An educator’s commitment to moulding minds

WHEN you love doing something, it shows, and that can be said of schoolteacher Zephra Alphonso, who is very passionate about imparting knowledge and moulding minds.

Zephra Alphonso, 25, grew up in Wauna, Mabaruma District, Region One, in Guyana’s scenic hinterland.

Growing up in the hinterland has significantly shaped who she is today. She is of mixed race, but she embraces Amerindian culture more because it is the culture she grew up around and feels most connected to.

Alphonso grew up appreciating the simple things in life: being around family, enjoying their food and learning to be content with what they had.

When it comes to food, she loves the variety that comes with being Guyanese. She enjoys pepperpot and cassava bread just as much as she enjoys dhal, cook-up rice or fried rice.

Growing up, these things were just a normal part of life for her, but as she got older, she began to appreciate how much Guyanese food and culture are a part of who we are.

She currently lives with her father, stepmother and two brothers. She has other siblings as well, but they live elsewhere because of their jobs and families.

Family has always been very important to her, and when she thinks about her childhood, one person who immediately comes to mind is her father.

“My dad is a pastor and was a farmer, and he has honestly been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always supported me and pushed me to do better. We did not grow up rich, but I never felt like I was missing anything important because we had each other,” she said.

Alphonso added that she has a peaceful home. They have food on the table; they have one another and, most importantly, they have God.

She reported that one of the things she remembers most about growing up was her father helping her and her siblings with their schoolwork. He would sit down with them and make sure they finished their homework.

When they reached Grade Six, he took their education even more seriously. Every afternoon, he would sit with her and work through past papers. He did this with all of his children, each in turn, because he wanted them to be prepared for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

All five of them passed with good marks and were able to attend North West Secondary School, where she began her formal secondary education.

Looking back, Alphonso said she realised her father was doing more than helping them pass an examination. He was, in fact, teaching them discipline and showing them the importance of hard work.

“He always wanted us to get a good education because he wanted us to have opportunities that he did not have. He would always tell us that he wanted us to do more than he did in life. At the same time, he always reminded us that, above everything else, our relationship with Jesus was what mattered most. We grew up in a praying home,” she said.

Alphonso related that every Sunday morning, her father made sure they went to Sunday school. When they were small, he would tell them Bible stories before bed.

She stated that, honestly, she thinks her father told them almost every Bible story that could be told, and those memories are still very special to her.

The young teacher disclosed that her childhood was not filled with expensive or fancy things, but she was happy and contented with what she had.

“I remember playing marbles with my male friends in primary school, and at the time, I never thought anything of it. It was just fun, and I enjoyed being around my friends. Those simple moments are some of the memories I appreciate most now because childhood really was about enjoying the little things,” she said.

After she completed secondary school, becoming a teacher was not something she had planned; it just happened naturally.

The educator stated that she had no big dream of becoming a teacher at the time. In fact, she remembered being at home one day, probably doing absolutely nothing, when her father came to her with his phone and said, “Here, apply for CPCE.” And she did.

She thought nothing of it and applied, but that decision changed the direction of her life.

She attended Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and graduated in 2023. Looking back, she realised that her father had played another major role in shaping her life and career without even realising how important that one little moment would become.

Although teaching was not her original plan, she eventually grew to love and appreciate the profession.

Alphonso said she enjoys the fact that teaching keeps her active and that she is always learning something new.

She noted that every day is different because she deals with different students, personalities and situations, and sometimes even unexpected challenges.

But one of the things she enjoys most about teaching is interacting with students. Sometimes, students need help with schoolwork, and sometimes they need someone to listen to or encourage them.

Alphonso said helping them in different ways is something she finds very fulfilling. She also said she is a very vocal person, so teaching probably suits her personality more than she originally thought.

She teaches English, and since she loves reading, it came naturally. As a child, she got extremely excited whenever she received storybooks as gifts at the end of term.

Alphonso said she would read practically every storybook and novel she could get her hands on. They had a bookshelf full of books at home, and she spent a lot of time reading them.

She related that, because of that, it is really no surprise that she eventually chose to major in English and become an English teacher.

She always enjoyed stories, language and expressing herself, and she can now share that interest with her students.

“Another thing I really enjoy is debating. I love being able to express my opinions and defend my ideas, but I also enjoy listening to other people’s perspectives. I had the opportunity to represent my region, along with two other colleagues, at Youth Parliament. I was fortunate enough to be awarded Best Speaker Regionally in both years, which is an achievement that I am very proud of,” she said.

Alphonso added that those experiences helped her become more confident in public speaking and expressing herself.

As a teacher, she believes that her job is about more than just teaching English, and she wants her students to become better people as well.

“I want to grow as a person, as a teacher and as someone who can positively influence the people around me. I also want to inspire my students in the same way my father inspired me. My father saw potential in me, even at times when I probably did not see it in myself,” she said.

Alphonso added that, when she looks at her life now, she realises that many of the things that seemed small at the time actually played a big part in shaping her.

She said her childhood in Wauna, her family, her faith, the books she read, the games she played, the movies she watched, her experiences in school, debating, and eventually becoming a teacher have all contributed to the person she is today.

Alphonso said that, somehow, that small decision became the beginning of a career that she has grown to love, and she is excited to see where the journey will take her.

She is attached to Hosororo Secondary School, where she teaches English to Grades Seven and Eleven.