PEARL Nelson, better known as ‘Miss Pearl,’ is a respected teacher who taught at St. Pius Primary School in the city for 36 years, fulfilling her calling in the noble profession of education. She has now retired.

In a recent interview, she detailed her career path, highlighting the reasons she chose to become a teacher despite possessing the potential to pursue other professions.
“I always loved being around children. I realised I had a gift at an early age, and when I was 13 years old, I decided that teaching was my calling. I felt I had what it took to become a teacher—the way I interacted with children, my ability to keep them focused, and my skill in promoting learning,” she said.

Nelson related that growing up, she used to hold open classroom sessions with the children in her village, Catherina, West Bank Demerara.
She loved every bit of it since she was a great storyteller, having mastered the art of holding their attention for any given period.

She told Pepperpot Magazine that after finishing high school, she enrolled in a two-year course at Frederick’s School of Home Economics in Agricola. It was during this time that she was encouraged to pursue a career in teaching.

“There was this teacher, Miss Telsa Garnett, who said to me, ‘Pearl, you have something extra in you; why not become a teacher?’ And I thought about it,” she said.
After completing that programme, Nelson enrolled at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) for the two-year teaching course to become a qualified educator.

She was successful and began her teaching career at St. Pius Primary School, where she remained as a Grade One and Two teacher for 36 years.
Nelson, however, turned 55 years old last week and decided to retire, allowing herself time to do the things she always wanted to but never had time for due to her demanding teaching career.
“I enjoyed the 36 years of teaching. I gained experience, met a lot of people, and interacted with hundreds of children who passed through my class. The good outweighed the bad, and if I were asked to do it all over again for another 36 years, I would—because I love it. It is a part of me,” she said.

Nelson stated that retirement feels good, but she is not the kind of person who can sit idly by. She plans to keep herself occupied through farming and rearing meat birds.
“I want to relax a bit first, but I am also thinking about hosting after-school lessons at my home in Pearl, East Bank Demerara, as a way of giving back to my community. I may even return to classroom teaching, but I prefer a primary school near my home,” she said.

The educator related that the commute from Pearl to the city five days a week was challenging, but she did it nonetheless, often taking work home to complete in order to stay on top of things.
Being a teacher is no easy job. Nelson described it as challenging, but for her, it was manageable because she was always prepared and punctual. With her natural gift for storytelling, she was able to capture and hold the attention of children, fostering learning in a classroom setting for 36 uninterrupted years.

Nelson stated that she has no regrets about choosing the noble teaching profession because she enjoyed it. She even boosted her career by becoming qualified in Social Work at the University of Guyana (UG), which significantly helped her build good relationships with teachers and parents over the years.

During her teaching career, she provided a listening ear to anyone who needed someone to talk to—even her own pupils—and was able to guide many through their difficult times.
Nelson came from a large family of six sisters and three brothers and lived with her parents in an extended family setting in Catherina, West Bank Demerara.

Her father was a farmer who reared poultry, goats, and sheep and did large-scale farming on the family property.

Growing up, Nelson would join her father on the farm, and as a result, she gained extensive knowledge about farming.
She has since used that knowledge to maintain the farm started by her late father, which now provides for her as a supplementary source of income to offset personal expenses.

Nelson is a woman of many talents and a staunch Christian of La Harmonie Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She believes that giving back and being benevolent is her purpose in life, apart from moulding young minds.

“I will relax a bit, clear my mind, and then think about what I want to do to occupy my time when I’m not tending to crops on the farm. I will not sit idly, though—I am accustomed to work, so I have to keep going,” she said.

Last Thursday, the teachers of St. Pius Primary School hosted a surprise farewell for her, during which she was presented with a plaque and gifts in recognition of her 36 years of service in the teaching profession. The planned ceremony was filled with goodbyes, heartfelt sentiments, and songs.

On Friday, her last day of teaching at the school, a games day was organised with the teachers, making for a well-spent and memorable day for Nelson, who is truly thankful for all of it.