Nikita James is a proud teacher

By Indrawattie Natram

“TO be a teacher your heart must be in it. You have to develop a passion for children and learn to love them, treat them as your own- only then you can bring about changes in the school environment and the education sector.” Those were the inspiring words of 25-year-old Nikita James who has been teaching for five years, and loving it.

James, who hails from Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast, is currently an English teacher at one of the leading secondary schools in Region Two- the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary (ARMS). For her, the greatest satisfaction is when she hears one of her students speak with enriched vocabulary.

James was instrumental in establishing a Social Cohesion Club within the school. She spends most of her weekends promoting unity amongst children by using the Social Cohesion Club to host several activities such as tree planting, weekly after-school cook-outs and various cultural activities. Currently, she is working on a Cohesion magazine for the school where children can get the opportunity to contribute as well as to build their writing skills.

“I love teaching because it allows me to motivate others and to influence the future of our country. It allows me to develop my creative side. The one thing about this profession is that it is easy to become complacent; as teachers, we all need to keep reinventing ourselves every day to make our job more meaningful,” James said.

Her inspiration to join the teaching profession came from her mother, Portia Jacobs, who believed it was a safe option for her. James said that she was happy that both her parents gave her the push to become a teacher. She said that she mustered courage also from the many vibrant teachers who taught her in the various schools she attended.

For James, her biggest challenge was the first time she appeared in front of a classroom at St Roses High School to conduct teaching practice. The teacher said that what fueled her nervousness was the fact that St Roses High was a school she wanted to attend as a teenager. Her first teaching practice made her realise that that was the profession she was supposed to be doing in her life.

After her college life at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), she was placed at the Charity Secondary School where she served for four years.

“Charity Secondary is where my love for the profession really grew. I found that with the right approach and strategies the children responded well, despite the fact that they are considered underachievers. I tried my best to make the lessons interesting. I wanted to use my skills to change the learning environment at Charity and I did,” James said.

Apart from academics, James is involved in several co-curricular activities, such as the JOF Haynes Debating Competition. Her input in the competition made her team reach the national and semi-final levels last year. She was also responsible for getting the children involved in dancing, poetry, drama and sports. The young teacher said that while she was at Charity she was able to tap into the real beauty of teaching, and was even fortunate to teach Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and National Grade Nine Examinations (NGNE) classes. Her greatest satisfaction was when the students performed well at the CSEC examinations.

Last Christmas she was asked by the headmaster of ARMS to serve as an English teacher. The secondary school was her alma mater. She then applied and received a transfer where she currently serves in that position.

“I moved to the school where I got my foundation. I had to go through a process of reinvigorating but in a few weeks, I adjusted so neatly that I felt I knew everyone in the school for years,” James said.

For the five years she has been in the teaching profession, her love for it grew daily and she is happy that she can influence and nurture children in every way. She also tries to inculcate drama and expressions in her teaching, in that way, she said, the children connect faster to classroom teachings. She has also seen improvements in her student’s performance in and the use of the English Language over the years. Apart from her teaching profession, she also bakes and decorates cakes. It is her desire, to one day own her own cake shop, but even if that comes through, she will never give up the teaching profession.