently, she is expected to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in September 2017.
“Yes I was a school drop-out, but believe it or not, I will soon be a final year student of the University of Guyana in literacy studies.”
In the meantime, dedicated mother as she is, Shawndelle is working to ensure that her children are well educated.
Her eldest son, Shane, is a member of the Guyana Defence Force; Shem, 18, secured 6 subjects CXC at the Vreed-en-Hoop Community High School, while Shoy, 15, attends Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School.
Summing up, she asserts: “I can say that my life is a living testimony of a person who fell down, but still knew what she wanted and was able to pick myself up, applied myself and with all seriousness, moved on with my life.”
Today, she can offer her own life as an example to other teenage mothers.
“This is not the end of the road. You just have to get up, pick yourself up and say to yourself that you can do better. I fell down, but I did not stay down and so can you.”